Are your products ready for the upcoming v1.9.1 & v1.8.1 CE Mark changes?
Published on February 4, 2016
You’ve likely heard by now that the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) will be implementing a new set of compliance standards for 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz wireless products, effective December 1st, 2016, and January 1st, 2017 respectively. These changes are being made to address and clarify test methods and limits for these products.
Let’s take a minute to help ensure you have a plan for handling this upcoming CE Mark change:
What products fall under the purview of the new versions?
The ETSI EN 300 328 and ETSI 301 893 standards address any wideband RF product sold into Europe that utilizes the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz ISM band. Examples would include products that incorporate WiFi (802.11 a/b/g/n), Bluetooth®, Bluetooth Smart, or ZigBee® communication protocols. Documentation confirming compliance to v1.9.1 will be required by December 1, 2016 for ETSI EN 300 328 and January 1st, 2017 for ESTI EN 301 893 v1.8.1.
Can I simply update the test data that was acquired back when my product was certified to meet EN 300 328 v1.9.1 and ETSI EN 301 893 v1.8.1?
Unfortunately, not all of the data can be leveraged. The most significant changes in the standard are not simply new limits, but rather changes to the actual test methods. Therefore, new data must be taken to confirm compliance with the new revisions of the standards.
How soon do I need to begin the process of certification for the latest revisions?
As always, the sooner the better, to provide you time to address any design changes that may be needed should testing determine that the standards cannot be successfully met. The complexity of the testing and the number of measurements required could result in a week or longer of testing time to complete.
How can LSR help me address these new requirements?
Partnering with LSR for EN 300 328 v1.9.1 and EN 301 893 v1.8.1 Certification provides:
- An evaluation of the standards and how it applies to your product, so a detailed, custom statement of work can be provided
- The support of a team experienced with testing to these new standards, as LSR has been re-certifying all of its own WiFi, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Smart, and Zigbee modules.
- Knowledgeable professionals working with you to troubleshoot and identify the source of any non-compliance to these new standards
- The necessary testing equipment and facilities to complete these tests in an accurate and timely manner
- All the needed documentation to update your DoC before December 1st, 2016 and January 1st, 2017