Sec. 15.214  Cordless telephones.

    (a) For equipment authorization, a single application form, FCC Form 
731, may be filed for a cordless telephone system, provided the 
application clearly identifies and provides data for all parts of the 
system to show compliance with the applicable technical requirements. 
When a single application form is submitted, both the base station and 
the portable handset must carry the same FCC identifier. The application 
shall include a fee for certification of each type of transmitter and 
notification or certification, if appropriate, for each type of receiver 
included in the system.
    (b) A cordless telephone which is intended to be connected to the 
public switched telephone network shall also comply with the applicable 
regulations in part 68 of this chapter. A separate application for 
registration under part 68 of this chapter is required.
    (c) The label required under subpart A of this part shall also 
contain the following statement: ``Privacy of communications may not be 
ensured when using this phone.''
    (d) Cordless telephones shall incorporate circuitry which makes use 
of a digital security code to provide protection against unintentional 
access to the public switched telephone network by the base unit and 
unintentional ringing by the handset. These functions shall operate such 
that each access of the telephone network or ringing of the handset is 
preceded by the transmission of a code word. Access to the telephone 
network shall occur only if the code transmitted by the handset matches 
code set in the base unit. Similarly, ringing of the handset shall occur 
only if the code transmitted by the base unit matches the code set in 
the handset. The security code required by this section may also be 
employed to perform other communications functions, such as providing 
telephone billing information. This security code system is to operate 
in accordance with the following provisions.
    (1) There must be provision for at least 256 possible discrete 
digital codes. Factory-set codes must be continuously varied over at 
least 256 possible codes as each telephone is manufactured. The codes 
may be varied either randomly, sequentially, or using another systematic 
procedure.

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    (2) Manufacturers must use one of the following approaches for 
facilitating variation in the geographic distribution of individual 
security codes:
    (i) Provide a means for the user to readily select from among at 
least 256 possible discrete digital codes. The cordless telephone shall 
be either in a non-operable mode after manufacture until the user 
selects a security code or the manufacturer must continuously vary the 
initial security code as each telephone is produced.
    (ii) Provide a fixed code that is continuously varied among at least 
256 discrete digital codes as each telephone is manufactured.
    (iii) Provide a means for the cordless telephone to automatically 
select a different code from among at least 256 possible discrete 
digital codes each time it is activated.
    (iv) It is permissible to provide combinations of fixed, automatic, 
and user-selectable coding provided the above criteria are met.
    (3) A statement of the means and procedures used to achieve the 
required protection shall be provided in any application for equipment 
authorization of a cordless telephone.
[ 56 FR 3785 , Jan. 31, 1991]

             Radiated Emission Limits, Additional Provisions