[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 21 (Wednesday, January 31, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 3367-3369]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-1854]



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FEDERAL COMMUNICATION COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 15

[ET Docket 95-177; FCC 95-488]


Biomedical Telemetry Devices

AGENCY: Federal Communication Commission.

ACTION: Proposed Rule.

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SUMMARY: By this action, the Commission proposes to expand the 
available frequencies and increase the permitted power for unlicensed 
biomedical telemetry devices operating on VHF and UHF television 
channels. This is in response to a petition for rule making, filed on 
December 23, 1994, by the Critical Care Telemetry Group (CCTG). The 
Commission seeks to provide reasonable access to additional spectrum to 
meet the needs of CCTG and the health care industry while protecting 
existing television and future advanced digital television services 
from potential interference.

DATES: Comments are due on or before April 16, 1996. Reply comments are 
due on or before May 16, 1996.


[[Page 3368]]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anthony Serafini, Office of 
Engineering and Technology, (202) 418-2456.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Notice 
of Proposed Rule Making adopted December 5, 1995, and released January 
25, 1996. The full text is available for inspection and copying during 
normal business hours in the FCC Reference Center (Room 239), 1919 M 
Street NW., Washington, DC, and also may be purchased from the 
Commission's duplication contractor, International Transcription 
Service, (202) 857-3800, 2100 M Street NW., Suite 140, Washington, DC 
20037.

Summary of Notice of Proposed Rule Making

    1. By this action, the Commission proposes to amend Part 15 of the 
its rules to expand the available frequencies and increase the 
permitted power for unlicensed biomedical telemetry devices operating 
on VHF and UHF television channels. We recognize the need for 
additional spectrum for biomedical telemetry devices and believe that 
TV spectrum may be appropriate for use by biomedical telemetry devices. 
We request comment on the extent to which sharing between TV operations 
and biomedical devices is feasible. We note that UHF channel 37 (608-
614 MHz) is reserved exclusively for the radio astronomy service, and 
we seek comment on whether sharing this spectrum with biomedical 
telemetry devices is viable and/or preferable to sharing with the 
television broadcast service. Additionally, we note that Land Mobile 
services are authorized to operate in parts of the 470-512 MHz band in 
some localities, and invite comment on the ability of biomedical 
telemetry devices to share this spectrum without creating or receiving 
harmful interference. We seek comment on the total amount of spectrum 
that is needed to support biomedical telemetry devices and whether 
there may be a range of operating frequencies that may be more 
favorable than others.
    2. We note that any effort to accommodate biomedical telemetry 
devices in TV spectrum during the DTV transition period will require 
flexibility that could include changing of the frequency used by an 
existing biomedical telemetry device to avoid interfering with DTV 
channels. Therefore, we propose that biomedical telemetry devices be 
designed to be frequency selectable to operate over a given range of 
television channel frequencies. This proposal is intended to help avoid 
interference and minimize the economic impact of requiring biomedical 
telemetry device users to purchase new equipment due to changes in 
television frequency usage during the DTV transition period. We seek 
comment on this proposal and whether devices should be required to 
implement a minimum number of selectable channels. We also propose that 
biomedical telemetry devices be required to vacate existing TV spectrum 
that is reallocated to other use as a result of the implementation of 
DTV.
    3. The low operating field strength allowed in the 512-566 MHz band 
does not appear to be adequate for a viable service. We propose to 
allow biomedical telemetry devices to operate, as proposed by CCTG, at 
transmitter power levels not to exceed 5 milliwatts. We note that this 
power level is considered high compared to other operating limits for 
unlicensed Part 15 devices. We seek comment on the appropriateness of 
this power level considering the intended use of these devices. The 
proposed operating power necessitates provisions to protect the 
television broadcast service. We propose to adopt the co-channel 
separation requirements proposed by CCTG.

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 15

    Communications equipment.

Federal Communications Commission.
William F. Caton,
Acting Secretary.

Amendatory Text

    PART 15 of Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations is proposed 
to be amended as follows:

PART 15--RADIO FREQUENCY DEVICES

    1. The authority citation for part 15 is revised to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 47 U.S.C. 154(i), 301, 302, 303(e), 303(f), 303(r), 
304 and 307.

    2. Section 15.209 is amended by revising paragraph (g) to read as 
follows:


Sec. 15.209  Radiated emission limits; general requirements.

* * * * *
    (g) Perimeter protection systems may operate in the 54-72 MHz and 
76-88 MHz bands under the provisions of this section. The use of such 
perimeter protection systems is limited to industrial, business and 
commercial applications.
    3. Section 15.241 is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 15.241  Operation in the bands 174-216 MHz, 470-608 MHz and 614-
806 MHz.

    (a) Operation under the provisions of this section is restricted to 
biomedical telemetry devices.
    (b) Emissions from a biomedical telemetry device operating under 
the provisions of this section shall be confined within a 200 kHz band 
which shall lie wholly within the frequency ranges of 174-216 MHz, 470-
608 MHz and 614-806 MHz.
    (c) The maximum peak transmitter output power of any biomedical 
telemetry device operating under the provisions of this section shall 
not exceed five (5) milliwatts. The field strength of emissions 
radiated on any frequency outside of the specified 200 kHz band shall 
not exceed 150 microvolts/meter at 3 meters.
    (d) Biomedical telemetry devices shall be designed to include a 
frequency selection mechanism that permits selection or retuning of 
operating frequencies. Biomedical telemetry devices must not cause 
harmful interference to licensed TV broadcast stations or to land 
mobile stations operating in the 470-512 MHz band. If interference 
occurs, the device must immediately cease operation on the occupied 
frequency. If an alternate frequency meeting the requirements of 
paragraph (e) of this section can be found, the biomedical telemetry 
device, may be retuned to operate on the alternate frequency. The user 
is responsible for resolving any interference that occurs subsequent to 
installation of these devices.
    (e) Biomedical telemetry device installers and users must ensure 
that the following minimum distance separations are maintained between 
a biomedical telemetry device operating under the provisions of this 
section and television broadcast stations, authorized under part 73 of 
this chapter, operating within the same channel bandwidth (minimum 
distance separations vary depending upon the frequency and zone, within 
which the relevant television station is operated, as specified in 
Sec. 73.609 of this chapter):

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              Separation
              Frequency                       Zone(s)            (km)   
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174-216 MHz band....................  I.....................      107.1 
174-216 MHz band....................  II, III...............      131.8 
470-806 MHz band....................  I, II, III............      113.2 
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    (f) The marketing and the use of biomedical telemetry devices 
operating under the provisions of this section 

[[Page 3369]]
shall be confined to hospitals or other healthcare facilities.

[FR Doc. 96-1854 Filed 1-30-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P