In accordance with Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA) requirements, all devices must comply with the requirements of all of the applicable ACMA mandated Labelling Notices.

For a “host” unit that incorporates an already compliant 3G/GSM module, telecommunications reports for the GSM module to AS/ACIF S042.1 and AS/ACIF S042.3 can be used.  There are several tests that still must be addressed (even though the module has an A-Tick).

  • AS/NZS 60950.1:2011 is required on the end device, per ACMA labelling requirements.
  • Radiated Spurious emissions testing to ETSI EN 301 511 must be performed on the end product.

The method and results of the assessment along with any additional testing needs to be included in the compliance records of the final product.  It is recommended that any assessment is performed with the assistance of the module manufacturer or a test laboratory and an ACMA Certification Body.

Once any assessment and all necessary testing is complete, the supplier will have the confidence to sign a DoC stating that the final product is compliant with all the relevant ACMA mandatory standards.

Note Austest Laboratories has a GSM Test set and all required filters for performing spurious emission testing to ETSI EN 301 511 and also performs testing to AS/NZS60950.1:2011 and AS/ACIF S042.1 & S042.3.

The supplier of a “host” device (lap top PC, Data Tracking device as examples) incorporating an already C-Tick labelled (compliant) module(s) (Bluetoothtm or wireless LAN) must ensure the resulting final product still meets all of the applicable ACMA mandated compliance and labelling requirements.

The ACMA considers that an already compliant, and C-Ticked, wireless module, where its original compliance is not impacted by its method of integration into the host device, would require no further radiocommunications compliance testing after integrated into a host device.  Some assessment may need to be done by the supplier, the module manufacture, or the test laboratory and the ACMA cannot make or assume that all situations will be identical.

The important caveat here being “where its original compliance is not impacted by its method of integration into the host device” – the logical question then is “how do you determine this?”  Clearly the only way would be to conduct a test of the “new” device.

In order to demonstrate compliance to the applicable standards in the Labelling Notices, recognition of the compliance of an already “compliant” module can be used only if the supplier has assessed that the process of integration of the compliant module into the final product has not compromised the module’s original compliance, otherwise additional testing will be required.