§ 20.21   Signal boosters.

   (a) Operation of Consumer Signal Boosters. A subscriber in good standing of
   a commercial mobile radio service system may operate a Consumer Signal
   Booster  for personal use under the authorization held by the licensee
   providing service to the subscriber provided that the subscriber complies
   with paragraphs (a)(1) through (6). Failure to comply with all applicable
   rules in this section and all applicable technical rules for the frequency
   band(s) of operation voids the authority to operate the Consumer Signal
   Booster.

   (1) Prior to operation, the subscriber obtains the consent of the licensee
   providing service to the subscriber;

   (2) Prior to operation, the subscriber registers the Consumer Signal Booster
   with the licensee providing service to the subscriber;

   (3) The subscriber only operates the Consumer Signal Booster with approved
   antennas, cables, and/or coupling devices as specified by the manufacturer
   of the Consumer Signal Booster;

   (4) The subscriber operates the Consumer Signal Booster on frequencies used
   for the provision of subscriber-based services under parts 22 (Cellular), 24
   (Broadband PCS), 27 (AWS-1, 700 MHz Lower A-E Blocks, and 700 MHz Upper C
   Block), and 90 (Specialized Mobile Radio) of this chapter. Operation on part
   90 (Specialized Mobile Radio) frequencies is permitted upon the Commission's
   release of a public notice announcing the date Consumer Signal Boosters may
   be used in the band;

   (5) The Consumer Signal Booster complies with paragraphs (e), (f), (g), and
   (h) of this section and § 2.907 of this chapter; and

   (6) The subscriber may not deactivate any features of the Consumer Signal
   Booster which are designed to prevent harmful interference to wireless
   networks. These features must be enabled and operating at all times the
   signal booster is in use.

   (b)  De minimis operation of Consumer Signal Boosters. A third party's
   incidental use of a subscriber's Consumer Signal Booster operated under this
   paragraph is de minimis and shall be authorized under the authorization held
   by the licensee providing service to the third party.

   (c)   Operation  of  Industrial  Signal  Boosters.  An  individual  or
   non-individual, other than a representative of a foreign government, may
   operate  an  Industrial Signal Booster provided that the individual or
   non-individual:

   (1) Has an FCC license or obtains the express consent of the licensee(s)
   whose frequencies are being retransmitted by the device on a regular basis,
   and

   (2) Uses an Industrial Signal Booster which complies with paragraph (f) of
   this section.

   (d) Operation on a secondary, non-interference basis. Operation of signal
   boosters under this section is on a secondary, non-interference basis to
   primary services licensed for the frequency bands on which they transmit,
   and to primary services licensed for the adjacent frequency bands that might
   be affected by their transmissions.

   (1)  The operation of signal boosters must not cause harmful interference to
   the communications of any primary licensed service.

   (2)  Upon  request of an FCC representative or a licensee experiencing
   harmful interference, a signal booster operator must:

   (i) Cooperate in determining the source of the interference, and

   (ii) If necessary, deactivate the signal booster immediately, or as soon as
   practicable, if immediate deactivation is not possible.

   (e) Consumer Signal Booster Network Protection Standard. (1) All Consumer
   Signal Boosters must incorporate features to prevent harmful interference to
   wireless networks including but not limited to those enumerated in this
   section.

   (2) Certification requirements. (i) A Consumer Signal Booster can only be
   certificated and operated if it complies with all applicable rules in this
   subpart and all applicable technical rules for the frequency band(s) of
   operation including, but not limited to: § 22.355 of this chapter, Public
   Mobile Services, frequency tolerance; § 22.913 of this chapter, Cellular
   Radiotelephone Service effective radiated power limits; § 22.917 of this
   chapter, Cellular Radiotelephone Service, emission limitations for cellular
   equipment;  § 24.232 of this chapter, Broadband Personal Communications
   Service, power and antenna height limits; § 24.238 of this chapter, Broadband
   Personal Communications Service, emission limitations for Broadband PCS
   equipment; § 27.50 of this chapter, Miscellaneous Wireless Communications
   Services,  power  and  antenna  height limits; § 27.53 of this chapter,
   Miscellaneous Wireless Communications Services, emission limits; § 90.205 of
   this chapter, Private Land Mobile Radio Services, power and antenna height
   limits;  § 90.210  of this chapter, Private Land Mobile Radio Services,
   emission masks; and § 90.247 of this chapter, Private Land Mobile Radio
   Services, mobile repeater stations.

   (ii) In case of any conflict between the rules set forth in this section and
   the rules set forth in parts 22, 24, 27, and 90 of title 47, chapter I of
   the Code of Federal Regulations, the rules in this section shall govern.

   (iii) The application for certification must satisfy the Commission that the
   Consumer Signal Boosters' features designed to prevent harmful interference
   and protect wireless networks cannot be easily defeated and must be enabled
   at all times.

   (3)  Frequency  Bands.  Consumer  Signal Boosters must be designed and
   manufactured such that they only operate on the frequencies used for the
   provision  of  subscriber-based services under parts 22 (Cellular), 24
   (Broadband PCS), 27 (AWS-1, 700 MHz Lower A-E Blocks, and 700 MHz Upper C
   Block), and 90 (Specialized Mobile Radio) of this chapter. The Commission
   will not certificate any Consumer Signal Boosters for operation on part 90
   of this chapter (Specialized Mobile Radio) frequencies until the Commission
   releases a public notice announcing the date Consumer Signal Boosters may be
   used in the band.

   (4)  Self-monitoring.  Consumer  Signal  Boosters  must  automatically
   self-monitor their operation to ensure compliance with applicable noise and
   gain limits and either self-correct or shut down automatically if their
   operation exceeds those parameters.

   (5) Anti-oscillation. Consumer Signal Boosters must be able to detect and
   mitigate any unintended oscillations in uplink and downlink bands (such as
   may result from insufficient isolation between the antennas).

   (6) Power Down. Consumer Signal Boosters must automatically power down or
   cease amplification as they approach any affected base station.

   (7) Interference Avoidance for Wireless Subsystems. Consumer Signal Boosters
   using unlicensed (part 15 of this chapter) or other frequency bands for
   wireless  transmissions  between donor and server subsystems for their
   internal operations must employ interference avoidance methods to prevent
   interference transmitted into authorized CMRS spectrum bands.

   (8) Wideband Consumer Signal Boosters. A Wideband Consumer Signal Booster
   will meet the Consumer Signal Booster Network Protection Standard if it
   complies with paragraphs (e)(1) through (e)(7) of this section and the
   following:

   (i) Technical Requirements—(A) Noise Limits. (1) The transmitted noise power
   in dBm/MHz of consumer boosters at their uplink port shall not exceed −103
   dBm/MHz—RSSI.  RSSI  (received signal strength indication expressed in
   negative dB units relative to 1 mW) is the downlink composite received
   signal power in dBm at the booster donor port for all base stations in the
   band of operation.

   (2) The transmitted maximum noise power in dBm/MHz of consumer boosters at
   their uplink and downlink ports shall not exceed the following limits:

   (i) Fixed booster maximum noise power shall not exceed −102.5 dBm/MHz + 20
   Log10 (Frequency), where Frequency is the uplink mid-band frequency of the
   supported spectrum bands in MHz.

   (ii) Mobile booster maximum noise power shall not exceed−59 dBm/MHz.

   (iii) Compliance with Noise limits will use instrumentation calibrated in
   terms of RMS equivalent voltage, and with booster input ports terminated or
   without input signals applied within the band of measurement.

   (B) Bidirectional Capability. Consumer Boosters must be able to provide
   equivalent uplink and downlink gain and conducted uplink power output that
   is  at least 0.05 watts. One-way consumer boosters (i.e., uplink only,
   downlink only, uplink impaired, downlink impaired) are prohibited. Spectrum
   block filtering may be used provided the uplink filter attenuation is not
   less than the downlink filter attenuation, and where RSSI is measured after
   spectrum block filtering is applied referenced to the booster's input port
   for each band of operation.

   (C) Booster Gain Limits. (1) The uplink gain in dB of a consumer booster
   referenced to its input and output ports shall not exceed −34 dB—RSSI +
   MSCL.

   (i) Where RSSI is the downlink composite received signal power in dBm at the
   booster donor port for all base stations in the band of operation. RSSI is
   expressed in negative dB units relative to 1 mW.

   (ii) Where MSCL (Mobile Station Coupling Loss) is the minimum coupling loss
   in dB between the wireless device and input port of the consumer booster.
   MSCL must be calculated or measured for each band of operation and provided
   in compliance test reports.

   (2) The uplink and downlink maximum gain of a Consumer Booster referenced to
   its input and output ports shall not exceed the following limits:

   (i)  Fixed  Booster  maximum  gain  shall not exceed 6.5 dB + 20 Log10
   (Frequency)

   (ii) Where, Frequency is the uplink mid-band frequency of the supported
   spectrum bands in MHz.

   (iii) Mobile Booster maximum gain shall not exceed 50 dB when using an
   inside antenna (e.g., inside a vehicle), 23 dB when using direct contact
   coupling (e.g., cradle-type boosters), or 15 dB when directly connected
   (e.g., boosters with a physical connection to the phone).

   (D) Power Limits. A booster's uplink power must not exceed 1 watt composite
   conducted power and equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) for each band
   of operation. Composite downlink power shall not exceed 0.05 watt (17 dBm)
   conducted and EIRP for each band of operation. Compliance with power limits
   will use instrumentation calibrated in terms of RMS equivalent voltage.

   (E) Out of Band Emission Limits. Booster out of band emissions (OOBE) shall
   be at least 6 dB below the FCC's mobile emission limits for the supported
   bands  of  operation.  Compliance  to  OOBE  limits  will utilize high
   peak-to-average CMRS signal types.

   (F) Intermodulation Limits. The transmitted intermodulation products of a
   consumer booster at its uplink and downlink ports shall not exceed the power
   level of −19 dBm for the supported bands of operation. Compliance with
   intermodulation limits will use boosters operating at maximum gain and
   maximum rated output power, with two continuous wave (CW) input signals
   spaced 600 kHz apart and centered in the pass band of the booster, and with
   a 3 kHz measurement bandwidth.

   (G) Booster Antenna Kitting. All consumer boosters must be sold with user
   manuals specifying all antennas and cables that meet the requirements of
   this section. All consumer boosters must be sold together with antennas,
   cables, and/or coupling devices that meet the requirements of this section.
   The grantee is required to submit a technical document with the application
   for FCC equipment authorization that shows compliance of all antennas,
   cables  and/or coupling devices with the requirements of this section,
   including any antenna or equipment upgrade options that may be available at
   initial purchase or as a subsequent upgrade.

   (H) Transmit Power Off Mode. When the consumer booster cannot otherwise meet
   the noise and gain limits defined herein it must operate in “Transmit Power
   Off Mode.” In this mode of operation, the uplink and downlink noise power
   shall not exceed −70 dBm/MHz and both uplink and downlink gain shall not
   exceed the lesser of 23 dB or MSCL.

   (I) Uplink Inactivity. When a consumer booster is not serving an active
   device connection after 5 minutes the uplink noise power shall not exceed
   −70 dBm/MHz.

   (ii) Interference Safeguards. Consumer boosters must include features to
   prevent harmful interference including, at a minimum, those enumerated in
   this subsection. These features may not be deactivated by the operator and
   must be enabled and operating at all times the signal booster is in use.

   (A) Anti-Oscillation. Consumer boosters must be able to detect and mitigate
   (i.e., by automatic gain reduction or shut down), any oscillations in uplink
   and  downlink  bands.  Oscillation detection and mitigation must occur
   automatically within 0.3 seconds in the uplink band and within 1 second in
   the downlink band. In cases where oscillation is detected, the booster must
   continue mitigation for at least one minute before restarting. After five
   such restarts, the booster must not resume operation until manually reset.

   (B) Gain Control. Consumer boosters must have automatic limiting control to
   protect against excessive input signals that would cause output power and
   emissions in excess of that authorized by the Commission.

   (C) Interference Avoidance for Wireless Subsystems. Consumer boosters using
   unlicensed (part 15) or other frequency bands for wireless transmissions
   between donor and server subsystems for its internal operations must employ
   interference avoidance methods to prevent interference transmitted into
   authorized  CMRS  spectrum  bands  and must meet applicable limits for
   radiofrequency exposure.

   (9) Provider-Specific Consumer Signal Boosters. A Provider-Specific Consumer
   Signal Booster will meet the Consumer Signal Booster Network Protection
   Standard  if it complies with paragraphs (e)(1) through (e)(7) of this
   section and the following:

   (i) Technical Requirements—(A) Noise Limits. The transmitted noise power in
   dBm/MHz of frequency selective consumer boosters outside the licensee's
   spectrum blocks at their uplink and downlink ports shall not exceed the
   following limits:

   (1) −103 dBm/MHz−RSSI

   (i) Where RSSI is the downlink composite signal power received in dBm for
   frequencies in the band of operation outside the licensee's spectrum block
   as measured after spectrum block filtering is applied and is referenced to
   the booster's donor port for each band of operation. RSSI is expressed in
   negative dB units relative to 1 mW.

   (ii) Boosters with MSCL less than 40 dB, shall reduce the Noise output in
   (A) by 40 dB−MSCL, where MSCL is the minimum coupling loss in dB between the
   wireless  device and booster's server port. MSCL must be calculated or
   measured for each band of operation and provided in compliance test reports.

   (2)(i) Fixed booster maximum downlink noise power shall not exceed −102.5
   dBm/MHz + 20 Log10 (Frequency), where Frequency is the uplink mid-band
   frequency of the supported spectrum bands in MHz.

   (ii) Mobile booster maximum noise power shall not exceed −59 dBm/MHz.

   (iii) Compliance with Noise limits will use instrumentation calibrated in
   terms of RMS equivalent voltage, and with booster input ports terminated or
   without input signals applied within the band of measurement.

   (B) Bidirectional Capability. Consumer Boosters must be able to provide
   equivalent uplink and downlink gain and conducted uplink power output that
   is  at least 0.05 watts. One-way consumer boosters (i.e., uplink only,
   downlink only, uplink impaired, downlink impaired) are prohibited. Spectrum
   block filtering used must provide uplink filter attenuation not less than
   the downlink filter attenuation, and where RSSI is measured after spectrum
   block filtering is applied referenced to the booster's input port for each
   band of operation.

   (C)  Booster Gain Limits. The gain of the frequency selective consumer
   booster shall meet the limits below.

   (1) The uplink and downlink gain in dB of a frequency selective consumer
   booster referenced to its input and output ports shall not exceed BSCL−28
   dB−(40 dB−MSCL).

   (i) Where BSCL is the coupling loss between the booster's donor port and the
   base station's input port, and MSCL is the minimum coupling loss in dB
   between the wireless device and the booster's server port. MSCL must be
   calculated or measured for each band of operation and provided in compliance
   test reports.

   (ii) In order of preference, BSCL is determined as follows: determine path
   loss between the base station and the booster; such measurement shall be
   based on measuring the received forward pilot/control channel power at the
   booster and reading the pilot/control channel transmit power from the base
   station as defined in the system information messages sent by the base
   station; estimate BSCL by assuming that the base station is transmitting at
   a level of + 25 dBm per channel (assume a small, lightly loaded cell) and
   measuring the total received signal power level within the channel in dBm
   (RPCH)  received at the booster input port. BSCL is then calculated as
   25-RPCH;  or  assume  that  the  BSCL  is 70 dB without performing any
   measurement.

   (2) The uplink and downlink maximum gain of a frequency selective consumer
   booster  referenced to its input and output ports shall not exceed the
   following limits:

   (i)  Fixed  Booster  maximum  gain shall not exceed 19.5 dB + 20 Log10
   (Frequency), or 100 dB for systems having automatic gain adjustment based on
   isolation measurements between booster donor and server antennas.

   (ii) Where, Frequency is the uplink mid-band frequency of the supported
   spectrum bands in MHz.

   (iii) Mobile Booster maximum gain shall not exceed 15 dB when directly
   connected (e.g., boosters with a physical connection to the subscriber
   device),  23  dB when using direct contact coupling (e.g., cradle-type
   boosters), or 50 dB when using an inside antenna (e.g., inside a vehicle).
   For systems using an inside antenna that have automatic gain adjustment
   based on isolation measurements between booster donor and server antenna and
   automatic feedback cancellation, the mobile booster maximum gain shall not
   exceed 58 dB and 65 dB for frequencies below and above 1 GHz, respectively.

   (D) Power Limits. A booster's uplink power must not exceed 1 watt composite
   conducted power and equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) for each band
   of operation. Downlink power shall not exceed 0.05 watt (17 dBm) composite
   and  10 dBm per channel conducted and EIRP for each band of operation.
   Compliance with power limits will use instrumentation calibrated in terms of
   RMS equivalent voltage.

   (E) Out of Band Gain Limits. (1) A frequency selective booster shall have
   the following minimum attenuation referenced to the gain in the center of
   the pass band of the booster:

   (i) −20 dB at the band edge, where band edge is the end of the licensee's
   allocated spectrum,

   (ii) −30 dB at 1 MHz offset from band edge,

   (iii) −40 dB at 5 MHz offset from band edge.

   (2) A frequency selective booster having maximum gain greater than 80 dB
   (referenced to the center of the pass band) shall limit the out of band gain
   to 60 dB at 0.2 MHz offset from the band edge, and 45 dB at 1 MHz offset
   from the band edge, where band edge is the end of the licensee's allocated
   spectrum.

   (F) Out of Band Emission Limits. Booster out of band emissions (OOBE) shall
   meet the FCC's mobile emission limits for the supported bands of operation.
   Compliance to OOBE limits will utilize high peak-to-average CMRS signal
   types.

   (G) Intermodulation Limits. The transmitted intermodulation products of a
   consumer booster at its uplink and downlink ports shall not exceed the power
   level of −19 dBm for the supported bands of operation. Compliance with
   intermodulation limits will use boosters operating at maximum gain and
   maximum rated output power, with two continuous wave (CW) input signals
   spaced 600 kHz apart and centered in the pass band of the booster, and with
   a 3 kHz measurement bandwidth.

   (H) Booster Antenna Kitting. All consumer boosters must be sold with user
   manuals specifying all antennas and cables that meet the requirements of
   this section. All consumer boosters must be sold together with antennas,
   cables, and/or coupling devices that meet the requirements of this section.
   The grantee is required to submit a technical document with the application
   for FCC equipment authorization that shows compliance of all antennas,
   cables, and/or coupling devices with the requirements of this section,
   including any antenna or equipment upgrade options that may be available at
   initial purchase or as a subsequent upgrade.

   (I) Transmit Power Off Mode. When the consumer booster cannot otherwise meet
   the noise and gain limits defined herein it must operate in “Transmit Power
   OFF Mode.” In this mode of operation, the uplink and downlink noise power
   shall not exceed −70 dBm/MHz and uplink gain shall not exceed the lesser of
   23 dB or MSCL.

   (J) Uplink Inactivity. When a consumer booster is not serving an active
   device connection after 5 seconds the uplink noise power shall not exceed
   −70 dBm/MHz.

   (ii) Interference Safeguards. Consumer boosters must include features to
   prevent harmful interference including, at a minimum, those enumerated in
   this subsection. These features may not be deactivated by the operator and
   must be enabled and operating at all times the signal booster is in use.

   (A) Anti-Oscillation. Consumer boosters must be able to detect and mitigate
   (i.e., by automatic gain reduction or shut down), any oscillations in uplink
   and  downlink  bands.  Oscillation detection and mitigation must occur
   automatically within 0.3 seconds in the uplink band and within 1 second in
   the downlink band. In cases where oscillation is detected, the booster must
   continue mitigation for at least one minute before restarting. After five
   such restarts, the booster must not resume operation until manually reset.

   (B) Gain Control. Consumer boosters must have automatic limiting control to
   protect against excessive input signals that would cause output power and
   emissions in excess of that authorized by the Commission.

   (C) Interference Avoidance for Wireless Subsystems. Consumer boosters using
   unlicensed (part 15) or other frequency bands for wireless transmissions
   between donor and server subsystems for its internal operations must employ
   interference avoidance methods to prevent interference transmitted into
   authorized CMRS spectrum bands.

   (10) Equivalent Protections. Consumer Signal Boosters which do not meet the
   technical specifications enumerated in paragraphs (e)(1) through (e)(9) of
   this section may also meet the Network Protection Standard if they provide
   equivalent protections as determined by the Wireless Telecommunications
   Bureau.

   (f) Signal booster labeling requirements. Signal booster manufacturers,
   distributors, and retailers must ensure that all signal boosters marketed on
   or after March 1, 2014 include the following advisories:

   (i) In on-line, point-of-sale marketing materials,

   (ii) In any print or on-line owner's manual and installation instructions,

   (iii) On the outside packaging of the device, and

   (iv) On a label affixed to the device:

   (A) For Consumer Signal Boosters:

   (1) This is a CONSUMER device.

   BEFORE USE, you MUST REGISTER THIS DEVICE with your wireless provider and
   have your provider's consent. Most wireless providers consent to the use of
   signal boosters. Some providers may not consent to the use of this device on
   their network. If you are unsure, contact your provider.

   You MUST operate this device with approved antennas and cables as specified
   by the manufacturer. Antennas MUST be installed at least 20 cm (8 inches)
   from any person.

   You MUST cease operating this device immediately if requested by the FCC or
   a licensed wireless service provider.

   WARNING. E911 location information may not be provided or may be inaccurate
   for calls served by using this device.

   (2)  The label for Consumer Signal Boosters certified for fixed indoor
   operation also must include the following language:

   This device may be operated ONLY in a fixed location for in-building use.

   (B) For Industrial Signal Boosters:

   WARNING. This is NOT a CONSUMER device. It is designed for installation by
   FCC LICENSEES and QUALIFIED INSTALLERS. You MUST have an FCC LICENSE or
   express consent of an FCC Licensee to operate this device. Unauthorized use
   may result in significant forfeiture penalties, including penalties in
   excess of $100,000 for each continuing violation.

   (2) A Consumer Signal Booster label may contain an acknowledgement that
   particular provider(s) have given their consent for all consumers to use the
   device. Such an acknowledgement would be inserted prior to, “Some wireless
   providers may not consent to the use of this device on their network. If you
   are unsure, contact your provider.” The remaining language of the advisory
   shall remain the same.

   (g) Marketing and sale of signal boosters. Except as provided in § 2.803 of
   this chapter, no person, manufacturer, distributor, or retailer may market,
   distribute or offer for sale or lease any Consumer Signal Booster that does
   not comply with the requirements of this section to any person in the United
   States or to any person intending to operate the Consumer Signal Booster
   within the United States at any time on or after March 1, 2014. Consumer
   Signal Boosters may only be sold to members of the general public for their
   personal use.

   (h) Registration. Each licensee consenting to the operation of a Consumer
   Signal Booster must establish a free registration mechanism for subscribers
   and register all Consumer Signal Boosters to which it consents. A licensee
   must establish a registration mechanism by the later of March 1, 2014 or
   within 90 days of consenting to the operation of a Consumer Signal Booster.
   At a minimum, a licensee must collect:

   (1)  The name of the Consumer Signal Booster owner and/or operator, if
   different individuals;

   (2) The make, model, and serial number of the device;

   (3) The location of the device; and

   (4) The date of initial operation. Licensee consent is voluntary and may be
   withdrawn at the licensee's discretion.

   [ 78 FR 21559 , Apr. 11, 2013, as amended at  79 FR 70795 , Nov. 28, 2014]

   return arrow Back to Top