Assistive Listening Knowledge Base
  • Regulation (final rule summarising an FCC report and order)

Definition of Auditory Assistance Device (Report and Order, ET Docket No. 10-26, FCC 13-59; final rule)

From https://assistivelisteningknowledgebase.org/evidence/fcc-2013-auditory-assistance-definition/ · record checked 13 October 2026

  • US Federal Communications Commission
  • Federal Register, vol. 78, no. 112, pp. 34922-34928 (Government Publishing Office)

Government (US Federal Communications Commission; the proceeding began with a petition from Williams Sound, a maker of auditory assistance devices)

Summary

The 2013 US rule change that let 72-76 MHz auditory assistance devices also carry simultaneous translation for anyone, and tightened their limit on unwanted emissions to protect VHF TV.

Key findings

  • Widened the Part 15 definition so that 72-76 MHz auditory assistance devices may provide auditory assistance, simultaneous translation, or both, to anyone at any location, matching the Part 95 rules for 216-217 MHz; the FCC acted on a petition from Williams Sound.
  • States that the 80 mV/m at 3 m field-strength limit for these devices is equivalent to a maximum effective radiated power of 1.2 mW.
  • Found no reports of harmful interference from these devices, expected their market to "remain limited", judged that ample spectrum was available for several applications, and said their low power lets others re-use the frequencies at nearby locations.
  • Lowered the limit on unwanted emissions outside the 200 kHz bandwidth from 1,500 µV/m to the general Part 15 limit of 100 µV/m at 3 m, to protect VHF TV channels 2-6 (54-72 and 76-88 MHz), at an estimated 1-2% added cost per device.
  • Allowed 18 months for new certifications under the old limit and 3 years for manufacture and import, and grandfathered installed devices for the life of the equipment so that venues are not forced to replace systems they use to meet the ADA.
  • Noted that some customers may prefer "the inherent security and privacy of infrared technology" over RF, and left the choice of technology to the market.
  • Paragraph 16 adopts a 1-2% additional per-device cost estimate for the tighter unwanted-emission limit using standard components. The regulatory flexibility analysis, section E and footnote 21, traces this estimate to Williams Sound's comments, page 3. It is a manufacturer-supplied estimate adopted by the regulator, not a measured venue expense.

Limits

A summary of the report and order; the full order was not read. It concerns transmitter rules only and gives no measurements of interference or coverage. The new emission limits are in 47 CFR 15.237 (a separate record).

Read the original

www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2013-06-11/html/2013-13696.htm

Link checked . We link to the original and do not host copies.

Cited in

Cite this source

US Federal Communications Commission. Definition of Auditory Assistance Device (Report and Order, ET Docket No. 10-26, FCC 13-59; final rule). Federal Register, vol. 78, no. 112, pp. 34922-34928 (Government Publishing Office). 11 June 2013. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2013-06-11/html/2013-13696.htm (accessed 13 October 2026).

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