The FCC has released its “FIRST REPORT AND ORDER FURTHER NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE MAKING AND NOTICE OF INQUIRY in a proceeding that will reshape the Commission’s RF emissions safety standards. The current standards were adopted after the 1996 Telecom Act. The Commission revisits its rules now largely prompted by the GAO.
I suspect the greatest final rule changes that will occur will be in area of handset emissions (the “SAR” or specific absorption rate rules), rather than base station emissions.
This process, which will span into the Summer, will be a lightening rod for public comment given the free-floating fear that the current rules for higher power base stations.
Here is the current rulemaking notice: fcc.rf.20130329.FCC-13-39A1
