ACLASS Earns FCC Recognition

Joint ACLASS-ANSI Accreditation Now Available for Telecommunication Certification Bodies

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board/ACLASS to accredit laboratories that perform testing of telecommunication equipment subject to FCC rules.

Based on FCC review of the information submitted by ACLASS and comments received during a public comment period, the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology determined that ACLASS has demonstrated that it possesses appropriate credentials and expertise to perform accreditation of testing labs that test equipment to FCC requirements.

"The FCC recognition of ACLASS complements our NIST-National Voluntary Conformity Assessment System Evaluation (NVCASE) recognition, and allows ACLASS and ANSI to serve telecommunications customers as a one stop-shop," Keith Greenaway, Vice President of ACLASS, said.

The U.S. government relies on the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to accredit telecommunication certification bodies (TCBs) under the FCC program that enforces rules for manufacturers of telecommunications and radio communication equipment. TCBs, in turn, process FCC approvals for telecommunications terminal equipment under FCC regulations.

TCBs are required to be accredited to both ISO/IEC Guide 65, General requirements for bodies operating certification systems - which ANSI provides - and to ISO/IEC 17025, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories - which ACLASS provides. FCC recognition of ACLASS means TCBs can now be qualified jointly by ANSI and ACLASS.

Laboratories that are accredited by ACLASS will be entered in an FCC database of laboratories qualified to conduct FCC testing.

"The FCC recognition of both ACLASS and ANSI augments the confidence and credibility associated with our accreditations in the marketplace," Lane Hallenbeck, ANSI Vice President of Accreditation Services, said. "We are pleased to offer this additional value to those telecommunication certification bodies that are conducting multiple conformity assessment activities."