FCC ADOPTS NEW RULES ON RFID SYSTEMS, TOUTING HOMELAND SECURITY

The FCC unanimously adopted an order Thurs. on radio frequency ID (RFID) systems that it said would bolster homeland security and make commercial shipping operations more efficient. The order increased the maximum signal level allowed for RFID systems at 433 MHz for commercial shipping containers, to allow improved operations. While several commissioners noted privacy concerns have been raised about RFID tags, they said the order is narrowly drawn, limiting rule changes to commercial and industrial areas.

“Today’s ruling is narrowly tailored,” FCC Chmn. Powell said. “The technical and operational rules we adopt today allow higher-powered/longer-duration RFID tag use on limited frequencies and only in commercial and industrial environments.” He said the FCC also took measures to protect federal govt. radar sites from interference by requiring grantees of equipment authorization for 433 MHz RFID devices to register their location and inform buyers about where the systems may be used.

“This action is expected to result in lower shipping costs and improved security at ports, rail yards and warehouses in commercial and industrial settings by enabling the contents of containers to be rapidly inventoried,” the FCC said.

FCC rules allow RFID systems to operate on several bands, subject to limits on their maximum signal level and transmission duration. The requirements limit the range and information transfer rate of RFID tag systems. The FCC said the order increased the maximum signal level allowed for RFID systems at 433.5-434.5 MHz to allow more reliable transmissions with greater range than previously allowed. The band is also available for unlicensed operation in many countries, which the FCC said allows manufacturers to produce a single device model for use in the U.S. and elsewhere.

Specifically, the FCC said it increased the maximum permitted transmission duration for RFID systems from one sec. to 60 sec., “resulting in a sixty-fold increase in the amount of data that can be transmitted, thus facilitating the scanning of the contents of an entire shipping container.” To minimize the interference risk to authorized communication services, operation of RFID systems with higher power and longer transmission duration is limited to commercial shipping containers in commercial and industrial areas. While the maximum field strength allowed under the order is higher than current levels, “it would still be only one-half of the level permitted for devices such as garage door openers,” said Hugh Van Tuyl of the Office of Engineering & Technology (OET). “We, therefore, believe there will be no increase in the potential for interference to authorized services.” Among the homeland security benefits of these RFID operations is the rapid identification of the contents of a container entering the country, he said.

Under previous rules, RFID tags couldn’t fully identify the content of a container, OET Chief Edmond Thomas told reporters after the meeting. “Now you have the capability to basically have the full contents inventoried. You can transmit much more data. You can also do it at a longer distance and you can move the containers past the sensors a lot quicker,” he said. “From that, there’s much more information that can be coded into the tags and then can be tracked as the container moves from ship to ship and from port to port.” The improved operations allowed by the new rules also provide for anti-intrusion capabilities to keep a record of attempted unauthorized system entries, Thomas said.

Past concerns that NTIA had raised over the original proposal have been resolved, an FCC source said. NTIA had said RFID systems at 433 MHz are within the 420-450 MHz allocated on a primary basis to the federal govt. Military systems operating in that spectrum include radiolocation operations for aircraft and missile surveillance, early warning and fire control. By agreement with NTIA and to prevent interference with govt. operations in this band, OET’s Van Tuyl said the order would limit operation of higher-power RFID systems to the 1 MHz-wide band from 433.5 to 434.5 MHz. It will prohibit operation of these systems within 40 km of 5 federal govt. radar sites, he said.

Savi Technology had asked the FCC for changes to Part 15 rules to allow for enhanced RFID products at 433.5-434.5 MHz. Savi made an FCC filing last fall that outlined the findings of an interference study conducted by the U.S. Navy. Savi said it demonstrated its system won’t interfere with govt. radar systems.

Officials stressed that by limiting the frequencies on which these higher-powered, longer-duration RFID tags could be used, and by limiting the applications to commercial and industrial scenarios, the rules don’t trip privacy concerns. At a recent Commerce Dept. forum on RFID technology, some panelists outlined potential scenarios in which an unauthorized reader could extract data from these tags to track users. Some experts said there are technology solutions for protecting personally identifying information that might be used to indirectly connect a user with data from a tag, but a challenge remains about how to protect such information at a point of sale.

Comr. Copps said he supported the rule changes for both the homeland security benefits, and to a lesser extent, inventory efficiencies they represent. Another factor for the FCC to consider in the future, however, is the Commission’s role “in determining whether increased reliance on RFIDs for homeland security creates vulnerabilities in the event that unauthorized RFID readers suddenly become available, or even devices that become reprogrammed RFIDs,” he said.

Comr. Martin said the item represented a good example of manufacturers being able to work with NTIA to reach agreement on concerns. “I'm glad that we found the right balance in protecting federal radar systems,” Comr. Adelstein said.