Introduction

Short Range Devices (SRD) are radio devices that offer a low risk of interference with other radio services, usually because their transmitted power, and hence their range, is low. The definition 'Short Range Device' may be applied to many different types of wireless equipment, including various forms of:

• Access control (including door and gate openers)
• Alarms and movement detectors
• Closed-circuit television (CCTV)
• Cordless audio devices, including wireless microphones
• Industrial control
• Local Area Networks
• Medical implants
• Metering devices
• Remote control
• Radio frequency identification (RFID)
• Road Transport Telematics
• Telemetry.

Short range devices often benefit from a relaxed regulatory regime compared with other radio communications equipment.  As a general principle, a user is licence free to operate such equipment, some specific cases may require an individual licence.

However, like all radio equipment, short-range devices have to meet the Radio Equipment Directive (RED) to be placed on the market within the European Community. The operation of the equipment is subject to the frequency management regulations of the relevant member state.

Our Role & Activities

ETSI technical committee ERM prepares and maintains Harmonised Standards for:

• SRD operating in the frequency range 25 MHz to 1 000 MHz (EN 300 220 series, EN 303 406, 303 204), including SRD in data networks (EN 303 659) and Wideband data transmission SRD (EN 304 220)
• SRD operating in the frequency range 1 GHz to 40 GHz (EN 300 440 series)
• SRD for railways (EN302 608 and EN 302 609)
• avalanche beacon (EN 300 718-1)
• RFID (EN 302 208)
• SRD cover spectrum below 9 kHz like Robotic Mowers (EN303 447), Metal sensors (EN 303 454), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) technology (EN 303 658) and Inductive gluing systems (EN 303 734)

If new frequency bands are allocated to SRD, then ETSI TC ERM will most probably work on corresponding Harmonised Standards.

Regulations on short-range devices

The European national Administrations, who are members of the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT), collaborate within the CEPT Electronic Communications Committee (ECC) to harmonize their national regulations. The ECC Short Range Devices Maintenance Group maintains Recommendation 70-03, which CEPT Administrations are encouraged to implement in order to maximize freedom of movement for radiocommunications equipment.

ETSI has a Memorandum of Understanding with ECC, in which the two organizations work together to encourage the maximum freedom of movement for equipment meeting essential technical requirements laid down in Harmonised Standards. ETSI is also an active observer within the Radio Spectrum Committee of the European Commission, which is developing a Commission Decision to give legal certainty to frequency allocations for short range devices in EU Member States (see also our Radio page).

Standards

A full list of related standards in the public domain is accessible via the ERM committee page.