Cordless telephony

What is a Cordless Telephone?

Cordless telephones operate by the use of a low power radio link between handset
and base station, which in turn is connected to the public telephone network.

Every effort is made to keep the regulation of cordless telephones as simple and un-
bureaucratic as possible. Yet a degree of regulation is necessary in order to protect
the public telephone system from being affected by incompatible apparatus and to
prevent harmful radio interference.

Circumstances for Licence Exemption

The potential for cordless phones to cause interference to other radio users is small
providing they operate under the correct technical conditions. In keeping with
Ofcom’s policy of light touch regulation and reduction of unnecessary burden on
business, the need for licences has been removed. Details of the current exemption
requirements for cordless phones are contained in Schedule 4 to the Statutory
Instrument (SI) entitled “The Wireless Telegraphy (Exemption) Regulations 2003 (SI
2003 No 074)” – as amended.

Copies of the SIs are available from any Stationary Office Bookshop or from the
Office of Public Sector Information.

CT 0
A first generation analogue cordless telephone which provides a maximum range of
about 200 metres between handset and base station and is primarily designed for
domestic use. This version operates in the 31 and 39 MHz frequency bands. Eight
channels are available. Equipment operating on these frequencies must comply with
the R&TTE Directive and the United Kingdom Interface Requirement IR 2011. These
frequencies may be used to send and receive voice or data messages over a
telecommunications system and the operation has to be on no more than one pair of
frequencies during each connection.

Older CT0 cordless telephones use the frequency bands 1642 to 1782 kHz
and 47 MHz or 47 MHz and 77 MHz and must conform to the EU’s Radio
Equipment and Telecommunications Terminal Equipment Directive 1999/5/EC
(R&TTE Directive) and the United Kingdom Interface Requirement IR 2011.
Operation must be on not more than one of the pairs of frequencies set out below at
any one time.

From 1 April 2005 it has not be permitted to bring new CT0 equipment using the
frequency bands 1642 to 1782 kHz and 47 MHz or 47 MHz and 77 MHz into service.
However transitional arrangements provide that equipment in use at that date may
continue to be used. Further information is in the text below.
Analogue Cordless Telephone Systems

Table 2. Summary of Analogue Cordless Telephony Standards & Frequencies

Generic Current Frequencies
Description Status
Standard Standard (MHz)
CT0 MPT 1384 Base Tx: Analogue FM. Retain
(current) 31.0375 – Frequency Division status
31.2125 MHz Multiple Access (FDMA).
Voice only. Four two-
Mobile Tx: frequency duplex
39.9375 – channels
40.1125 MHz
CT0 MPT 1322 Base Tx: 1.642 – Analogue FM. Phased
1.782 kHz FDMA. Voice only. out from
st
Eight two-frequency 1 April
Mobile Tx: duplex channels 2005
47.45625 –
47.54375 MHz
CT0 MPT 1371 Base Tx: Analogue FM. Phased
(extended) 47.43125 / Specialist product out from
st
47.41875 MHz intended for agricultural 1 April
use in rural areas 2005
Mobile Tx:
77.5125 /
77.5500 MHz

CT 2
These systems use digital speech and digital transmission technology thereby
reducing the interference suffered by analogue CT0 equipment.

The equipment must conform to the R&TTE Directive and the United Kingdom
Interface Requirement IR 2011 and operate in the frequency band 864.1 MHz to
868.1 MHz using frequency division multiple access digital technology.

From 1 April 2005 it has not been permitted to bring new CT2 equipment into service.

Digital Cordless Telephones Systems

Table 1. Summary of Digital Cordless Telephony Standards & Frequencies

Generic Current
Frequencies (MHz) Description Status
Standard Standard
DECT EN 300 175 Base & Mobile Tx: Digital. Retain
1880 – 1900 MHz 32 kB/s ADPCM voice status
coding. Time Division
Multiple Access (TDMA)
and FDMA. Supports
voice and data up to 1.1
MB/s 10 RF channels; 12
voice circuits per 1728
kHz RF channel
CT2 I-ETS 300 Base & Mobile Tx: Digital. Phased
131 864.1 – 868.1 MHz 32 kB/s ADPCM voice out from
st
coding. FDMA / Time 1 April
Or Division Duplex (TDA). 2005
Supports voice and data
MPT 1334 on 40 FDM channels; 1
voice circuit per 100 kHz
RF channel

DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications)

DECT is a digital cordless phone specification that was developed by ETSI

(European Telecommunications Standards Institute) and operates throughout Europe
in accordance with ETSI standard EN 300 175.

DECT systems may consist of one or more base stations, portable stations and
repeater stations (for the purpose of this paragraph, “repeater stations” means a
station which relays the voice or data message or visual image between the base
station and one or more portable stations). The stations can be used to send and
receive voice and data messages or visual images either directly between a base
station and a portable station or between a base station and a portable station
through a repeater station. The DECT system must operate within the frequency
band 1880 – 1900 MHz.

DECT systems may be placed on the UK market if the equipment complies with the
R&TTE Directive and the relevant United Kingdom Interface Requirement: IR 2011

Installation

Users of cordless telephones should follow the manufacturer’s instructions for their
installation and in particular fully deploy aerials on the base units. Failure to do this
may lead to poor quality of service.

Interference

Users of cordless telephones should note that they are not protected from
interference from other radio services unless the radio service causing the
interference is itself in breach of the legislation.

Moreover there are only a limited number of frequencies available for analogue
cordless telephones. The number of cordless telephones using these frequencies
has increased significantly in recent years with the result that users, particularly in
urban areas, may experience frequency congestion. This is likely to take the form of
co-channel interference from other users on the same frequency.

Users suffering interference should consult the instruction manual for their apparatus
and contact their supplier for advice if necessary.

Security

Users should be aware that with certain types of cordless telephone equipment,
conversations are not secure. When using this type of equipment other radio
listeners can receive conversations.
UK Radio Interface Requirements

Under the R&TTE Directive member states are required to notify the European
Commission of the details of the radio interfaces they regulate. The Interface
Requirements notified by the UK specify the conditions that have to be complied with
in order to use the radio spectrum in the UK.

The UK Radio Interface Requirement IR 2011 Cordless Telephony Services

contains the use conditions for cordless telephones in the specified frequency bands
and is available on the Ofcom website.

For further details on the R&TTE Directive see our web site at Equipment
Compliance (R&TTE Directive)

Placing of CT0 equipment on market

To place CT0 equipment on the market the following information needs to be

available:

• The intended use of the apparatus together with the declaration of conformity;
• For radio equipment, sufficient information to identify the Member State or
geographical area where the equipment is intended for use;
• For telecommunications terminal equipment, sufficient information to identify
the interfaces of public networks to which the equipment is intended to be
connected.

In addition the following needs to be marked on the equipment:

• The CE marking together with the reference number of all notified bodies
used and if necessary the alert symbol (this information should also be placed
on the packaging and instructions for use);
• The type, batch and/or serial number assigned to the equipment;
• The name of the manufacturer or person responsible for placing the
equipment on the market.

Details of this Notification process can be found on the Ofcom web site.

Placing of DECT equipment on market

As part of the implementation process of the RTTE Directive the Commission has
published a list of equipment that falls under what is known as Class 1. Class 1
comprises all Radio Equipment and Telecommunication Terminal Equipment that can
be placed on the market and be put into service throughout the European Community
without restriction.

DECT phones that fall within this class may be placed on the market in the United
Kingdom without prior notification to Ofcom and do not need to be marked with the
alert symbol.
Important: Travellers intending to purchase cordless telephones abroad
for use in this country should note the following:

Cordless phones, other than DECT, purchased within the European Community and
not specifically intended for use in the United Kingdom are unlikely to conform to the
relevant UK Interface Requirement. Such phones need to be notified to Ofcom at
least four weeks before they are placed on the UK market. Ofcom RTTE
Notifications Form, for more details on the notification procedure please see the
Ofcom website.

The import, manufacture, sale and possession of cordless telephones operating

below 853 MHz and which do not conform to the R&TTE Directive and United
Kingdom Interface Requirement IR 2011 are prohibited.

Cordless phones, including DECT phones purchased outside the European

Community; that are not marked with a CE mark will not conform to the R&TTE
Directive and Interface Requirement IR 2011 and will therefore be open to seizure by
enforcement officers.

A General Authority has been issued to allow firms to import non-approved cordless
telephones on a commercial basis for re-export provided the goods are held in a
Customs warehouse in the UK.

There are various conditions attached to the General Authority including that certain
documents should be kept available for inspection. Failure to comply with the
conditions could be a criminal offence. Firms wishing to take advantage of the
General Authority are therefore recommended to study its terms and conditions. A
copy may be obtained from Ofcom at the address specified below.

Firms wishing to import non-approved cordless telephones on a commercial basis for

re-export but not to hold them in a Customs warehouse or anyone wishing to import
non-approved cordless telephones for research, testing or development should apply
to Ofcom for the necessary specific Authority. For further information, on either the
General Authority or how to obtain a specific Authority, contact:

Ofcom Contact Centre

Riverside House
2a Southwark Bridge Road
London
SE1 9HA

Email: contact@ofcom.org.uk
Telephone: 0845 456 3000 or 020 7981 3040
Fax: 0845 456 3333