Historical perspective of the FCC rules for digital devices and a look to the future

In 1979, the Federal Communications Commission adopted administrative and technical requirements for controlling interference from computers, data terminals and other digital electronic devices. These Rules were the result of an increasing number of complaints of interference from computers and other electronic devices and the fact that digital engineers were designing products with higher and higher frequency emissions without regard to the effect those emissions had on radio communications. This paper looks at the development of the FCC Rules for digital devices, the impact of these Rules on industry over the past 25 years and potential challenges for the next 25 years.