Kongsberg’s maritime broadband radio granted FCC waiver

Permission was granted in 2022, with deliveries planned from 2023.

Kongsberg’s MBR products transfer large volumes of data between vessels, between vessels and shore, and between vessels and their remote or autonomous vehicles. They have been used around the globe to support maritime applications where digital high-speed reliable communication and data transfer are crucial for efficient and safe operations.

The company believes MBR products are the key to making autonomous surface vehicles or remotely operated vehicles effective. However, MBR 179 MK2 and MBR 189 MK2 have radiate power that exceeds the FCC 15.407 regulation, and required a waiver for operating in the US market.

“Waivers like this are hard to get and the process normally takes several years, however it does happen for new technology or operations that do not completely fit into existing regulations,” said Kongsberg Discovery vice-president Vidar Bjørkedal. 

“Only experimental operations were permitted before the waiver was in place. This ruling gives Kongsberg a competitive advantage in the US market.”

The FCC is the US government agency that implements the United States’ communications law and regulations including interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable. All radio products for sale in the US require an equipment specific FCC ID.

With the waiver in place, the MBR 179 and 189 units can be certified under FCC 15.407 and obtain an FCC ID and market access.

The MBR 144 product line was already available in the US with certification under FCC 15.407 directly. Some territorial limitations still apply on some channels around Patrick Air Force base in Florida and Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, and zones around Wallops Islands, Virginia and Coquina, North Carolina.