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Regulatory Agencies and Standards

Both Notecard and Starnote undergo regulatory verifications to ensure compliance with a variety of standards. Each of these certifications addresses a critical aspect of product compliance across safety, emissions, materials, and network operation. This section highlights the key certification bodies and standards you need to know:

  • CE for health, safety and environmental protection across the EEA
  • FCC for electromagnetic compatibility and RF emissions in the U.S.
  • IEC for global electrical, electronic and performance requirements
  • ISED (formerly IC) for Canadian RF and EMI regulations
  • PTCRB for North American cellular device interoperability
  • RoHS for restricting hazardous substances in electronics
  • Skylo NTN Certification for guaranteed NB-IoT satellite handoff compliance on the Skylo network

CE

CE certification indicates that a product complies with the essential requirements of relevant European health, safety, and environmental protection legislation. It is a mandatory conformity mark for products sold within the European Economic Area (EEA).

Consider the CE mark as your device's "passport" into the EEA. By affixing it, you legally declare that the product meets every applicable EU directive on safety, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), radio performance, energy efficiency, and environmental impact. Customs officials and market-surveillance authorities use the mark as their first filter: no CE, no entry. Beyond avoiding fines and product seizures, proper CE conformity unlocks friction-free movement across 30 countries and spares you separate national approvals. It also reassures distributors and end users that the device will not endanger people, property, or the environment.

FCC

FCC certification indicates that a product complies with the regulations set forth by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States. This certification ensures that electronic devices do not emit electromagnetic interference that could disrupt other electronic devices and communication systems.

FCC authorization is non-negotiable for any device that radiates RF energy inside the United States. Parts 15, 22, 24, 25, 27, and 90 of Title 47 CFR set strict limits on spurious emissions, occupied-bandwidth masks, and power spectral density (e.g. so that Wi-Fi routers don't jam satellite links and microwave ovens don't swamp Bluetooth headsets). Passing the FCC test suite proves your hardware plays nicely in America's congested spectrum, letting carriers activate it, and retailers stock it.

IEC

IEC certification refers to standards set by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). This organization develops international standards for electrical, electronic, and related technologies, ensuring products meet global safety, performance, and efficiency requirements.

The IEC doesn’t issue labels, rather it writes the blueprints everyone else adopts. IEC 62368-1 governs audio-video and ICT safety, IEC 60529 defines IP dust-and-water ingress ratings, IEC 61000-4 series sets EMC immunity tests, and hundreds more cover batteries, lasers, medical equipment, and explosive atmospheres. Designing to IEC eliminates guesswork when you later seek CE, CB Scheme, UL, or national certifications, because most of them simply mirror IEC clauses.

ISED

ISED/ISEDC certification is issued by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISEDC), formerly known as Industry Canada (IC).

ISED enforces RSS (Radio Standards Specifications) and ICES (Interference-Causing Equipment Standards). Devices must obtain an ISED certification number and display it on the label (you can think of it as Canada's FCC ID). Testing validates RF exposure (RSS-102), transmit power, and out-of-band emissions so your product coexists with aviation, public-safety, and satellite services spanning a sparsely populated country with massive coverage cells. Certification is mandatory before importation. Skipping it can trigger border seizures, fines, and carrier blacklisting.

PTCRB

PTCRB certification is a certification process for mobile and cellular devices that ensures they meet the necessary standards and specifications for operation on North American cellular networks. PTCRB (PCS Type Certification Review Board) was established by North American cellular operators to define test specifications and methods to ensure device interoperability.

PTCRB certification layers operator-specific performance, roaming, and SIM/USIM interactions on top of baseline 3GPP compliance. Certification labs expose devices to radiated spurious-emission tests, multi-band OTA performance, and network attach/IMS scenarios. Devices that pass PTCRB and gain immediate acceptance on every major U.S. and Canadian carrier, shortening carrier field-trial cycles, and assuring enterprise buyers that your modem will stay on-air through firmware upgrades and network refarming.

RoHS

RoHS certification ensures that electronic products do not contain hazardous materials above specified levels. The directive originated in the European Union and aims to reduce the environmental impact and increase the recycling and safe disposal of electronic equipment.

RoHS restricts ten heavy metals and halogenated flame retardants including lead, cadmium, mercury, and PBDEs. EU customs officers and retailers alike demand documentary evidence that every resistor, solder paste, and flex cable falls below ppm thresholds. Non-compliance can trigger market-withdrawal orders and fines, while compliance strengthens ESG credentials and simplifies end-of-life take-back schemes under WEEE. Designing RoHS-first also aligns your product with near-identical Chinese RoHS, California Prop 65, and Indian E-Waste rules, avoiding region-specific redesigns.

Skylo

Skylo's Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) Certification Program validates full compliance with 3GPP Release-17 NB-IoT-over-NTN and Skylo's own "Standards Plus" enhancements. This firmware-level approval guarantees seamless, resource-efficient hand-off to Skylo satellites the moment terrestrial coverage drops, so the certified device keeps sending data as long as it can see the sky.