11. Certifications
This section details the regulatory certification status of BGM220S modules in various regions. BGM220S modules are also referred to
by their model name BGM220S12A/BGM220S22A.
The address for the module manufacturer and certification applicant is:
SILICON LABORATORIES FINLAND OY
Alberga Business Park, Bertel Jungin aukio 3,
02600 Espoo, Finland
11.1 Regulatory Certifications
11.1.1 Qualified Antennas
BGM220S modules have been tested and certified both with the on-board antennas and with external antennas attached to the RF pin
(RF_2G4). Performance characteristics for the integral antennas are presented in
Table 3.1 Antenna Efficiency and Peak Gain
Table 3.2 Antenna Efficiency and Peak Gain (BGM220S22A) on page 7
. Details for the external qualified reference antennas are summarized in the table below.
Table 11.1. Qualified External Antennas for BGM220S
Model
Antenna Type
Maximum Gain
Impedance
BGM220S12A
Connectorized Coaxial Dipole
3.2 dBi
50 Ω
BGM220S22A
Connectorized Coaxial Dipole
2.8 dBi
50 Ω
Any external antenna of the same general type and of equal or less directional gain as listed in the above table, and having similar in-
band and out-of-band characteristics, can be used in the regulatory areas that have modular radio approvals, such as USA and Cana-
da, as long as spot-check testing is performed to verify that no performance changes compromising compliance have been introduced.
In the particular FCC case, in order to comply with e-CFR Title 47, Part 15, Subpart C, Section 15.203 the module integrator using an
external antenna must ensure it has a unique connector or it is undetachable. In countries applying the ETSI standards, like the EU
countries, the radiated emissions are always tested with the end-product and the antenna type is not critical, but antennas with higher
gain may violate some of the regulatory limits.
When using instead an external antenna of a different type (such as a chip antenna, a PCB trace antenna or a patch) or having non-
similar in-band and out-of-band characteristics, but still with a gain less than or equal to the maximum gain listed in the table above, it
can be added as a permissive change to the existing grant/certificate. In most of these cases, some radiated emission testing is deman-
ded, but no modular or end-product re-certification is required.
On the other hand, all products with antennas having more gain than the maximum gain listed in the table above are very likely to re-
quire a full new end-product certification. Since the exact permissive change procedure is chosen on a case by case basis, please con-
sult your test house and/or a certification body for understanding the correct approach based on your unique design. You might also
want or need to get in touch with Silicon Labs for any authorization letter that your certification body might ask for.
11.1.2 EU and UK - CE and UKCA
The BGM220S modules have been tested against the relevant harmonized/designated standards and are in conformity with the essen-
tial requirements and other relevant requirements of the Radio Equipment Directive (RED) (2014/53/EU) and of the Radio Equipment
Regulations (RER) (S.I. 2017/1206).
Please notice that every end-product integrating a BGM220S module will need to perform the radio EMC tests on the whole assembly,
according to the ETSI 301 489-x relevant standards.
Furthermore, it is ultimately the responsibility of the manufacturer to ensure the compliance of the end-product as a whole. The specific
product assembly is likely to have an impact to RF radiated characteristics, when compared to the bare module. Hence, manufacturers
should carefully consider RF radiated testing with the final product assembly, especially taking into account the gain of the external
antenna if any, and the possible deviations in the PSD, EIRP and spurious emissions measurements, as defined in the ETSI 300 328
standard.
The modules are entitled to carry the CE and UKCA Marks, and a formal Declaration of Conformity (DoC) is available at the product
web page which is reachable starting from
BGM220S Wireless Gecko Bluetooth
®
Module Data Sheet
Certifications
silabs.com
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