The tariff classification of the Audiotrix Phone Adapter II from Canada

NY C86308 May 6, 1998 CLA-2-85:RR:NC:MM:109 C86308 CATEGORY: Classification TARIFF NO.: 8517.50.5000 Ms. Kristin Schulz Shipping Manager Mediatrix Peripherals, Inc. 4229 Garlock Street Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada J1L 2C8 RE: The tariff classification of the Audiotrix Phone Adapter II from Canada Dear Ms. Schulz: In your letter dated April 4, 1998, you requested a tariff classification ruling. The merchandise is described in your letter and accompanying literature as the Audiotrix Phone Adapter II (APA) from Canada. The Audiotrix Phone Adapter II is a telecommunications device that connects a conventional telephone to a Local Area Network with access to an Intranet or the Internet to permit high quality full duplex network audio communications over an Intranet or the Internet. The APA II incorporates all required IP (Internet Protocol) telephony tasks in a standalone enclosure. It digitizes the audio coming from the telephone and then compresses, packetizes and manages the flow of digital audio information to permit high quality full duplex audio communications over any TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) network. The APA II supports the following calling configurations using the Internet (IP) and the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN): APA to APA over IP APA to PSTN APA to Gateway (Internet Telephone Gateway) to PSTN - an APA calls up a distant gateway over IP and makes a local call over the PSTN PSTN to Gateway to APA - a telephone on the PSTN calls up a local gateway which calls another APA PSTN to Gateway to Gateway to PSTN - a telephone on the PSTN calls up a local gateway which calls a distant gateway over IP which makes a local call over the PSTN The applicable tariff provision for the Audiotrix Phone Adapter II will be 8517.50.5000, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States Annotated (HTSUSA), which provides for "...telecommunication apparatus for carrier-current line systems or for digital line systems...[o]ther apparatus, for carrier-current line systems or for digital line systems: [o]ther: [t]elephonic." The general rate of duty will be 4.3% ad valorem. This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Part 177 of the Customs Regulations (19 CFR 177). A copy of the ruling or the control number indicated above should be provided with the entry documents filed at the time this merchandise is imported. If you have any questions regarding the ruling, contact National Import Specialist Eileen S. Kaplan at 212-466-5673. Sincerely, Robert B. Swierupski Director, National Commodity Specialist Division