TELECOM ACCESS STANDARDS NEWSLETTER NO. 133 SEPTEMBER 2002 CONTENTS 1. PTC 220-SERIES TELEPERMITS 2. ELECTRICAL SAFETY TESTING - STANDARDS 3. ELECTRICAL SAFETY TESTING - EVIDENCE OF COMPLIANCE 4. EMC STANDARDS RETURN TO MAIN INDEX 1. PTC 220-SERIES TELEPERMITS A lot of work has been going into the question of transmission standards for Voice over Packet-based private networks in recent weeks and there will be a special Newsletter on this subject shortly. We have already published an interim or draft specification outlining our requirements on our website as a Supplement to PTC 107 and PTC 217 and comments are welcomed. We intend to develop this draft and publish it as PTC 220. It will cover private network requirements in general, as many PABX systems are evolving progressively from circuit-switched to IP and there is no longer a clear boundary between the two types of operation. In anticipation of this new draft specification, we are now issuing Telepermits in the PTC 220-series for a number of products. The specification addresses many compliance issues which are common to both IP and circuit-switched private network equipment and recognises the current trend whereby a lot of "traditional circuit-switched digital PABX systems" are having IP interfaces added to integrate a customers LAN and voice applications to a greater extent. We will continue to use the PTC 207-series for conventional PABX and Key Telephone System equipment, associated analogue terminals, etc. 2. ELECTRICAL SAFETY TESTING - STANDARDS For "information technology equipment", which covers the great majority of telecommunications terminal equipment or CPE, the appropriate safety standard is IEC 60950. This covers a wide range of safety aspects, not just electrical safety. Some products connected to the Telecom network may be more appropriately designated as "Audio Visual and similar Electronic Apparatus". A satellite TV decoder would be a good example of this in that its primary function is television reception. Its connection to the Telecom network is secondary, even though it is an essential part of its functionality. The most appropriate standard for such devices is IEC 60065, entitled "Audio Visual and Similar Electronic Apparatus - Safety requirements". This particular standard has Annex B, which covers the safety aspects of the Telecom network connection. Telecom's approach to the safety issue is that we need to be assured that any product connected to our network is safe for users and safe for the people working on our network. We are not ourselves "safety experts" and we rely on independent test reports or certificates of compliance with the appropriate safety standards. In general, documentation proving compliance with any standard which is acceptable to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs as evidence of a product's safety is also acceptable to Telecom for Telepermit purposes. In most cases, the actual test reports are not required if a Certificate of Compliance can be provided from a testing laboratory acceptable to the Ministry. Since virtually every product introduced to the New Zealand market has been in service overseas, such evidence should be available from the manufacturer and it will rarely be necessary to have additional safety testing carried out in this country. 3. ELECTRICAL SAFETY TESTING - EVIDENCE OF COMPLIANCE Access Standards has "traditionally" required suppliers to submit complete copies of electrical safety reports for those products for which they are seeking Telepermits. This has provided us with the opportunity to confirm that the product tested is the same as that covered by the application, that it covers the "New Zealand version", and also to check that there are no problems with test report ownership. Nevertheless, there is no real need for us to hold a copy of the electrical safety test report if we have other forms of evidence of compliance, such as a certificate issued by a recognised authority, especially where the safety status is backed up by a "CE" or "A-tick" compliance mark on the product label. We have not addressed this issue earlier, as the great majority of test reports are simply copies of those originally carried out overseas and the only cost incurred by the applicant is in copying the report. However, this Newsletter may be regarded as authority for Telepermit applicants to submit evidence of safety compliance other than the full test report. Any such evidence is to be in English and be clearly traceable to the product covered by the Telepermit being applied for. 4. EMC STANDARDS AS/NZS 3548 has been replaced with AS/NZS CISPR 22, 2002. The relevant standard committees decided that because most of the Australian and New Zealand EMC specifications mirror the CISPR standards this should be reflected in the title of the standard. This new version will introduce the requirement for conducted emissions on telecom lines which may lead to increased testing costs. In accordance with the harmonised EMC framework between Australia and NZ, importers and manufacturers have the option of using AS/NZS 3548, 1995 and its amendments or the new standard for the next 2 years. The Ministry of Economic Development has advised that it will not be necessary to re-test to the new specification after the 2 year transition period, provided that the original testing was carried out to the earlier specification. It is expected that current exemptions to the Trans Tasman Mutual Recognition Agreement (TTMRA) will cease some time next year. This will result in many of the present RFS radio specifications being replaced by AS/NZS standards. The question of EMC compliance arrangements for non-intentional radiators (non-radio devices) such as wired phones, PABX's, etc, is covered in a joint publication by the ACA and the NZ Radio Spectrum Management group. This is available on-line at the following URL: http://www.med.govt.nz/rsm/standards/pdfs/emcbook.pdf DOUG BURRUS Manager Access Standards