SIDACtor
Data Book
ITU-T K.20 and K.21
Teccor Electronics
(972) 580-7777
4 - 11
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Overview
Although the ITU does not have the authority to legislate that organizations follow their
recommendations, their standards are recognized in many places throughout Europe
and the Far East.
ITU-T, the Telecommunication Standardization Sector of the International
Telecommunication Union, has developed fundamental testing methods that have
been established to cover various environmental conditions to help predict the
survivability of network and customer based switching equipment. The conditions
covered are surges due to lightning strikes on or near twisted pair and or plant
equipment (this does not include a direct strike), short term induction of AC voltage
from adjacent power lines or railway systems, and direct contact between
telecommunication lines and power lines (this is often referred to as AC power cross).
The two applicable ITU-T standards for most telecommunications equipment to be
connected to the network are ITU-T K.20 which is primarily for switching equipment
powered by the central office, and ITU-T K.21 which focuses on customer premise
equipment. However, for complex subscriber equipment, test administrators may
choose either K.20 or K.21, depending on which they feel is most appropriate.
Note:
Both standards are meant to address equipment reliability versus equipment safety, so
for specific concerns regarding equipment safety, national standards should be
researched and followed for each country where the equipment is intended to be used.
ITU-T K.20
Covers telephone exchanges and switching centers. Equipment submitted under K.20
must meet one of two levels. The lower level is intended for equipment that is used in
an unexposed environment where over-voltages and over-currents are expected to be
small and external protectors omitted (similar to the intra-building scenario found in
Bellcore 1089). The higher level is intended to cover more exposed environments
where external line protectors are used. Guidelines for determining which environment
the equipment under test (EUT) falls under can be found in ITU-T K.11, but it should be
noted that the final authority rests with the test administrator. That being the case, and
since equipment satisfying the requirements of the exposed criteria can also meet the
requirements satisfying the non-exposed requirements, only the exposed level
requirements are addressed in this document.
ITU-T K.21
Addresses desk-borne equipment that may or may not be used in an exposed
environment. It is assumed that external line protectors are employed for equipment
used in exposed areas and not used for unexposed environments. With this in mind,
K.21 is conducted with and without external line protectors.