IEC 63316:2026 prescribes safeguards, test methods and compliance requirements intended to reduce the risk of electrical shock and fire associated with voltage and current at voltages greater than 60 V DC and 60 V AC.
This document applies to equipment ports intended to supply and receive operating power from communications equipment ports using communication wires and cables. It covers particular requirements for circuits that are designed to transfer AC or DC power from a power sourcing equipment (PSE) (3.1.2) to a powered device (PD) (3.1.3), including repeaters, amplifiers, Optical Network Units, Remote DSLAMs, service provider terminating equipment, remote telecommunications cabinets and equipment, and midspan passive equipment connected to the PSE (3.1.2) and PD (3.1.3).
The power transfer of equipment ports covered by this document uses non-mains AC voltage or non-mains DC voltage above 60 V DC classified as ES2 according to 5.2.1.2 of IEC 62368-1:2023 or, in some very controlled cases, classified as ES3 according to IEC 62368-1:2023.
EXAMPLES
- DC power transfer using voltages above 60 V DC but = 120 V DC, classified as ES2;
- Some telecommunications networks where the voltage was formerly called TNV-3 (see IEC 62368-1:2023, Table W.3), typically used for line, span or express powering outside North America, Long Range Reverse Power Feeding, HDSLx line powering ISDN, Line Powering Primary Rate E1;
- Some North American telecommunications networks between the utility service providers´ PSE (3.1.2) and service providers side of the PD (3.1.3) at the PNI (3.1.8);
- For DC power transfer using voltages = 120 V DC at ES3: RFT circuits and the associated telecommunications network equipment and cabling used by communications service providers and communications utilities (for example, line powered E1/T1, HDSLx, SHDSLx, xDSL, repeaters, and telecommunications line powering up or line powering down converters as applicable), Optical Network Units, remote DSLAMs, etc. These RFT circuits are used between the utility service providers PSE (3.1.2) and service providers side of the PD (3.1.3) at the PNI (3.1.8). The customer facing ports of this equipment are at voltage not exceeding 60 V DC and are covered by IEC 62368-1:2023, see Annex A for deployment topologies;
- For AC/DC remote powering voltage above ES1 over coaxial cable in circuits used by cable television utility service providers for repeaters, amplifiers, Optical Network Units. The customer facing ports of this equipment are at voltage not exceeding 60 V DC that are covered by IEC 62368-1:2023.
NOTE 1 Any communications cable that permits power transfer between communication equipment is considered a communication cable even if communication does not take place. For example, a line powering up or line powering down converters as applicable used to power remote telecommunications equipment, can provide limited communications RFT power and not necessarily any superimposed data or signalling.
This document does not cover equipment interfaces within the scope of IEC 63315.
NOTE 2 IEC 63315 covers equipment intended to either supply or receive charging, or operating power from ICT interfaces using ICT wires and cables such as PoE, USB, HDMI, etc, or any of these combined.
This document does not cover ringing signals that are in the scope of IEC 62368-1 or in the scope of IEC 62949:2017.
This document does not cover traditional telecommunications technologies which operate at voltages not exceeding 60 V DC (circuits classified as ES1 according to 5.2.1.1 of IEC 62368-1:2023 and Table ID1a, 1b, or 1c in Table 13 of IEC 62368-1:2023) with or without ringing signals (classified as ES2 according to 5.2.1.1 of IEC 62368-1:2023 and external circuit ID1a, 1b, or 1c in Table 13 of IEC 62368-1:2023). Examples of traditional telecommunications technologies include Analogue Telephony, ISDN, T1, E1, VDSL, SHDSL, DDS, etc.
This document does not cover communications over mains and high-voltage power transmission and distribution lines.
This first edition cancels and replaces Clause 6 of IEC 62368-3 published in 2017. This edition constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to Clause 6 of IEC 62368-3 published in 2017:
a) DC power transfer at voltages above 60 V DC but = 120 V DC (ES2), including telecommunications networks formerly known as TNV-3;
b) DC power transfer at voltages = 120 V DC at ES3, such as RFT circuits and associated telecommunications equipment;
c) AC/DC remote powering above ES1 over coaxial cable in cable television utility service provider circuits for repeaters, amplifiers, and ONUs;
d) clarification on communication cable permitting power transfer, regardless of data transmission presence.
