Telecommunications Technical Standard (Requirements for Customer Equipment for connection to a metallic local loop interface of a Telecommunications Network - Part 3: DC, low frequency AC and voiceband - AS/ACIF S043.3:2001) 2003

Administered by Department of Communications and the Arts

Legislation au F2005B00182 Not in force Legislative Instrument

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Telecommunications Technical Standard (Requirements for Customer Equipment for connection to a metallic local loop interface of a Telecommunications Network — Part 3: DC, low frequency AC and voiceband — AS/ACIF S043.3:2001) 2003

The AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITY makes this Technical Standard under subsection 376 (1) of the Telecommunications Act 1997.

Dated 12 November 2003

R HORTON
Chair

A HORSLEY
Deputy Chair

 

Australian Communications Authority

Contents

 1 Name of Technical Standard 

 2 Commencement 

 3 Revocation of AS/ACIF S043–2001 

 4 Objects of Technical Standard 

 5 Definitions 

 6 Application of Technical Standard 

 7 Standard with which customer equipment must comply 

 

 

 

1 Name of Technical Standard

 (1) This Technical Standard is the Telecommunications Technical Standard (Requirements for Customer Equipment for connection to a metallic local loop interface of a Telecommunications Network — Part 3: DC, low frequency AC and voiceband — AS/ACIF S043.3:2001) 2003.

 (2) This Technical Standard may also be cited as AS/ACIF S043.3-2001.

Note 1   The alternate citation mentioned in subsection (2) is the name by which the AS/ACIF Standard, adopted by this Technical Standard under section 7, is usually cited. The AS/ACIF Standard was published in 2001.

Note 2   The AS/ACIF Standard, as adopted by this Technical Standard, does not include any amendments that may subsequently be made by Standards Australia and the Australian Communications Industry Forum.  If such amendments are made, there will be a difference between the terms of this instrument and those of the AS/ACIF instrument of that name until such time as the AS/ACIF Standard amendments are adopted by the ACA.

2 Commencement

  This Technical Standard commences on gazettal.

3 Revocation of AS/ACIF S043–2001

  The Telecommunications Technical Standard (Requirements for Customer Equipment for connection to a metallic local loop interface of a Telecommunications Network — AS/ACIF S043) 2001 is revoked.

4 Objects of Technical Standard

  The objects of this Technical Standard are:

 (a) to protect the integrity of telecommunications networks and facilities; and

 (b) to protect the health and safety of persons who:

 (i) operate; or

 (ii) work on; or

 (iii) use services supplied by means of; or

 (iv) are otherwise reasonably likely to be affected by the operation of;

  a telecommunications network or facility; and

 (c) to ensure that customer equipment can be used to give access to an emergency call service; and

 (d) to ensure, for the purpose of the supply of a standard telephone service, the interoperability of customer equipment with a telecommunications network to which the equipment is, or is proposed to be, connected.

5 Definitions

  In this Technical Standard:

Act means the Telecommunications Act 1997.

AS/ACIF Standard means the Australian Standard/Australian Communications Industry Forum Standard: Requirements for Customer Equipment for connection to a metallic local loop interface of a Telecommunications Network — Part 3: DC, low frequency AC and voiceband (AS/ACIF S043.3:2001), published by the Australian Communications Industry Forum and Standards Australia International Limited in January 2001.

metallic local loop means metallic twisted pair communications wire in a carrier’s telecommunications network which provides connectivity between a customer’s premises and equipment in the telecommunications network.

metallic local loop interface means an interface for the electrical connection to a metallic local loop.

voice frequency band means the range of frequencies from 300 Hz to 3.4 kHz (inclusive).

Note 1   Emergency call service and standard telephone service are defined in section 7 of the Act. Telecommunications network is defined in subsection 374 (1) of the Act. Facility is defined in subsection 374 (2) of the Act.

Note 2   Customer equipment is defined in section 7 of the Act to have the meaning given by section 21 of the Act. Subsection 21 (1) of the Act provides that customer equipment means:

(a) any equipment, apparatus, tower, mast, antenna or other structure or thing; or

(b) any system (whether software-based or otherwise);

that:

(c) is used, installed ready for use or intended for use in connection with a carriage service; and

(d) under the regulations, is treated as customer equipment;

but does not include a line.

Subsection 21 (4) of the Act provides that if no regulations are in force for the purposes of subsection 21 (1), customer equipment has the meaning set out in subsection 21 (4). At the commencement of this Technical Standard, no regulations are in force for the purposes of subsection 21 (1) of the Act.

6 Application of Technical Standard

  This Technical Standard applies to customer equipment that:

 (a) is designed, or intended, for connection to a telecommunications network via a metallic local loop interface; and

 (b) is designed, or intended, to include 1 or more of the following capabilities:

 (i) DC power feeding or signalling;

 (ii) operation in the low frequency AC band below 300 Hz;

 (iii) operation in the voice frequency band;

 (iv) operation above the voice frequency band up to 20 kHz.

7 Standard with which customer equipment must comply

  The customer equipment to which this Technical Standard applies must comply with the AS/ACIF Standard.

 

Overview

The Telecommunications Technical Standard (Requirements for Customer Equipment for connection to a metallic local loop interface of a Telecommunications Network—Part 3: DC, low frequency AC and voiceband—AS/ACIF S043.3:2001) 2003 was enacted to ensure that customer equipment used for connecting to telecommunications networks via metallic local loop interfaces adheres to specific technical requirements. This legislation was introduced to address the need for clear and uniform standards governing the design and functionality of customer equipment that interacts with telecommunications networks. The Australian Communications Authority, established under the Telecommunications Act 1997, created this Technical Standard to protect the integrity of telecommunications networks and facilities, safeguard the health and safety of individuals interacting with these networks, and ensure the interoperability and reliability of customer equipment, including its capacity to access emergency services. The overarching policy objective is to maintain the reliability and safety of telecommunications services in Australia by standardising the technical requirements for customer equipment.

Scope and Application

The Telecommunications Technical Standard (Requirements for Customer Equipment for connection to a metallic local loop interface of a Telecommunications Network — Part 3: DC, low frequency AC and voiceband — AS/ACIF S043.3:2001) 2003 applies to customer equipment designed or intended for connection to a telecommunications network via a metallic local loop interface and incorporates capabilities such as DC power feeding or signalling, operation in the low frequency AC band below 300 Hz, operation in the voice frequency band, and operation above the voice frequency band up to 20 kHz. The Standard mandates compliance with the AS/ACIF Standard, which sets out specific technical requirements for such equipment. This legislation is intended to protect the integrity of telecommunications networks and facilities, safeguard the health and safety of individuals who interact with these networks, and ensure the interoperability of customer equipment with telecommunications networks. The Standard's application is federally regulated, and it supersedes the previous AS/ACIF S043-2001 Standard, which is revoked by this instrument. Any amendments to the AS/ACIF Standard are not automatically incorporated into this Technical Standard until formally adopted by the Australian Communications Authority.

Key Provisions

The Telecommunications Technical Standard (Requirements for Customer Equipment for connection to a metallic local loop interface of a Telecommunications Network – Part 3: DC, low frequency AC and voiceband – AS/ACIF S043.3:2001) 2003 sets out the requirements for customer equipment intended for connection to a telecommunications network via a metallic local loop interface (section 1). This standard mandates that such equipment must comply with the AS/ACIF Standard (section 7), which includes specifications for DC power feeding or signalling, operation in the low frequency AC band below 300 Hz, operation in the voice frequency band, and operation above the voice frequency band up to 20 kHz (section 6(b)). The objects of this Technical Standard are to protect the integrity of telecommunications networks and facilities, safeguard the health and safety of individuals who interact with these networks, ensure access to emergency call services, and guarantee the interoperability of customer equipment with telecommunications networks (section 4). Entities and individuals involved in the design, manufacture, or supply of customer equipment must ensure that their products comply with the AS/ACIF Standard (section 7). This includes adhering to the technical specifications and requirements outlined in the adopted standard. The obligations imposed by the Act require that all customer equipment intended for connection to a telecommunications network must meet these stringent technical standards to ensure safe and effective operation. Breach of the provisions in this Technical Standard can lead to various consequences. Under the Telecommunications Act 1997, non-compliance may result in regulatory action, which could include fines or other penalties (section 376(1)). The specifics of penalties are not detailed within this Technical Standard itself but are governed by the broader provisions of the Telecommunications Act 1997, where significant penalties for non-compliance with technical standards are outlined. These penalties are intended to enforce the standards and protect the public interest in maintaining the integrity and safety of telecommunications networks.

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