Standard for Telephone Terminal Equipment TIA-968-B-3

TIA-968-B-3 (Telecommunications – Telephone Terminal Equipment – Technical Requirements for Connection of Terminal Equipment to the Telephone Network – Addendum 3) is an Addendum 3 to the old standard, TIA-968-B, including B-1 to B-2. The effective date of the new standard is on 13 July 2016.

This Standard specifies technical criteria for Telephone Terminal Equipment (TTE) approved in accordance with Title 47 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (47 C.F.R.), Part 68 for direct connection to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), including private line services provided over wireline facilities owned by providers of wireline telecommunications. 

The purpose of this Standard is to provide technical criteria to protect wireline carrier telephone networks from harms caused by the connection of terminal equipment defined by the Federal Communications Commission in 47 C.F.R. section 68.3. This Standard was developed for submission to the Administrative Council for Terminal Attachments (ACTA). What’s new at a glance: 

1. Removed Type B Ringing Requirement
2. New Sub-clause for DSL FAST specification 

Elaboration: 

• This addendum removes the specification and requirements for Type B ringer.
• Thus all new terminal equipment should be tested and marked as Type A ringer equipment only.
• As the registration number includes REN information, this update implies new terminal equipment can no longer be family grouped with previous registered family. New registration number must be applied to reflect the correct ringer type in force.
• Previously registered terminal equipment are not affected by this technical update.
• Modification towards previously registered terminal equipment which is not affecting the accuracy of ACTA database would not be affected.
• DSL FAST specification is added into the standard, and DSL FAST type terminal equipment will be tested and compared with corresponding limit.