ITU SG5 & The Environment
Saturday, 16 May 2009 04:57

May, 2009 ITU Study Group 5 is working on environmental standards. The meeting May 25-29 in Genevadanielsepulvedacon obama2 will center on development of study questions on climate and environment, and the U.S. is hoping to send a delegation. This is an important change in the U.S. approach to international standards. The Europeans have taken the lead here, with with the European Code of Conduct driving DSLAM efficiency. If you are interested, email me for an introduction. Change is happening at the State Department. Danny Sepulveda, right with his boss in the background, is one of the new people in the State Department.

Here's some notes from SG5 about their work.

The Recommendations, Handbooks and other publications produced by Study Group 5 have four main objectives. The first is to protect telecommunication equipment and installations against damage and malfunction due to electromagnetic disturbances, such as those from lightning. The second is to ensure safety of personnel and users of networks against current and voltages used in telecommunication networks. The third is to avoid health risks from electromagnetic fields (EMF) produced by telecommunication devices and installations. The fourth is to guarantee a good quality of service (QoS) for high speed data services by providing requirements on characteristics of copper cables and on the coexistence of services delivered by different providers.
Work highlights

SG 5 has started work in an area important to the development of home networking technology. As more technologies emerge to allow the exchange of data within the home and small business environment, it has become necessary to address the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) of these devices and networks. Standardization will help to improve the quality of service and to create safe interworking between the various technologies.

An example of a recent publication is the Mitigation Handbook that addresses general principles and case studies for telecommunication installations against electromagnetic disturbances. Mitigation of EMC problems are explained by means of actual examples encountered on such installations.

And, in accordance with Resolution 72 of WTSA-08, SG 5 will accelerate its work on human exposure to EMF by producing guidance on measurement methods and mitigation techniques in order to reduce the EMF produced by telecommunication equipment and installations.


SG 5 has started work in an area important to the development of home networking technology. As more technologies emerge to allow the exchange of data within the home and small business environment, it has become necessary to address the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) of these devices and networks. Standardization will help to improve the quality of service and to create safe interworking between the various technologies.

An example of a recent publication is the Mitigation Handbook that addresses general principles and case studies for telecommunication installations against electromagnetic disturbances. Mitigation of EMC problems are explained by means of actual examples encountered on such installations.

And, in accordance with Resolution 72 of WTSA-08, SG 5 will accelerate its work on human exposure to EMF by producing guidance on measurement methods and mitigation techniques in order to reduce the EMF produced by telecommunication equipment and installations.



An example of a recent publication is the Mitigation Handbook that addresses general principles and case studies for telecommunication installations against electromagnetic disturbances. Mitigation of EMC problems are explained by means of actual examples encountered on such installations.

And, in accordance with Resolution 72 of WTSA-08, SG 5 will accelerate its work on human exposure to EMF by producing guidance on measurement methods and mitigation techniques in order to reduce the EMF produced by telecommunication equipment and installations.