| Full title | ANSI/TIA-607-E, Generic Telecommunications Bonding and Grounding (Earthing) for Customer Premises |
| Publisher | Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), engineering committee TR-42.3 |
| Current edition | TIA-607-E, 14 May 2024, 96 pages. Previous revisions: 607-D (2019), 607-C (2015), 607-B (2011), J-STD-607-A (2002), first issued 1994 |
| Status | Current. A North American (ANSI) standard |
| Related standards | ISO/IEC 30129, BS EN 50310, ANSI/TIA-568 series, ANSI/TIA-569, ANSI/TIA-606-D, ANSI/TIA-222 |
What it covers
ANSI/TIA-607 specifies requirements for a generic telecommunications bonding and grounding infrastructure. It also covers how that infrastructure is interconnected with electrical systems and telecommunications systems.
It may also be used as a guide for the renovation or retrofit of existing systems.
North American usage says grounding. The title adds earthing, the term used in the UK and in IEC standards.
Revision history
| Revision | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| TIA/EIA-607 | 1994 | Original standard, titled Commercial Building Grounding and Bonding Requirements for Telecommunications |
| J-STD-607-A | 2002 | Revision A, published jointly with ATIS as J-STD-607-A, titled Commercial Building Grounding (Earthing) and Bonding Requirements for Telecommunications |
| 607-B | 2011 | Revision. Addenda followed in 2013 on external grounding and on structural metal |
| 607-C | 2015 | Revision. Took in the two 2013 addenda. Addendum on multi-tenant buildings followed in 2016 |
| 607-D | 2019 | Revision. Addendum D-1 (2021) harmonised it with ANSI/TIA-222 |
| 607-E | May 2024 | Current. Takes in Addendum D-1 and updates references |
Key elements
Revision C (2015) changed its terms to harmonise with ISO/IEC 30129. Specifications citing 607-D use names such as PBB and SBB. Earlier specifications citing 607-B use TMGB (telecommunications main grounding busbar) and TGB (telecommunications grounding busbar).
Component names as used since 607-C and in specifications citing 607-D. Roles summarised; check the revision named in the specification.
| Component | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Primary bonding busbar | PBB | Central telecommunications bonding busbar, connected to the electrical service ground through the TBC |
| Telecommunications bonding conductor | TBC | Bonds the PBB to the electrical service ground |
| Secondary bonding busbar | SBB | Bonding point in telecommunications rooms and other telecommunications spaces |
| Telecommunications bonding backbone | TBB | Conductor running from the PBB to each SBB |
| Backbone bonding conductor | BBC | Interconnects TBBs where a building has more than one |
| Telecommunications equipment bonding conductor | TEBC | Connects racks, cabinets and equipment to the PBB or SBB |
| Rack bonding busbar | RBB | Busbar inside a rack or cabinet for bonding equipment |
Revision C also added a clause on external grounding. As reported for revision C, it required patch panels for shielded cabling to be bonded and applied bonding requirements to all metallic telecommunications pathways.
How it relates to other standards
| Standard | Relationship |
|---|---|
| ISO/IEC 30129 | International counterpart for telecommunications bonding networks. Shares its main component names |
| BS EN 50310 | European counterpart, based on ISO/IEC 30129 |
| ANSI/TIA-606-D | Administration standard. Gives identifiers for bonding components |
| ANSI/TIA-569 | Pathways and spaces standard, from the same TIA committee (TR-42.3) |
| ANSI/TIA-222 | Antenna supporting structures. Addendum D-1, now in 607-E, harmonised the two |
In the United States, electrical safety grounding is governed by NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code). ANSI/TIA-607 adds a telecommunications bonding infrastructure for system performance.
What it means in practice
- UK projects designed to European standards call up BS EN 50310 for bonding networks, with BS 7671 for electrical safety. ANSI/TIA-607 appears in specifications that follow North American standards.
- Check which revision the specification names. Older documents may use TMGB and TGB rather than PBB and SBB.
- Where a specification calls up ANSI/TIA-607, it must still meet local electrical regulations. In the UK that is BS 7671.
- Where ANSI/TIA-606 is also specified, use its identifiers for bonding components.
Related reading: BS 7671 Amendment 4: PoE and ICT earthing.