A communication system must have adequate electrical protection in order to meet the reliability standards for commercially acceptable service and to keep down maintenance expenses. This report characterizes, from the viewpoint of electrical protection and coordination, the conditions of the electrical environment to which communication facilities are exposed. It gives consideration to both present and anticipated future conditions, and covers such topics as the effects of lightning, interference from power networks, electric shock, earth potential gradients, corrosion, over-voltage in AC power utilization circuits, her and electromagnetic pulses.
Characterization of the Electrical Environment is a current reference on the design factors required to ensure reliable performance of communication facilities under field operating conditions. It will be useful as a manual for practicing engineers in telecommunications, and as a tutorial textbook in engineering schools in North America, Europe, and elsewhere.