ETSI EN 300 386 EMC Testing for Telecommunications Network Equipment

ETSI EN 300 386 Telecommunications Equipment EMC Testing

Compatible Electronics provides comprehensive ETSI EN 300 386 EMC testing for telecommunications network equipment. NVLAP accredited for EN 300 386 V1.6.1 (2012-09) at Lake Forest/Silverado and Newbury Park — covering switching equipment, network routers, transmission systems, and data centre telecom infrastructure.

NVLAP AccreditedILAC MRA Recognized6 GHz RadiatedLF & Newbury Park

What is ETSI EN 300 386?

ETSI EN 300 386 is the European standard specifying EMC requirements for telecommunications network equipment — equipment installed in telecommunications centres (central offices, data centres, and similar controlled professional environments). Unlike general-purpose product standards, EN 300 386 addresses the specific electromagnetic environment of telecom facilities: equipment powered from -48 VDC telecom supply rails, connected to long unshielded subscriber cable pairs reaching customers, and requiring continuous unattended operation.

EN 300 386 is harmonized under the EMC Directive 2014/30/EU. A key feature is its radiated emissions requirement extending to 6 GHz — well above the 1 GHz upper limit of most general product standards — capturing the high-speed SerDes clocking signals in modern network equipment.

Accredited Standards

Primary Standard

ETSI EN 300 386 V1.6.1 (2012-09)

Accredited at Lake Forest/Silverado and Newbury Park
Emissions and immunity for telecom network equipment
Radiated emissions to 6 GHz — captures high-speed digital interfaces
Harmonized standard under EMC Directive 2014/30/EU

Related Standards

EN 55032, EN 55035 & IEC 61000-4 Series

EN 55032 (2015)+A11(2020) — for ITE/switching functions; all three locations
EN 55035 (2017)+A11(2020) — immunity; all three locations
Full IEC 61000-4 immunity series — all three locations
IEC 61000-3-2 / IEC 61000-3-3 — power quality for AC-powered equipment

Products Covered

Network Infrastructure

Telecom & Network Equipment

Telecommunications switching equipment (PBX, VoIP switches)
Core and edge network routers
Ethernet switches and aggregation equipment
SDH/PDH and OTN transmission equipment
Optical transport and DWDM systems
Multiplexing and cross-connect equipment

Data Centre

DC & Support Equipment

Data centre network infrastructure
Network management systems
Signal processing and media gateway equipment
Power supply equipment for telecom (rectifiers)
DSL access multiplexers (DSLAM) for central office
Cable modems and DSL equipment

EMC Testing — EN 300 386

Emissions

EN 300 386 Emissions

Radiated: 30 MHz to 6 GHz — extends beyond standard 1 GHz limit
Conducted on AC mains: 150 kHz to 30 MHz via LISN
Conducted on -48 VDC power input ports: 150 kHz to 30 MHz
Emissions on telecommunications ports (subscriber lines, trunks)
Class A limits — telecom equipment not for residential installation

Immunity

EN 300 386 Immunity Suite

IEC 61000-4-2 ESD: ±4 kV contact, ±8 kV air discharge
IEC 61000-4-3 Radiated RF: 3 V/m (80 MHz–1 GHz); 1 V/m (1.4–2.7 GHz)
IEC 61000-4-4 EFT/Burst: ±2 kV AC mains; ±1 kV DC and signal ports
IEC 61000-4-5 Surge on AC mains and telecom ports (ITU-T K.20/K.21 levels)
IEC 61000-4-6 Conducted RF: 3 Vrms; IEC 61000-4-8 30 A/m magnetic field

Telecom Centre Environment

Installation

Professional Environment Characteristics

Controlled professional installation — not residential or commercial
Dedicated -48 VDC or AC power supply infrastructure
Equipment racks with controlled cable management
Professional installation and maintenance by trained personnel only

Operation

Continuous Unattended Operation

No operator present during normal operation — fully automated
Long telecommunications port cable connections to outside plant
Subscriber loops and inter-office trunks as unshielded cable pairs
Continuous uptime requirement — no planned maintenance windows

Real-World Testing Examples

Enterprise VoIP PBX — ETSI EN 300 386 + EN 55032 CE Marking

A telecommunications equipment manufacturer needed CE marking for a 1000-user enterprise VoIP PBX for installation in corporate data centres and telecom rooms. The system included AC mains power, -48 VDC battery backup, multiple SIP trunk interfaces, and 10G Ethernet switching. Compatible Electronics performed ETSI EN 300 386 V1.6.1 at Lake Forest/Silverado — conducted emissions on both the AC mains and -48 VDC backup ports, radiated emissions to 6 GHz in rack configuration, and the full immunity suite including EFT/Burst on SIP trunk ports and IEC 61000-4-5 surge at ITU-T K series levels on telecom ports. EN 55032 Class A was also assessed for the ITE switching functions. The combined CE marking package was delivered from Lake Forest/Silverado.

10G Aggregation Switch — EN 300 386 + FCC Part 15 + ICES-003 Multi-Market

A network equipment manufacturer needed CE marking, FCC Part 15, and Canadian ISED compliance for a 48-port 10G SFP+ aggregation switch for carrier-class telecom facilities and data centres. Compatible Electronics performed ETSI EN 300 386 V1.6.1 at Newbury Park — radiated emissions to 6 GHz capturing the high-speed SerDes clocking signals. FCC Part 15 Subpart B Class A conducted and radiated emissions via ANSI C63.4 and ICES-003 Issue 7 were measured from the same configuration. Three compliance reports — CE marking (EN 300 386), FCC Part 15 Class A, and ICES-003 Class A — were delivered from one test session.

DSLAM Central Office Equipment — ETSI EN 300 386 CE Marking

A broadband access equipment manufacturer needed CE marking for a 96-port VDSL2 DSLAM for EU telecom operator central offices. Compatible Electronics performed ETSI EN 300 386 V1.6.1 at Lake Forest/Silverado with all 96 subscriber ports loaded with calibrated DSL line simulators representing typical subscriber loop impedances. Conducted emissions on the AC mains and subscriber port emissions were carefully measured — the long subscriber lines effectively acting as antennas. IEC 61000-4-5 surge on subscriber ports at ITU-T K.20 levels confirmed integrated surge protection compliance. The NVLAP accredited EN 300 386 test report was accepted by the EU telecom operator's vendor qualification process without additional testing.