Telcordia GR-487-CORE

The requirements of telcordia GR-487-CORE are intended to provide a suitable environment for telecommunication companies’ electronic and passive equipment that is housed in above ground cabinets or enclosures, typically pad- or pole-mounted, in an Outside Plant (OSP) environment. Although originally developed for wireline environments, many of the wireless carriers have adopted GR-487 as a standard for their wireless environments as well. 

GR-3108-CORE provides the test criteria for the equipment inside of a cabinet or enclosure, and works in harmony with GR-487. In general, if a cabinet or enclosure includes electronic or telecommunication equipment, this equipment is expected to comply with the criteria contained in GR-3108 (unless the equipment is covered by a more specific GR).

Of special note for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), equipment evaluated to GR-3108 expects a GR-487 enclosure to provide a Class 2 Protected Environment (thermally managed interior space within an outdoor enclosure) or Class 3 Severe Outside Environment (interior space within an outdoor enclosure that is not sealed or thermally managed). Cabinets and enclosures evaluated to GR-487 are anticipated to be deployed in a Class 4 (directly exposed to outside weather conditions) environment.

Applicable Equipment

GR-487 covers cabinets and enclosures deployed in the Outside Plant (OSP) environment. The range of enclosures include; wireline electronic equipment cabinets (DSLAM, DLC, cross-connect), wireless cabinets (backhaul switches, battery backup, base station transceiver, E-911 Location Measurement Unit, power amplifiers), field retrofit & adjunct cabinets, and power pedestals (housing for AC commercial power, battery backup).

Note that when Purcell Systems states that specific enclosures and cabinets comply with GR-487, we have tested and passed all the applicable requirements of this specification. Customers should ensure that enclosures under assessment have been tested to the applicable requirements, rather than designed (but not tested) to a subset of the requirements. Note that the laboratories that test to GR-487 do not provide a certification of approval. They provide a test report stating the test done and their results. Reputable enclosure manufacturers will provide copies of the test report. This test report is for a specific configuration in time, and the laboratory does not verify continuous compliance. Therefore, customers should ensure the test reports are relevant to the specific revision level they are assessing.

GR-487 Testing

Telcordia prohibits the disclosure of test sequences and parameters without prior written permission, so individual tests sequences cannot be publically disclosed. The range of requirements tested in GR-487 specification include:

  • Finish
  • Metallic Materials
  • Polymeric Materials
  • Lifting Details
  • Security/Alarms
  • Bonding & Grounding
  • Vertical and Horizontal Door Restraints
  • AC Power
  • Exposure to High Temperature
  • Surface Temperature
  • Thermal Shock
  • Water, Dust, an Insect Intrusion
  • External Icing
  • Acoustical Noise Emissions
  • Firearms Resistance
  • Fire Resistance
  • Corrosion Resistance
  • Shock, Vibration and Impact Resistance
  • Seismic Resistance
  • Marking, Packaging, and Shipping