scope:

This European Telecommunication Standard (ETS) specifies the performance design objectives of an Access Network (AN) for call handling and bearer channel connection management. It is assumed that the Local Exchange (LE) meets delay criteria as recommended by ITU-T Recommendation Q.543 [SI. Specified delays for the AN are additional to the ones for the LE. This ETS is applicable to both the V 5.1 interface as specified in ETS 300 324-1 [Iland V5.2 interface as specified in ETC 300 347-1 [2].

Relationship of design performance requirements to operational performance requirements as defined within this ETS, should be considered as design objectives for systems under the conditions stated in this ETS. These conditions are defined by such parameters as average circuit occupancy, busy hour call attempts, etc. They should be distinguished from the Operational performance requirements which AN and service providers establish for remote access arrangements across interfaces at the V 5 reference point operating in their specific environment.

This standard is mainly intended for Access Networks involving optical or copper transmission media, circuit based transfer mode, and PCM voice encoding. Other Access Network technologies, particularly Radio technologies, may require further study.