ABSTRACT: Advances in technology, and convergence among different types of telecommunications equipment highlighted the need to formulate a new approach to TR-NWT-000295 with the intent to expand its scope and contents.

Issue 1 of GR-295, Mesh and Isolated Bonding Networks: Definition and Application to Telephone Central Offices, is the result of that new approach. GR-295 is the only industry document that provides detailed requirements for implementation of the Isolated and Mesh Bonding Network in the network environment. Service Providers have relied on the requirements to construct their grounding and bonding systems. Manufacturers have relied on the common set of rules in the document to build reliable and safe equipment.

The information contained in GR-295:

• Promotes safety of central office personnel, and gives equipment manufactures and service providers a set of common rules for bonding and grounding.
• Improves the ability of equipment to withstand lightning surges, and provides immunity to various types of electromagnetic disturbances.
• Reduces electromagnetic interference to and from the equipment, and reduces maintenance costs for service providers.
• Enables compatibility with new high, bit-rate services
• Increases flexibility of manufacturers in selecting appropriate bonding networks for their equipment, and may ease providing the equipment to the world market.