May 2025 in Review: Key Telecommunications, Audio & Video Engineering Standards

Looking back at May 2025, the Telecommunications, Audio and Video Engineering sector experienced a productive period of standardization, with five major standards addressing everything from work area cabling to optical fibre types, electromagnetic compatibility, and passive fibre optic devices. This retrospective overview analyzes each publication, highlighting critical changes, industry themes, and practical compliance considerations.

Whether you are a quality manager, compliance officer, systems engineer, or involved in procurement, understanding these updates is essential for maintaining competitive, robust, and compliant communications and AV systems. By exploring the developments of May 2025, professionals can align technical infrastructures with the latest international best practices.

Monthly Overview: May 2025

During May 2025, standardization activity in the Telecommunications, Audio and Video Engineering domain showed a strong emphasis on cable system performance, robust connector interfaces, fibre optic technologies, and protection from radiated electromagnetic disturbances. The month's publications featured:

• Enhanced specifications for work area wiring cables supporting extended distances
• Detailed mechanical definitions for new fibre connector types
• Updated electromagnetic compatibility protocols focusing on high-altitude EMP events
• Comprehensive product requirements for multiple categories of single-mode optical fibre
• Revised indoor performance criteria for advanced wavelength division multiplexing (WWDM) devices

This cluster of publications reflects the industry's pursuit of increased data bandwidth, system integrity, and environmental resilience. Compared to previous months, there was a notable focus on harmonization with existing standards (especially visible in test condition alignment and connector interface detailing), as well as a continued commitment to improving physical infrastructure to support emerging network applications. Collectively, these standards point toward greater integration of fibre optics into diverse environments, heightened threat-awareness in communications reliability, and a push for longevity and future-ready installations.

Standards Published This Month

IEC 61156-14:2025 - Multicore and Symmetrical Pair/Quad Cables for Digital Communications – Part 14: Symmetrical Single Pair Cables with Transmission Characteristics up to 20 MHz – Work Area Wiring – Sectional Specification

Multicore and symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital communications - Part 14: Symmetrical single pair cables with transmission characteristics up to 20 MHz - Work area wiring - Sectional specification

IEC 61156-14:2025 establishes requirements for cables designed for work area wiring supporting data transmission at 10 Mb/s over single twisted pairs, for distances up to 1 km. Addressing the increasing need for reliable long-distance communications in industrial and commercial settings, these cables are specified for transmission characteristics up to 20 MHz and at 20°C.

The standard distinguishes between screened and unscreened cables and introduces two main cable types: A-1000W (supporting 1 km without attenuation de-rating compared to A-1000 under IEC 61156-13) and A-400W (with attenuation de-rating). These cables are not intended for low impedance sources (such as utility mains) but are suitable for powering DC low voltage remote applications, enhancing the potential for smart workplace and IoT deployment.

Comprehensive requirements are set for electrical (conductor resistance, mutual capacitance, crosstalk), mechanical, and environmental performance, ensuring robust operation in both typical and demanding MICE (Mechanical, Ingress, Climatic, Electromagnetic) environments.

Key highlights:

• Transmission requirements up to 1 km channel length for single pair cables
• Dual cable type specification for varying installation needs (A-1000W and A-400W)
• Requirements aligned for remote DC powering support

Access the full standard:View IEC 61156-14:2025 on iTeh Standards

IEC 61754-36:2025 - Fibre Optic Interconnecting Devices and Passive Components – Fibre Optic Connector Interfaces – Part 36: Type SAC Connector Family

Fibre optic interconnecting devices and passive components – Fibre optic connector interfaces – Part 36: Type SAC connector family

Published in May 2025, IEC 61754-36:2025 defines the mechanical interface dimensions for the SAC family of fibre optic connectors, expanding the landscape of duplex and quadruplex connector solutions. The SAC connectors feature 1.25 mm zirconia ferrules, push-pull coupling, and are designed for duplex/quadruplex arrangements, making them ideal for dense, high-bandwidth fibre installations.

The standard specifies interface requirements for duplex plug connectors (physical and angled contact), adaptors, and active device receptacles, ensuring precise intermateability and alignment. This provides clear benchmarks for manufacturers, network designers, and installers to achieve interoperability, performance, and future scalability in fibre-based networks.

Adherence to IEC 61754-36:2025 helps harmonize connector deployment, reduces compatibility issues across installations, and secures mechanical/optical performance for mission-critical communications systems.

Key highlights:

• Defines standard mechanical interface dimensions for SAC connector family
• Duplex and quadruplex plug/adaptor arrangements
• Emphasizes precise intermateability for dense fibre deployments

Access the full standard:View IEC 61754-36:2025 on iTeh Standards

IEC 61000-2-9:2025 - Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) – Part 2-9: Environment – Description of HEMP Environment – Radiated Disturbance

Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) - Part 2-9: Environment - Description of HEMP environment - Radiated disturbance

IEC 61000-2-9:2025 supersedes the 1996 edition, providing a critical update to the standardization of high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP) environments resulting from nuclear detonations. The 2025 edition incorporates expanded models for early- and late-time HEMP effects, including spatial and temporal variation details, and introduces new informative annexes on waveform development and HEMP field analysis.

The standard’s guidance is essential for evaluating civil and commercial communications and electronic systems’ resilience to HEMP, a threat that can compromise societal stability. By establishing common reference parameters, IEC 61000-2-9:2025 allows for consistent application of protection strategies and equipment testing, especially relevant for operators of vital infrastructure and industries concerned about electromagnetic disturbances.

Significant changes include a new focus on double exponential waveform use, amplitude spectrum analysis, and detailed appendices supporting advanced risk assessments.

Key highlights:

• Updated standard for describing radiated HEMP threats
• Essential for risk evaluation of critical communications infrastructure
• Includes new analytical data on waveform and field characteristics

Access the full standard:View IEC 61000-2-9:2025 on iTeh Standards

IEC 60793-2-50:2025 - Optical Fibres – Part 2-50: Product Specifications – Sectional Specification for Class B Single-Mode Fibres

Optical fibres - Part 2-50: Product specifications - Sectional specification for class B single-mode fibres

IEC 60793-2-50:2025 serves as the cornerstone reference for single-mode optical fibre categories B-652, B-653, B-654, B-655, B-656, and B-657, providing general, specific, and particular requirements for each. The seventh edition brings a technical revision to its predecessor by notably adding an option for a 200 µm coating nominal outer diameter in certain sub-categories (B-654A, B, C).

This standard is vital for manufacturers, network planners, and installers seeking compliance with ITU-T designations and the broader requirements of fibre optic cable systems across telecommunications and data networks. Sections span dimensional, transmission, mechanical, and environmental requirements, ensuring that each fibre type meets stringent physical and performance benchmarks for high-reliability deployments.

The structure, tables, and annexes of IEC 60793-2-50:2025 enable implementers to match fibre types with intended application environments, including rigorous new mechanical and ageing criteria for advanced network scenarios.

Key highlights:

• Comprehensive product specifications for six key single-mode fibre categories
• Technical updates, including new coating diameter option
• Essential for standardizing next-generation fibre installations

Access the full standard:View IEC 60793-2-50:2025 on iTeh Standards

EN IEC 61753-084-02:2025 - Fibre Optic Interconnecting Devices and Passive Components – Performance Standard – Part 084-02: Non Connectorised Single-Mode 980/1550 nm WWDM Devices for Category C – Indoor Controlled Environment

Fibre optic interconnecting devices and passive components - Performance standard - Part 084-02: Non connectorised single-mode 980/1550 nm WWDM devices for category C - Indoor controlled environment

EN IEC 61753-084-02:2025 details minimum initial performance, testing, and measurement criteria for unconnectorized single-mode wide wavelength division multiplexing (WWDM) devices operating at 980/1550 nm in controlled indoor environments. Adopting harmonized test conditions with IEC 61753-1:2018, the standard ensures robust assessment of optical and environmental performance parameters required for Category C devices.

The standard applies to devices with single-mode non-connectorised pigtails and three dedicated ports. By updating compatibility and harmonizing testing protocols, it supports equipment vendors and network designers in deploying reliable, high-density optical systems for telecommunications and data center applications. The 2025 edition marks a significant technical revision over the 2007 edition, reflecting growing market demands for scalable, interference-free indoor optical multiplexing.

Key highlights:

• Defines performance/test requirements for WWDM devices in indoor environments
• Harmonization of test conditions with latest IEC standards
• Supports advanced, high-density fibre network deployment

Access the full standard:View EN IEC 61753-084-02:2025 on iTeh Standards

Common Themes and Industry Trends

An analysis of May 2025's standards publications in Telecommunications, Audio and Video Engineering reveals several intersecting trends:

• Emphasis on Interoperability: Both cabling and optical connector standards stress the importance of mechanical and performance compatibility to support expansive, diverse network environments.
• Expanded Fibre and Passive Component Performance: The continued refinement of single-mode fibre specifications and WWDM device standards mirrors the sector’s migration toward higher capacity and lower latency communication infrastructure.
• Resilience and Risk Mitigation: Updated EMC protocols targeting rare but critical risks (such as HEMP events) underscore an awareness of electromagnetic vulnerabilities in modern communications and AV networks.
• Alignment with Broader Standards: Several documents harmonize test conditions and definitions across related standards, illustrating a maturing regulatory foundation aimed at simplification and global acceptance.

Industries under the Telecommunications, Audio and Video Engineering umbrella—such as telecom operators, broadcast engineers, data center architects, and industrial IoT solution providers—benefit from increased clarity, reduced system downtime, and improved service reliability driven by these standards.

Compliance and Implementation Considerations

For organizations impacted by these May 2025 standards, the following actions and considerations are recommended:

1. Gap Assessment: Review all network cabling and fibre optic installations to identify instances where older or out-of-spec products might not meet updated performance and environmental requirements.
2. Component Procurement: Ensure that new purchases for cables, connectors, and passive WWDM devices comply with the newly defined types and interface specifications to prevent future compatibility or regulatory issues.
3. Risk Mitigation: For critical infrastructure and any systems potentially exposed to electromagnetic disturbances, adopt the revised HEMP-related EMC guidelines as part of site protection and business continuity protocols.
4. Test Procedure Updates: Align laboratory and field test methods for fibre components and passive devices with the latest harmonized IEC test regimes to assure compliance from the outset.
5. Staff Training: Provide targeted training for engineering and technical teams on the differences between previous and current editions, particularly where new options (such as coating diameters or connector types) are in play.

Timeline Recommendations:

• Early compliance for new procurements and projects is encouraged, while legacy network components should be scheduled for phased review and upgrade according to criticality and risk exposure.

Resources:

• Utilize iTeh Standards’ platform for access to full document texts, comparisons, and implementation guidance.
• Engage with relevant technical committees or working groups for clarifications on specific clauses or requirements.

Conclusion: Key Takeaways from May 2025

The May 2025 standardization activity in Telecommunications, Audio and Video Engineering brought clear progress in shaping the sector’s future. From long-distance work area cabling and advanced fibre connectors to fundamental EMC risk controls and precise product specifications for single-mode fibres and WWDM devices, the scope and scale of these publications are substantial.

For professionals, engineers, and quality managers, a proactive approach to integrating these standards will deliver tangible benefits in performance, interoperability, and lifecycle assurance. Staying current with these updates ensures organizational competitiveness, regulatory compliance, and technical excellence in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Explore the full standards on iTeh Standards for comprehensive details and implementation support, and ensure your teams and systems are ready to meet the sector’s latest demands.