What is R56?

R56 is a widely accepted industry standard; that details the requirements and guidelines for the installation of communications infrastructure and facilities. This standard is extensively used by customers; consultants and even competitors for their installations. The documentation is maintained by Motorola Solutions but is not proprietary and therefore can be used for any technology; vendor or application.

It covers all aspects of RF high site design; development; construction with particular emphasis on earthing; power; surge protection; minimizing interference; EME and equipment installation.
In many countries there are regulations that govern communication site construction and following R56 ensures the proposed (or existing) site complies with those regulations.

Even in countries with no - or insufficient - regulations, following the guidelines in the standard ensures good workmanship and eliminates equipment failures due to external factors. A R56 compliant site is also easy to work on, so if failures do occur, they can be rectified a lot quicker than if the site was not R56 compliant.

The standard was first released in 1987 as an internal reference document, known then as "Reference Document (R) Number 56". It was later updated then published as a manual in 1994 and became known as Quality Standards for Fixed Network Equipment Installations. Since then, the standard has undergone four revisions with the most recent occurring in 2017.

The 2017 revision (764 pages) is available from Motorola Solutions: 68P81089E50.