Broadband equipment is susceptible to disturbances that require the use of electrical primary protection devices. These primary protectors could have a negative impact on the signal of interest during steady-state conditions as well as during protector switching or clamping operation. The characteristics of these electrical primary protectors and their impact on broadband signals are considered herein. This is the Foreword document in a suite of ATIS Standards intended to provide requirements and guidance for the use of electrical primary protectors in various technology architectures.