Abstract: The present invention relates to a telecommunication line circuit including at least one line amplifier whose output is coupled to a telecommunication line conductor, and DC biasing means associated with said amplifier to apply thereto a DC bias signal of such a value that said amplifier cannot saturate when an AC metering signal is applied to it.

Abstract: A protection circuit for a push-pull amplifier includes two sensing transistors arranged in respective feedback circuits. The output signals of such sensing transistors, which are indicative of the output voltage, are used to limit the output current of the amplifier in such a manner that the output current is limited to a first threshold decreasing with a steeper slope as a function of the output voltage of the amplifier between predetermined two output voltage values, and a second threshold decreasing with increasing output voltage at a lesser slope above the higher one of the two predetermined output voltage values. This characteristic response can be overridden by appropriate circuitry so long as the temperature of the amplifier is below a predetermined maximum value, so as to make the output current threshold independent of the output voltage.