December 2016 BRCA Blog

CEO’s Bulletin
This is the last edition of BRCA Bytes for 2016 and, as you read through it, you’ll see there are a lot of things going in our industry that will have an impact on what we do in 2017 and beyond.

Firstly, we’re pleased to inform you of the ACMA’s continued attention given to the telecommunications cabling industry, most recently with its customer cabling survey. The ACMA recently asked the Cabling Registrars to invite all Registered Cablers to participate in the survey. Quite simply – the more responses, the clearer the message the regulator gets from our industry – so we encourage all BRCA Registered Cablers to take this quick, 5-minute survey (more details in the ‘ACMA Customer Cabling Survey‘ article below.

We’re also pleased to inform you of nbn’s renewed focus on the importance of Registered Cablers in delivering a successful ‘user experience’ of the NBN. Make sure you read the article ‘Important cabling information on nbn website‘ below to see how nbn is directing consmers’ attention to Registered Cablers to get the NBN rollout right.

Take the time to also read the ‘Technical Tips from the Experts‘, article on the important topic of grounding/earthing. We convey the guidance of industry expert and chair of the Cabling Standards Committee – Murray Teale – who also outlines the impending changes to telecommunications earthing in future cabling standards.

I was also advised by a number of readers that I omitted an article from the October issue of BRCA Bytes about the ACMA’s audits. It seems that I mentioned in my intro bulletin, but neglected to insert the article into the newsletter. I apologise for that error, and have made sure that it’s added into this newsletter. Please read the article under the heading ‘ACMA commences new Cabling Audit program‘.

We trust you find the articles informative and helpful in developing your professionalism as a BRCA Registered Cabler.
Paul Stathis
CEO
BICSI South Pacific and BRCA 


ACMA Customer Cabling Survey
We recently sent all BRCA Registered Cablers a link inviting you to complete a short survey on customer cabling, which we were requested to do on behalf of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The survey is being conducted directly by the ACMA, who are seeking feedback on customer cabling and compliance directly from the cabling industry.

This online survey should take less than five minutes to complete, and the results will be used by the ACMA to develop policy and help identify the effectiveness of current cabling regulation, so your views are very important.

All of the registered cablers around the country are being asked to participate in the survey by the five registrars. So, the more cablers who respond, the more accurate the impression the ACMA will draw from the market.

Once the survey has been compiled, BRCA will receive the results from the ACMA and will provide a summary of findings to registered cablers.

The ACMA stresses that all responses to the survey are strictly confidential, stating that the Privacy Act 1988 imposes obligations on the ACMA for the collection, security, quality, access, use and disclosure of personal information. Further information on the Privacy Act and the ACMA’s privacy policy is available on the ACMA website.

If you have any questions about this survey, please contact Steve Petersen, Compliance and Field Operations Section: Steve.Petersen@acma.gov.au.

Go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/customercablingsurvey to complete the survey.

The survey is now open until Tuesday, 31 January 2017.


ACMA commences new Cabling Auditing program

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) recently commenced customer cabling compliance audits under its 2016-17 Priority Compliance Areas (PCAs) program, sending out Field Officers to check cablers for cabling registration compliance and the provision of TCA1 forms.

The purpose of the audits is to combat high-risk compliance issues in a coordinated manner, by obtaining intelligence about cabling installations to gauge the real level of customer cabling compliance, developing future assurance policies and processes, and acting on instances of non-compliance, as necessary.

The audits are being conducted on domestic, commercial and industrial construction sites.

In explaining the program, the ACMA notes that there have been significant changes in the operating environment for customer cabling in recent years. Developments in technology have led to an evolution in consumer demand for cabling from the installation of phone points to the connection of a range of ‘smart’ devices as part of the ‘smart wired home’ concept. Because of the convergence of electrical, communications and IT products, there is far greater crossover and synergy between the electrical and communications cabling industries. For example, installations may use electrical cabling for communications purposes using power line telecommunications equipment. The roll-out of broadband access technologies, including the NBN, has also increased the focus on installation of customer cabling and connection of a diverse range customer equipment.

Take note: BRCA has already received calls from ACMA Field Officers validating details of cablers they were auditing on work sites, but weren’t carrying their registration cards. So make sure you’re compliant by always carrying your BRCA Registration Card while working.


New IEEE Standard for 2.5 Gbps & 5 Gbps over Existing Cabling

Just last month, IEEE officially published IEEE 802.3bz-2016 – Standard for Ethernet Amendment: Media Access Control Parameters, Physical Layers and Management Parameters for 2.5 Gbps and 5 Gbps Operation.

The standard revision demonstrates a quick response to meet growing capacity demands on more than the 70 billion metres of Category 5e and Category 6 cabling that is reportedly installed around the world.

IEEE 802.3bz-2016 supports the growing need for Ethernet connectivity over structured twisted pair wiring beyond the 1 Gbps capability provided by the IEEE 802.3ab standard (1000BASE-T), which is considered by many to be the most successful Ethernet physical layer standard. The new standard defines Ethernet Media Access Control (MAC) parameters, physical layer specifications, and management objects for the transfer of Ethernet format frames at 2.5 Gbps and 5 Gbps, so that enterprise interconnect solutions over structured Category 5e or better twisted pair cabling can support modern wireless access points without compromise.

 

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End-to-End Copper & Fibre Solutions from the inventors of structured cabling – AT&T
Dueltek, a BICSI Corporate member, has recently been appointed as a national distributor for AT&T Cabling Systems in Australia.

AT&T have been the world leader in copper and optical fibre structured cabling systems for many years, even before there were cabling standards. They have pioneered cable and connector design and manufacturing to keep raising the bar on performance and reliability.

They’re the obvious choice for all your communications cabling needs. Here’s why:

AT&T Cabling Systems provide comprehensive LAN cabling solutions and components for all commercial, government and industrial enterprises. The high-performance network infrastructure solutions, based on innovative designs and highly advanced technology are the first choice for all applications.

Building on unmatched reliability, is AT&T’s unparalleled AT&T Millennium™ Lifetime warranty – your key to years of fail-safe and trouble-free operation that minimize system downtime and maximize your profits.

Here are just a few key features and benefits from our range –

  • AT&T Millennium™ Lifetime warranty – a comprehensive warranty for life that includes Products, Performance and Labour!
  • Only one of the few structured cabling companies covers all the FIVE segments of structured cabling – Copper; Fibre; Data centres; Racks & cabinets; and Outdoor for your convenience and your customers’peace of mind – a complete solution under one AT&T Umbrella.
  • Superior Cat6A PIMF (pair in metal foil) cable – 100% Guarantee of NO alien crosstalk, delivering up to 20dB headroom for NEXT and FEXT.
  • Super low loss fibre connectors, delivering 66% better insertion loss than typical fibre connectors (0.07 dB compared to 0.30 dB).
  • Low Smoke Zero Halogen (LSZH) sheathing across the complete cable range, great to help with green star rating requirements.
  • Extensive fire-rating on fibre cables of up to 180 minutes.
  • Cat6 and Cat6A underground rated Copper Cables.

Contact Darren De Bonde at Dueltek Distributors on E: Darren.debonde@dueltek.com.au or Ph: 0476824517 to get more information on how Dualtek can assist you with all your cabling needs and arrange a more detailed presentation into the AT&T System and solutions.

See the AT&T product range and http://www.dueltektrade.com.au/pages/at-t-copperline and http://www.dueltektrade.com.au/pages/at-t-fiberline


BICSI Educational Seminars in 2017
BICSI’s seminar program has concluded for 2016, with 22 seminars held across Australia and over 500 industry professionals attending. Several BRCA Registered Cablers attended these free educational events and found them highly valuable.

The seminars, sponsored by Pacific Datacom, feature two technical or business topics to help our members be more professional in servicing the market’s ICT needs. Past topics have included cabling standards, Power over Ethernet, fibre testing, penetrations in fire-rated walls, risk mitigation, project management, IP-surveillance and the NBN rollout, to name just a few.

In the next BRCA Bytes newsletter, we will outline the seminars scheduled for Q1 2017, which you are invited to attend.

The seminars will also be listed on the BICSI web site (click here for details) where you will also be able to register to attend them.
BICSI Australian seminars are proudly sponsored by:


Important cabling information on nbn website
For several years, BRCA has liaised with NBN Co/nbn personnel to emphasise the important role played by registered cablers in ensuring a quality “NBN experience”.

We’re pleased to advise you that at a meeting with nbn personnel this month, they announced a new area on their website that advocates the use of Registered Cablers for cabling within the premise. The web page – http://www.nbnco.com.au/develop-or-plan-with-the-nbn/new-developments/design-build-install/cabling-for-the-nbn-network.html?cid=vanity:cabling is written primarily for the consumer, but also provides valuable information for cablers, so we strongly encourage you to visit the site and download some of the valuable documents listed on the page.

Some key statements from the web page you should note:

“To discuss the requirements for your premises, contact a registered cabler and your preferred phone or internet service provider.

registered cabler, which you can find via the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) website, must complete the cabling required to connect the new premises to the nbn™ network. Other connections which rely on the nbn™ network and may also require cabling include fire alarms, lifts, medical alarms and phones.

registered cabler must install cabling in accordance with the Australian Standards AS/CA S009 2013.”

You’ll also note several links to the ACMA web site on that page, with the intent of educating consumers that registered cablers are not only a legal requirement, but also essential to make sure the NBN connection works best when the connection within the premise are done by a cabling professional.

There’s also some important information on ‘Authority to alter’, an issue that BRCA receives numerous inquiries about from cablers and consumers alike. It states:

Registered cablers may need to alter nbn™ facilities when connecting your property to the nbn™ network. nbn authorises registered cablers to make limited alterations as long as the work is carried out to nbn’s requirements. This includes assets in nbn facilities on residential and small business premises fed by copper cables of 10 pair or less.”

There is also a link to nbn’s guide to ‘Authority to alter’, which we recommend you download for future reference.

There is also an excellent listing of following nbn standards and guidelines for builders and cablers that outline the requirements for setting up premises for connection to the NBN in its various guises, including internal and external conduit paths and utility box separations:

Cabling requirements for Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC)


Tech Tips from the Experts: 
Guidance on telecommunications earthing
We spoke recently to BICSI member Murray Teale, who is the chair of the CT-001 cabling standards committee and obtained some valuable guidelines on how Australian/New Zealand Standards will address telecommunications earthing in the near future.

The publication of the international standard ISO/IEC 30129 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY – TELECOMMUNICATIONS BONDING NETWORKS FOR BUILDINGS AND OTHER STRUCTURES and the upcoming revision of AS/CA S009 INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS FOR CUSTOMER CABLING (WIRING RULES), will mean the earthing/bonding requirements associated with telecommunication cabling systems within customers’ premises are likely to be substantially different from what we currently have.

Earthing’ (called ‘Grounding’ in some countries) in simple terms, is a conductive pathway by which a circuit or equipment is electrically connected to the earth.

Bonding’ in simple terms, is the permanent jointing of metallic parts into an electrically conductive path in a manner which assures electrical continuity (to earth).
The TRC system that has previously been utilised for low-noise earth to PABXs is likely be replaced/enhanced with a preference to the more effective ‘Mesh Bonding Network’ earthing system.

The ISO/IEC 30129 standard is likely to be picked up as a direct text adoption by Australian/New Zealand Standards with the intent to minimise the risk to the correct function of communications equipment and interconnecting cabling from electrical hazards and provide the telecommunications installation in part, a reliable signal reference which may improve immunity from electromagnetic interference (EMI).
While the scope for the revision of changes to AS/CA S009 is yet to be finalised it is likely, as ISO/IEC 30129 is an international standard, its requirement will form part of the consideration when reviewing AS/CA S009.

Earthing/bonding impacts the effectiveness of screen cabling, impacts on Power Over Ethernet (PoE) delivery and may well effect network reliability.

It is recommended that when specifying earthing and bonding associated with telecommunication cabling within customer premises that:

  • ISO/IEC 30129 be taken into account for earthing and bonding systems for telecommunications;
  • The cable system vendor earthing and bonding requirements for their shielded system be specified as a requirement; and

Conformance to AS/NZS 3000 and AS/CA S009 be specified, if applicable.


Have you checked out www.registeredcablers.com.au yet?

If you’re doing any cabling that has the potential to be connected to the NBN, you’ll need to visit this site regularly to keep up with the latest information on premise cabling, the NBN rollout and the technologies enabled by the NBN. You can also register there as a qualified cabler for consumers to contact when they need cabling carried out in the homes and businesses.

Click on the image below to visit the web site.