Updated copper cable and optical fibre testing standards

Standards Australia has recently released the following updated copper and fibre cabling testing standards for use in Australia and New Zealand: AS/NZS IEC 61935-1:2012 and AS/NZS ISO/IEC 14763.3:2012.

Apart from containing the latest content from ISO/IEC, each standard contains a relevant appendix applicable to AS/NZS users with useful information for conformance to AS/NZS 3080.

  • AS/NZS IEC 61935-1:2012 – Specification for the testing of balanced and coaxial information technology cabling – Installed balanced cabling as specified in ISO/IEC 11801.

This standard now contains an appendix that provides better explanations on how to conduct ANEXT testing if required by the project and what to do if a failure is found during testing. The standard is available from http://infostore.saiglobal.com/store/Details.aspx?ProductID=1585995

  • AS/NZS ISO/IEC 14763.3:2012 – Telecommunications installations – Implementation and operation of customer premises cabling – Testing of optical fibre cabling.

This standard reinforces the need to use Reference Test Cords with Reference Connectors and the need to use a compliant Encircled Flux device/conditioner in the multimode launch Reference Test Cords. It also sets out differences in the allowable loss budget depending on the 1-Test Cord method or 3-Test Cord method of reference setting with the 3-Test Cord method being 0.2 dB harder to pass. Appendix ZZ for AS/NZS users explains the issues that not part of measurement uncertainty but may be an unacceptable contributor to apparent gains during fibre testing. There is an explanation of how to handle the losses (attenuation and return) of connectors in close proximity to each other like those in MPO cassettes. The standard is available from http://infostore.saiglobal.com/store/Details.aspx?ProductID=1586737