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Wireville.com

Issue: April 2008
By: Frank Bisbee


Datacom/Telecom Glossary
In This Issue

Bits N' Pieces


BISBEE’S BUZZ

USGBC Under Attack By Commercial Interests

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a non profit organization that certifies sustainable businesses, homes, hospitals, schools, and neighborhoods. USGBC is dedicated to expanding green building practices and education, and its LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System™.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is a voluntary, consensus-based national rating system for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. LEED addresses all building types and emphasizes state-of-the-art strategies in five areas: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials and resources selection, and indoor environmental quality.

This all sounds wonderful, so why are the Chemical companies and their shills attacking the “good guys”. It may have more to do with profits than public safety.

Brendan Owens, Director-Vice President, LEED Technical Development USGBC Non-profit organization dedicated to sustainable building design and construction and developers of the LEED building rating system.  (www.usgbc.org), stated that the goal of MR Credit 4:1: PBT Source Reduction: Dioxins and Halogenated Compounds, is to “ Reduce the release of persistent bioaccumlative toxic chemicals (PBT’S) associated with the life cycle of building materials.”  The LEED Green Building Rating System ™, which is run by the USGBC, is a voluntary program.  Under it, project credits can be earned to qualify for LEED certification.  The USGBC is not the only “green” building body, but it is a prominent on, with nearly 14,000 member organizations, including nonprofit associations, architects, facility manager, engineers, interior designers, construction managers, lenders and others.

It is interesting to note, that the Canadian and U.S. Military departments avoid the use of CMP cable, opting for safe alternatives, such as the EU - European standard low-smoke, zero-halogen (LSZH) cabling. All the major domestic manufacturers are making LSZH cable. It’s the standard across Europe. It’s accepted by stringent military specs here but isn’t suitable for installation in our buildings? http://www.ecmag.com/index.cfm?fa=article&articleID=8609

The PVC & FRPVC jackets and the FEP (Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene – known by the trade names of Dupont Teflon® FEP & Daikin - America Neoflon® FEP) insulation used in CMP Plenum cable are some of the most common materials used in cabling constructions in the USA.  All of these materials are Halogenated. 

Not only are Halogenated materials under scrutiny but also the use of heavy metals (such as Lead & Cadmium) in the PVC compounds.  Most of the major cable manufacturers product lines include RoHS compliant LSZH (Low-Smoke Zero-Halogen) cables that they market in Europe and the UK. 

The RoHS Directive stands for "the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment".  This Directive bans the placing on the EU market of new electrical and electronic equipment containing more than agreed levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants.

Manufacturers need to understand the requirements of the RoHS Directive to ensure that their products, and their components, comply. http://www.rohs.gov.uk/   Note: the RoHS directive is not a requirement in the US codes.  RoHS compliant cables are a voluntary decision by the US consumer.

CCCA joins VI & SPI against USGBC LEED-HC

This is incredible… $50,000.00 per year to join CCCA (Communications Cable & Connectivity Association), a newly formed association (announced January 15, 2008) with a mission statement that is extremely vague.  This association appears to be set up to provide a strong lobbying effort for specific commercial interests including the chemical companies that supplies materials for the cable market in the USA. 

In an article published by the Wire Journal International www.wirenet.org, March 2008, Frank Peri, executive director of CCCA (Communications Cable & Connectivity Association) has already joined the voices of the Vinyl Institute and the SPI (The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc.) in a strong attack on the USGBC (US Green Building Council) LEED – HC voluntary proposal to improve environmental and safety conditions in the Health Care Industry.  The CCCA official location is currently in the office of a Washington, D.C. attorney firm (No website yet).

Frank Peri (Francis W. Peri) has more than 30 years of professional experience in the chemical and communications industries. His background includes: consultation for management and marketing of fluoropolymers (DuPont and Daikin), and positions in chemical manufacturing and senior business management at the DuPont Company. Mr. Peri holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Boston College. (www.dupont.com & www.daikin-america.com)

What’s next?

We applaud the efforts of the US Green Building Council to pursue safer and more environmentally friendly solutions for the home and workplace. We can expect lots of “selective voodoo science” to emerge as arguments against the halogen reduction. The chemical companies have deep pockets and lots of “friends”.

But that’s just my opinion,

Frank Bisbee
"Heard On The Street" Monthly Column
www.wireville.com
4949 Sunbeam Rd, Suite 16
Jacksonville, FL 32257
(904) 645-9077 office
(904) 645-9058 fax
frank@wireville.com

Industry News

Come To The 2008 BICSI Spring Conference

Pre-conference Seminars

It pays to arrive early in Nashville! BICSI pre-conference educational seminars offer extended learning opportunities that are an easy way to get a head start on your conference experience. The seminars will be held on Sunday, April 27 between 1:30-4:30 p.m. Below are the seminar titles and continuing education credit (CEC) information.

“Grounding Systems: Why Important and Why Testing is Invalid 95% of the Time,” John R. Howard, Lyncole XiT Grounding, Torrance, California

3 CECs – RCDD, NTS Specialty, OSP Specialty, WD Specialty, ITS Installer 2 and ITS Technician

“Cabling for the Wireless Triple-Play Services,” Joe Bardwell, Connect802 Corporation, San Ramon, California

3 CECs – RCDD, NTS Specialty, OSP Specialty, WD Specialty, ITS Installer 2 and ITS Technician

“General Power Quality,” Dan Maxcy and Brian Branigan, Power Protection Products, Omaha, Nebraska

3 CECs – RCDD, NTS Specialty, OSP Specialty, WD Specialty, ITS Installer 2 and ITS Technician

Fees for these seminars are separate from the conference registration fee. Click here to view full descriptions of each seminar and to register online. For additional help or questions, call BICSI Customer Service at +1 813.979.1991 or 800.242.7405 (USA & Canada toll-free).

The 2008 BICSI Cabling Skills Challenge

After your pre-conference seminar you can head straight down to the Exhibit Hall, visit with the top industry vendors and experience BICSI history in the making. Watch the best ITS installers compete for the title of Installer of the Year in the BICSI Cabling Skills Challenge.

Don’t miss this exciting event as a BICSI tradition is born. The winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize as well as several valuable prizes and a trophy. There is no entry fee to compete and competitors will receive a full paid Spring Conference registration.

If you are an ITS Installer, there's still time to join the competition. Apply today—the deadline has been extended to Friday, April 4. For more information, including the competition schedule and an application to compete, visit www.bicsi.org/skillschallenge.

BICSI Cares Silent Auction

BICSI Cares invites you to participate in the first-ever silent auction to be held at the 2008 BICSI Spring Conference in Nashville. All proceeds will benefit Saving Little Hearts Inc.—and your help is needed to make this a success! Saving Little Hearts is a not-for-profit organization devoted to helping children with congenital heart defects and their families.

Here’s how you can help. Contribute an item to the silent auction—you, your employer or both can donate the item. Click here for more information and a donation form.

Focusing on children in need, BICSI Cares is a year-round effort that has given money to charities worldwide to help build schools, feed the hungry, prevent abuse and violence, combat illiteracy and provide for an overall positive environment. Established in 1992 as a 501(c)(3) entity, BICSI Cares collects donations to support charities worldwide, and all donations are tax deductible. For more information visit the BICSI Cares Web page or e-mail to: bicsicares@bicsi.org.

Don’t Forget To Check Out The BICSI Credential Holders Lounge At The BICSI Spring Conference

Don’t forget to check out the BICSI Credential Holders Lounge when you are at the 2008 BICSI Spring Conference in Nashville. Sponsored by ITS-Jobs.com, the Lounge is secluded away from the buzz of the seminars and exhibit floors, providing a unique and intimate setting for any Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD®), BICSI ITS Installer or Technician, to share their conference experiences, focus on business matters or simply take time to read magazines and watch news. You can also enter a drawing to win the TV that you will see in the Lounge.  www.bicsi.org

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Who Needs TPMA = YOU DO!

Your company has won a bid. Your Design team has spent time and money putting together the specs.  You hand it over to a lead technician, who has little or no formal training/certifications in personnel management or project management. He is given the due date and sent on his way.

The end result: the project is over-budget and the time line was shot in the first 2 weeks.  Your design team is frustrated, your customer is extremely agitated and the moral of your installers has hit an all time low.  What went wrong?

Webster’s Dictionary defines PROJECT as “a planned undertaking”.  In today’s economy the almighty dollar has a strong influence on who will “get the job”.  A company coming in over budget with a large number of unexpected change orders to the original contract will have a harder time, even with a great design and a final cost that beats other companies, winning the next bid.  It is time to look within the company to find a way to streamline the process and find out where the errors in planning are.

Many companies have brought their lead Tech into a position of a PM (Project Manager) the “old Fashioned way; on the job training. They are employees who have exceeded the expectation placed on them and seem to be able to rise to any challenge and succeed.  Put into perspective by Don Nelson, Master Instructor for TPMA (Telecommunications Project Management Association):

§         Find the top mechanic

§         Tell them they would make a great pilot

§         Allow them to start with no training… just try a small one…!

(Excerpt from TPMA course PM100)

TPMA’s courses teach the attendee techniques that if used, will bring in a project on time, under budget and exceed the customer’s expectations. The course takes you through the steps of a project’s phases and explains various tools that can be used to track, document, and manage the project from start to finish. 

PM100 is a valuable tool for the introduction of Project Management and is taught on a level that all attendees are able to understand and relate to.  The instructors use personal experiences as well as tools and templates to bring their students into the exhilarating world of project management.  The fundamental methods that are used in the classroom not only can be brought in to the workplace but are able to crossover to other areas of life.  When you leave the class you are able to look at that next challenging project with a hint of excitement.  You know that you have in your bag of tricks new skills and tools to tackle the obstacles that all projects inherently have. 

The outcome of taking a TPMA course can be: your project comes in on time, under budget, your design team shines, the customer is singing your companies praises and your installers chomping at the bit to get on to the next job as a motivated experienced team.  The alternative is a bit like “Russian Roulette”.  www.telpm.org

By Laura Jirus – Editor

“Heard On The Street - HOTS” monthly column www.wireville.com

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A Classic Publication For The Information Age Has Closed It’s Doors

Business Communications Review (a subscriber paid magazine – now owned by CMP) was started by Jerry Goldstone. After more than three decades, the Business Communications Review magazine has ceased publication. BCR will be missed but not forgotten. BCR joins Teleconnect and other great publications that have moved into history. These magazines guided our industry in the early phases of the Information Age.

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Telecommunications Industry Veteran Lonnie Martin Named CEO At AKTINO

Lonnie Martin, who has spent more than 35 years in the telecommunications industry and served as chief executive officer for several well-known companies in the course of his career, has been named the CEO of Aktino, the leader in delivery of Carrier Ethernet and broadband services over existing copper wiring infrastructure.

Martin, who was most recently CEO of White Rock Networks, an optical equipment company that he founded in 1999 and guided until 2006, when it was sold to Turin Networks, has taken the helm at Aktino at a time when the company is generating increasing interest in its range of high-bandwidth, long-reach copper solutions.

Martin describes himself as a “serial entrepreneur.” He has been president and CEO of three venture capital-backed companies in Silicon Valley and Dallas – White Rock Networks, Broadband Telesystems, and Coastcom – and a top executive at two large multinational companies, ADC Telecommunications and Ascom/Timeplex.

“Service ubiquity is a first requirement for carriers.  Deployment of fiber progressively magnifies the need to do more on copper to sustain service ubiquity. Aktino fulfills that need with solutions that deliver three to five times the bandwidth of alternative solutions – at distances that are common in carrier networks,” Martin said.

“Whether this means delivering 10Mb Ethernet service at CSA, increasing remote DSLAM backhaul to 50 Mbps, or tripling the bandwidth from cell sites using existing copper facilities, Aktino’s MIMO on DMT has the performance advantage, optional asymmetrical operation, and complete ADSL spectral compatibility that enable carriers to cost-effectively achieve service ubiquity leveraging existing copper facilities.”

“Aktino is helping to redefine the power of copper as a valuable and cost-effective complement to fiber that helps service providers leverage their infrastructure to grab new revenue opportunities and retain existing customers.  I’m eager to guide the company to further customer successes and continued technology leadership,” Martin added.

Martin pointed to specific Aktino strengths, such as its VDSL2-based MIMO (Multiple In, Multiple Out) on DMT (Discrete Multi-Tone) technology, which virtually eliminates crosstalk between copper pairs and allows multimegabit capacity on each copper pair, all the way to the edge of the carrier serving area.

He also noted Aktino’s asymmetric bandwidth technology, which allows service providers to tailor the upstream and downstream bandwidths to specific customer needs and enables bandwidth as high as 7 Mbps per pair. He echoed the endorsements of many providers already leveraging this feature that it will continue to be key to providing cost-effective DSL and cell site backhaul.

“Lonnie Martin brings a wealth of valuable expertise to the CEO position, and his vast experience will help Aktino capitalize on its significant technological advantages and excel in continued customer acquisition, strategic partnering, and growth,” said Rick DeGabrielle, Chairman of the Board of Aktino. DeGabrielle, who himself has a quarter century of telecommunications industry experience, became board chairman in late 2007.

“We have great confidence in Aktino and believe that Lonnie Martin is the right executive, with the right skills to take Aktino to the next level,”  said Bruce Hallett, a partner with Miramar Ventures, one of Aktino’s key investors.

Before founding White Rock Networks, Martin was president of the Business Broadband Group at ADC Telecommunications, and before that was an executive at Ascom/Timeplex. He had earlier served as CEO of Broadband Telesystems, a company he sold to Timeplex. He has served on the boards of Lightwave Systems, TXP, Efficient Networks, Adaptive Broadband, Quarry Technologies, and on a special Competitiveness Council launched by Texas Gov. Rick Perry. He has an MBA from the Harvard Business School and bachelors and masters degrees from Caltech.

Aktino, founded in 2003, is highly focused on the use of bonded copper to enable providers to take advantage of the quickly growing, New Mid-Band Ethernet market opportunity, which requires service capacities of 10 to 50 Mbps. It was the first company to deliver products for the business Ethernet market based on MIMO on DMT.  The Aktino product portfolio includes the AK3000 DS3 over copper solution, AK5000, a scalable, shelf-based carrier Ethernet platform for larger installations and the 0-50 Mbps AK4000 carrier Ethernet point-to-point product.. www.aktino.com

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Belden Appoints Steve Biegacki As Vice President, Global Sales And Marketing

Belden (NYSE: BDC - News) has appointed Steven R. Biegacki as Vice President, Global Sales and Marketing, effective March 31, 2008. Mr. Biegacki, age 49, is Vice President, Marketing, with Rockwell Automation, a leading global provider of industrial automation control and information systems. As Vice President, Marketing, Mr. Biegacki has led the globalization of Rockwell Automation's marketing function, provided leadership in defining targeted customer segments and working to align the product portfolio with customer needs, and envisioning and realizing strategic initiatives. He joined Allen-Bradley (which was later acquired by Rockwell) in 1978 and has nearly 30 years' experience with the company in sales, business management, and marketing focused on industrial automation. Mr. Biegacki has a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering Technology from ETI Technical College in Cleveland, Ohio.

John Stroup, President and Chief Executive Officer of Belden, said: "I am delighted to welcome Steve Biegacki to Belden's senior leadership team. Steve is a process-oriented executive with a great depth of experience in meeting the needs of industrial automation customers and leading the development of a global marketing organization." http://www.belden.com.

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Belden Will Close Manchester, Connecticut Plant – 132 Lose Jobs

Belden (NYSE: BDC - News) today announced plans to further restructure its North American manufacturing operations and to reduce its worldwide production overhead and expenses.

The Company will cease production activities at its plant located in Manchester, Connecticut, by September 2008. The facility manufactures copper cable products primarily for data networking. Other company facilities will assume the production activities of the plant. The Manchester plant is part of the Company's Specialty Division.

The number of associates affected by these actions is approximately 132. Associates will be eligible for severance benefits, and the Company will make every effort to help associates transition into other employment opportunities.

"We regret the impact of these actions on the affected associates," said John Stroup, President and Chief Executive Officer of Belden. "It is a difficult, but necessary step in the implementation of our regional manufacturing strategy. The expected cost savings associated with this action are further benefit of this strategy and take advantage of our lower cost capacity at the recently completed Nogales, Mexico facility."

In connection with the actions announced today, Belden expects to incur severance charges of approximately $1 to $2 million pretax during the shut-down period and non-cash asset impairment charges and accelerated depreciation expense of $8 to $11 million pretax mostly in the first quarter of 2008. The after-tax impact will be between $0.11 and $0.16 per diluted share. The Company estimates that the cost savings associated with these actions will be approximately $5 million annually, beginning in 2009.  http://www.belden.com.

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Canadian Manufacturer, Alpha Technologies Ltd., Acquires Ontario Repair Facility

Alpha Technologies Ltd. has successfully completed the acquisition of the equipment repair division of Sentrex Communications Ltd., Woodbridge, ON. The acquisition is part of an ongoing program by Alpha to expand their customer and product support services.

“As a company that values timely service and support for its customers, the Sentrex equipment repair division was a natural fit into our plans to directly support our products in the Ontario market,” said Alpha CEO Mark W. Schnarr. “By listening to the needs of our customers we, as a company, are now able to serve them better and have a stronger business relationship with them.”

Sentrex is a privately held Canadian company and has been in operation since 1991. Sentrex has operated as an Authorized Alpha Service Center for over 17 years providing service and support for Alpha Power products. To help with a seamless transition, Sentrex repair centre manager, Bogdan Sokolowski has elected to join Alpha Technologies Ltd. where he assumes the role of Service Centre Manager of the Ontario repair centre.  www.alpha.ca

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Corning Cable Systems Introduces LANscape® Pretium™ Integrated Solutions Design Guide

Pre-engineered port mapping simplifies time-consuming data center design and installation

Corning Cable Systems LLC, part of Corning Incorporated’s (NYSE:GLW) Telecommunications segment, introduces its LANscape® Pretium Integrated Solutions Design Guide. It is the first solutions guide in the telecommunications industry to detail an innovative port-mapping process that results in streamlined design, installation and administration in data center infrastructures.

The Integrated Solutions Design Guide features a synopsis of the data center environment, including challenges, design considerations and recommended topologies for storage area networks (SANs). The guide also outlines the design and installation process for Corning Cable Systems’ newly introduced LANscape Pretium Integrated Solutions.

Port mapping includes the process of designing and documenting the connectivity of each port in the data center main distribution area to the individual ports on the SAN electronics. With pre-engineered port mapping diagrams, the Integrated Solutions Design Guide simplifies this time-consuming step for data center designers. By using this documentation and port mapping guidance, the administration and implementation of moves, adds and changes are streamlined.

LANscape Pretium Integrated Solutions include the Zero-U and U-Space Systems, which help to alleviate design, installation, management, scaling and cooling issues in the data center. They are value-added complements to Corning Cable Systems’ Plug & Play Universal Systems, providing connectivity for both high-density and low-density environments in the data center. The systems ensure seamless integration of the cabling infrastructure, passive optical hardware, cabinets and electronic components for a true “tip-to-tip” data center infrastructure solution.

Ensuring the integration of data center components, LANscape Pretium Integrated Solutions simplify the data center design and installation process, while also providing the flexibility to meet changing customer needs. The guide is available online at www.corning.com/buildingblocks/integrated and will be updated as Corning Cable Systems releases new products and solutions optimized for the data center infrastructure. www.corning.com/cablesystems .

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Corning Cable Systems Offers Free Seminars Focused on Latest Fiber-to-the-Home Technologies

2008 Emerging Technologies Seminars available in multiple locations

Corning Cable Systems LLC, part of Corning Incorporated’s (NYSE:GLW) Telecommunications segment, is offering its Emerging Technologies Seminar, “FTTH: The Future of Broadband Happening Now,” to educate attendees on the technology behind fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) networks. The seminar is free and open to all consultants and design professionals upon registration, and is being offered at several locations throughout 2008:

·         Thursday, March 27, in Dallas, Texas

·         Wednesday, May 21, in Portland, Ore.

·         Wednesday, July 16, in Albany, N.Y.

·         Tuesday, Sept. 9, in Savannah, Ga,

·         Thursday, Nov. 13, in St. Louis, Mo.

To request a free seat in one of the seminars, visit www.corning.com/ftthnow or call 1-800-743-2671.

Corning, a leader in FTTH technology, will provide a comprehensive discussion on a variety of FTTH-related topics during the free seminar. The agenda will include an in-depth look at the forces that affect residential subscriber bandwidth and the various residential access technologies currently being deployed. Information on fiber optic theory and current FTTH standards, as well as the latest technology and product advancements, will also be provided.

Various FTTH architectures and topologies will be compared and contrasted as features of each are considered. Key elements of FTTH networks will also be discussed with design guidance provided for each point in the network. The course, also referred to as “TS-CP100 FTTH Emerging Technologies,” qualifies for the following BICSI Continuing Education Credit (CECs): RCDD: 6; INSTALL: 6; NTS: 6; OSP: 6.

The seminar is taught by Corning Cable Systems’ Mark Turner, marketing manager – consultant engineers, and David Kozischek, manager of strategic technology.

Mark Turner has worked for Corning Cable Systems for 12 years. Turner’s experience at Corning includes field and systems engineering, product development, and most recently market development, specifically for FTTH. Mark is recognized in the industry through many publications and has been the chairman of the Architecture & Technology Committee of the FTTH Council since 2006. David Kozischek has more than 18 years of experience in communications technology, specifically committed to new network designs. Currently manager of strategic technology for Corning Cable Systems, he investigates new technologies and emerging applications to quantify their impact on existing telecommunications and information infrastructure. David is an active member of The Society of Photo-optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE), an international society advancing an interdisciplinary approach to the science and application of light.

FTTH has the ability to bring communities together, increase neighborhood property value, make telemedicine a reality and enable telecommuting. It can boost the economies of small cities and could help bridge the economic divide. Corning’s Emerging Technologies Seminar will discuss the technologies behind these exciting applications. www.corning.com/cablesystems.

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Corning Cable Systems to Highlight Innovation In LAN And Data Center Applications At 2008 FOSE Conference And Exposition

Corning Cable Systems LLC, part of Corning Incorporated’s (NYSE:GLW) Telecommunications segment, will feature its innovative local area network (LAN) and data center solutions at the 2008 FOSE Conference and Exposition, Apr. 1-3 in Washington, D.C.

In its interactive exhibit (booth #1631), Corning Cable Systems will feature an environmental representation of a LAN and data center network deployed with Corning Cable Systems products, many of which will focus on the unique security requirements of the federal government. Throughout the exhibit, customers will be able to see exactly where the products fit into their network.

The LAN exhibit will feature Corning Cable Systems’ Plug & Play AnyLAN System for both indoor and outdoor applications. Plug & Play AnyLAN Systems feature a multimode or single-mode optical cable pre-installed with network access points at customer-specified intervals and a tethered, environmentally hardened MT connector. Once distance measurements for network access point locations are obtained, the preterminated system is manufactured and tested. The entire system is then packed and shipped to the customer on a cable reel for immediate deployment in the desired indoor or outdoor application.

The exhibit’s data center section will showcase Corning Cable Systems’ Plug and Play Universal Systems, a preterminated optical fiber cabling system that dramatically streamlines the process of deploying an optical network infrastructure in the data center environment. It greatly reduces fiber polarity as a factor in system design, redesign or installation through a value-added wiring solution.

The data center display will also feature Corning Cable Systems’ newly introduced Pretium Integrated Solutions Zero-U System. Designed jointly with Chatsworth Products, Inc. (CPI), the Zero-U System uniquely manages optical fiber trunk cables, harnesses and modules within CPI’s TeraFrame Cabinets. The system includes an MTP Connector bracket mounted into the cabinet’s vertical manager to facilitate patching instead of consuming valuable rack space as is traditional, providing more room for data center electronics. The Zero-U System features pre-engineered optical harness assemblies that map directly to the line card ports of major equipment vendors of SAN directors. The system allows for simple installation and integration of optical components in a data center environment.

The new interactive exhibit will also contain:

·         Plug & Play Systems Integrated Trunk Module, a pre-terminated 12-fiber MTP Connector trunk assembly integrated into a Plug and Play Systems module, in which the trunk cable is stored in the module and can be pulled out and deployed to meet exact length requirements to eliminate the need for precise pre-planning of cable length.

·         Plug & Play Systems Media Converter Module, which enables network cabling managers to seamlessly leverage existing copper electronics while taking advantage of the data transport properties of high-density optical systems.

·         UniCam® PretiumPerformance Connectors, offering best-in-class optical performance in a fast, easy field-termination solution.

·         Keyed LC Solutions, based on the standard LC single-fiber connector, the keyed LC solution includes modules, panels, field-installable connectors and cable assemblies, and provides physical separation for networks, applications or organizations.

·         Secure Ruggedized Information Outlet (RIO), used in applications where a robust and tamper-proof outlet is required, including high traffic workstations, industrial/manufacturing environments and hallways.

www.corning.com/cablesystems.

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Developing And Marketing Commercial Real Estate Is Changing Focus

January Issue of Broadband Properties Magazine. 

http://www.broadbandproperties.com/2008issues/january08/Jan_Carlini.pdf

“The main focus is that developing commercial real estate and marketing it has changed.  Economic Development equals Broadband connectivity.  And, broadband connectivity equals jobs.  This is becoming a universal truth as intelligent business campuses or intelligent industrial parks are being built around the world offering gigabit connectivity and other intelligent amenities to support new business growth in a global economy.” JAMES CARLINI james.carlini@sbcglobal.net

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EXFO Acquires Navtel Communications

EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering Inc. (NASDAQ: EXFO; TSX: EXF) announced today that it has acquired all the shares of Navtel Communications Inc., a leading provider of Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) test solutions for Network Equipment Manufacturers (NEMs) and Network Service Provider (NSP) labs.

Consideration paid consists of C$11.0 million in cash, subject to adjustments on working capital. The deal is expected to be neutral to EXFO's earnings for the remainder of fiscal 2008 and accretive in fiscal 2009, excluding amortization of intangible assets to be accounted for in the acquisition.

Navtel Communications, a privately held company in the Toronto area, specializes in testing next-generation IP networks that are increasingly combining wireline and wireless technologies. Its InterWatch® platforms, offering the highest performance in the industry, are fully scalable simulation and analysis test stations available in rack-mountable and portable formats. These solutions can perform several critical tests ¯ capacity, performance, stress and load testing ¯ on various network devices to assure their ability to perform under real-life, IP-based, multi-media traffic conditions. Test modules can be hosted inside Navtel's platforms for characterizing next-generation switches, routers, session border controllers and media gateways.

IMS, which is being touted as the new technology that will merge the Internet with the telecom world, allows wireline and wireless carriers to use a common IP application system to deliver new multi-media services that can be combined with legacy services across a number of different access technologies. IMS has been developed to become the overlaying architecture that will enable the efficient management and deployment of quadruple (voice, video, data and mobile) IP services.

Navtel has positioned itself as a leading-edge supplier of IMS test solutions. It also offers a comprehensive suite of VoIP and Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching (GMPLS) test solutions, as well as a wide range of legacy test protocols that have been developed over its 30 years of existence.

Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, estimates that the IMS test and monitoring market will grow from an estimated $274.1 million in 2007 to $1.2 billion in 2013 for a compound annual growth rate of 27.9%. Navtel currently addresses approximately $130 million of this market.

"This acquisition fits strategically with our long-term plan to deliver strong growth in our Protocol test business, which posted a compound annual growth rate of 64% in the last two years and continues to deliver solid growth at the mid-point of fiscal 2008," said Germain Lamonde, EXFO's Chairman, President and CEO. "Navtel's cutting-edge technology strengthens our offering for NEMs and NSP labs which, in turn, have a significant influence on product selections made by NSPs."

"This acquisition also enables us to expand into the high-growth IMS and VoIP test markets, whose technologies are currently in their early stages," Mr. Lamonde added. "We intend to leverage these technologies throughout their entire lifecycle, especially as they mature into portable test solutions for the NSP market in which EXFO is the world's second-largest supplier. We also plan to take advantage of Navtel's strong relationships with Tier-1 NEMs and leverage our own worldwide sales presence with NSPs to accelerate sales growth, while positively impacting earnings since Navtel's software-intensive test solutions generate high gross margins."

Navtel Communications posted sales of C$5.7 million in calendar 2007. Joe Sutherland, founder and CEO of Navtel Communications, and his senior management team will ensure a seamless integration into EXFO. No restructuring is planned with all 35 Navtel employees expected to remain with the company.

"We are pleased to become an integral part of the EXFO family," Mr. Sutherland said. "Our technological leadership in IMS and VoIP testing is a good fit with EXFO's protocol test strategy. Combined with EXFO's global sales channels, market positioning and brand equity, we envision a bright future with strong synergies lifting our product offering and market presence to the next level."

About Navtel Communications Inc.

Navtel Communications was founded in 1976 and is a leading supplier of test solutions for IMS and VoIP networks. www.navtel.com.

About EXFO

EXFO is a Tier-1 test and measurement expert in the global telecommunications industry, especially in the portable test market segment. www.EXFO.com,  

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Best Practices for Fiber Optic Installation Start With Inspection & Cleaning

For centuries, optics have been inspected and cleaned to ensure the proper passage of light.  The advent of fiber optic cabling systems resulted in one more application where optical care and cleanliness are important.  While inspecting and cleaning fiber connectors is not new, it is growing in importance as links with increasingly higher data rates are driving decreasingly small loss budgets.  With less tolerance for overall light loss, the attenuation through adapters must get lower and lower.  This is achieved by properly inspecting and cleaning when necessary.  Yet there is no reason to feel intimidated by these tighter loss budgets because inspecting and cleaning connections is straightforward and easy.

What’s The Problem - Fiber Basics

Fiber optic cabling carries pulses of light between transmitters and receivers.  These pulses represent the data being sent across the cable.  In order for the data to be transmitted successfully, the light must arrive at the far end of the cable with enough power to be measured.  Light loss between the ends of a fiber link comes from multiple sources such as the attenuation of the fiber itself, fusion splices, macrobends and loss through adapter couplings where end-faces meet.

In lower data rate networks with shorter lengths, loss budgets may be generous enough to allow for significant attenuation throughout the link and still the  link will function properly.  However, there is one perpetual trend in structured cabling: the constant push for greater bandwidth.  As fiber links are pushed to carry higher data rates, loss budgets get correspondingly smaller, requiring all loss events to be minimized.

Enemy #1 — a dirty face

Among key sources of loss that can bring a fiber network down, dirty and damaged end-faces are the threat most underestimated.   In a survey commissioned by Fluke Networks, dirty end-faces were found to be the #1 cause of fiber link failure for both installers and private network owners.  Contaminated end-faces were the cause of fiber links failing 85% of the time.  It’s astounding and yet easy to prevent.  Nevertheless, there continues to be a lack of appreciation for this crucial issue and lots of misinformation about proper techniques.

What To Look For And When

Network professionals need to know what to look for when evaluating end-face conditions.  There are two types of problems that will cause loss as light leaves one end-face and enters another inside an adapter: contamination and damage.

Contamination

Contamination comes in many forms from dust to oils to buffer gel.  Simply touching the ferrule will immediately deposit an unacceptable amount of body oil on the end-face.  Dust and small static-charged particles float through the air and can land on any exposed termination.  This can be especially true in facilities undergoing construction or renovation.  In new installations, buffer gel and pulling lube can easily find its way onto an end-face. 

Ironically, protective caps – also called “dust caps” – are one of the most common contributors to contamination.  These caps are made in high-speed production processes that use a mold release compound that will contaminate end-faces on contact.  Further, as the plastic cap ages the plasticizers deteriorate resulting in an outgas residue.  Last, airborne dust itself will find its way into the protective cap and will move to the end-face when the cap is pushed onto a ferrule.  It’s a very common mistake to assume that end-faces are clean when patch cords or pre-terminated pigtails are removed from a sealed bag with protective caps in place.

Inspection of the end-face should verify that no contaminants are within the field of view.  The most crucial area to ensure is clean is the core of the fiber, followed by the cladding.  Yet contamination on the ferrule - outside of the end-face - could slide towards to core as the fiber is mated or handled.  Therefore, all visible contamination should be removed if possible. 

Damage

Deciding to mate every connection first and then inspecting only those that fail is a dangerous approach as the physical contact of mated contaminants can cause permanent damage.  This permanent damage would require more costly and time consuming retermination or replacement of pre-terminated links.

Damage will appear as scratches, pits, cracks or chips.  These end-face surface defects could be the result of poor termination or mated contamination.  Regardless of the cause, damage must be evaluated to determine if action is required as some of it can be ignored or remedied.  Up to 5% of the outer edge of fiber cladding generally may be chipped as this is a common result of the polishing process.  Any chips on the core are unacceptable.  If scratches or excess epoxy bleed is found, repolishing with fine lapping paper can eliminate the problem.  If the end-face is cracked or shattered, then the fiber must always be reterminated.

In every instance, all end-faces should always be inspected before insertion.  If a connector is being mated to a port, then the port should be inspected as well.  Inspecting one side of a connection is ineffective as contamination inside a port can not only cause damage but also migrate to the connector being inserted.  Too often equipment ports are overlooked not only as contaminated themselves but also as a source of contamination for test cords.

How To Inspect - Fiber Microscope Choices

From the first days of fiber optic cabling, microscopes were used to inspect end-faces.  Initially stereo bench top microscopes were modified to handle the task in manufacturing environments.  Over time new microscopes were designed specifically for the task, resulting in smaller units that could be taken down the hall to the cabling closet or outside into the field.

Microscopes can be divided into two basic groupings: optical and video.  Optical microscopes incorporate an objective lens and an eyepiece lens to allow you to view the end-face directly through the device.  Today, the barrel shaped microscopes are ubiquitous in termination kits and used to inspect patch cords during troubleshooting.  The best feature of these microscopes is their price as they are the least expensive way to see end-face details.  Their drawback is that they are unable to view end-faces through bulkheads or inside equipment.  As a result, you will sometimes here these microscopes referred to as “patch cord scopes.”

Video microscopes incorporate both an optical probe and a display for viewing the probe’s image.  Probes are designed to be small so that they can reach ports in hard-to-access places.  The screens allow images to be expanded for easier identification of contaminants and damage.  Because the end-face is viewed on a screen instead of directly, probes eliminate any chance of harmful laser light from reaching a person’s eye.

Microscope Evaluation

What matters most about a microscope is what it shows the user.  In the case of fiber optic inspection, the goal is to identify all contaminants and damage of a minimum size and within a critical area.  Users must first identify the appropriate minimum size contaminant or defect that will affect their system.  The smallest-sized item that a microscope can detect is referred to as its detection capability.  Next, look for the microscope that has the largest field of view while also maintaining the necessary detection capability.  It is preferable to see as much of the surface area as possible while maintaining requisite detection capability.  Detection capability and field of view require a trade-off as improving on one dimension tends to require a detriment to the other.

If detection capability and field of view are the most appropriate measurements of a microscope, then why is magnification the prevalent metric.  Magnification is perfectly applicable to optical microscopes as their performance is a direct function of the objective and eyepiece lens inside the device.  Where magnification becomes less applicable is in video microscopes where the size of the image is a function of both the magnification of the lens as well as the size of the screen.  Complicating matters further is the effect of contrast on the ultimate goal of detection capability.  Magnification specifications for video microscopes are a vestige of the historical prevalence of optical microscopes.  Though magnification is directly r