The economy stinks and everyone is asking “How low can the stock market go”.

On days like we have had recently, it helps to look at the silver lining.  Here it is: The farther stocks fall, the cheaper they get--and the higher the expected long-term return becomes.  Unfortunately, that doesn't mean we don't have a long way to go on the downside.

There were four massive stock bubbles in the 20th Century: 1901, 1929, 1966, and 2000.  During each of these bubble peaks, the S&P 500 neared or exceeded 25X on professor Robert Shiller's cyclically adjusted P/E ratio.*  After the first three of these peaks, the S&P 500 PE did not bottom until it hit 5X-8X.  We're still in the middle of the last one.

The most recent bubble peak, 2000, was by far the most extreme we have ever experienced.  In 2000, the S&P 500 (by professor Shiller's measure) exceeded 40X (it had never before exceeded 30X). With the S&P 5000 hitting 700 on 3-2-2009, the PE has now fallen back to 12X. 

Three major bubbles are not enough historical precedent to confidently conclude where the S&P 500 will bottom this time around, but it seems reasonable to conclude that the trough will be in line with--or below--the preceeding lows (Given that we just had the highest peak in history by a mile, it doesn't seem absurd to think that we might be headed for the lowest trough in history by a mile.)

Remember: Things are always darkest just before it goes completely black.

I am certainly glad that I am in the communications and information infrastructure business. I don’t wish I was in the automotive or real estate sectors.

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
(904) 237-0365 cell
frank@wireville.com

MARY FOURNIER OF TEKNOR APEX RECEIVES NORTHWIRE’S ‘WHALE’ AWARD FOR SPEEDY AND RELIABLE CUSTOMER SERVICE

Mary Fournier, the senior Teknor Apex Company representative in charge of customer service for cable manufacturer Northwire, Inc., has received Northwire’s Whale Award for outstanding service.

Northwire purchasing manager Rod Larson cited Fournier for her reliability in ensuring that the Teknor Apex vinyl and thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) compounds required by Northwire are in stock and ready to ship when the customer needs it, and for her skill in working with freight carriers to arrange for on-time delivery. “Consistently short lead times and on-time delivery greatly help us to serve our customers in the marketplace,” Larson said in his presentation to Fournier. “You have played a key role in enabling us to do so.”  

In addition, Larson noted, Fournier now supports Northwire’s international operations by providing the same fast and reliable service for shipments to the company’s facility in Suzhou, China, where Teknor Apex also manufactures vinyl compounds.

The name of the Northwire award refers to the “Whale” graphic that for several years was a symbol for the company and is still used in honoring excellence. The symbol commemorates an incident in the 1990s that received worldwide attention, as Northwire power cable played a role in special de-icing equipment set up to free three whales trapped in the Arctic ice.

NORTHWIRE, INC. is an industry leader in the design and manufacture of industrial-grade technical cable. Custom design choices include paired, non-paired, triads, various shielding and grounding options, special insulation options, and a variety of conductor and jacket materials and colors. The company is headquartered at 110 Prospect Way, Osceola, WI 54020 U.S.A.  Tel: 1-715-294-2121. Email: cableinfo@northwire.com.  Visit www.northwire.com.

Founded in 1924, TEKNOR APEX COMPANY is a privately held company with seven business units and 2,000 employees.  It is headquartered in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, U.S.A., manufactures at 12 locations in the U.S. and overseas, and sells in 86 countries. Visit www.teknorapex.com.  

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John Moritz and Paul Harvey gone in 2009, but not forgotten

Each in their own way made remarkable contributions to our world.

John Moritz – a champion for safety in the cabling world

John was a man of deep convictions and strong passions.  Those of you who have seen him working on various codes and standards issues through the years are well-acquainted with both his fierce intellect and intense passion for what he believed to be right.  These characteristics were fundamental parts of John’s personal life as well.  His family was his number one priority.  John believed very strongly in doing the right thing just because it was the right thing, even if everyone else around him disagreed or took another path.  I have heard from many of his colleagues that John’s passion impacted them deeply and that they learned much from him in terms of character and commitment.  It is a comfort to know that John has touched so many lives in the business world and that hopefully some of his principles will live on in the actions and memories of those people.  While we, his family and friends, will miss him dearly, we truly believe that he is with us in spirit and I know that includes this meeting as well as there are many attendees here with whom John enjoyed very gratifying relationships and good times.  Thank you for honoring John’s memory with this moment of silence.  Please keep him in your hearts and minds as you move forward with your work over the coming months and years so that his impact continues to live on.
 
Juliet Moritz

JOHN M.MORITZ, JR., 46 of Blue Bell, PA, died on January 17, 2009. Beloved husband of Juliet M. (Pederson) Moritz. Son of Anna Marie (Cullerton) Acosta and John Moritz, Sr. Step-son of Fred Acosta. Father of John C. Moritz, Elizabeth P. Moritz, Jennifer L. Moritz. Step-father of Nicholas A. Gruninger USN, Bennett J. Gruninger. Brother of Marianne P. Russo, Michael J. Moritz. Relatives and friends are invited to his Memorial Service, Friday, Jan. 23rd at 7 P.M. at Blue Bell Country Club, 1800 Tournament Dr., Blue Bell, PA. Reception prior from 6:30 - 7 P.M. Please omit flowers, donations in John's name to John M. Moritz, Jr. Scholarship Fund, c/o Wachovia Bank, 1375 Skippack Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422 or a remembrance story sent to the family, are appreciated. Arr. by EMIL J. CIAVARELLI FAMILY FUNERAL HOMES, Ambler
Published in the Philadelphia Inquirer & Philadelphia Daily News on 1/20/2009 

Paul Harvey - an icon in media

Broadcasting pioneer Paul Harvey dies at age of 90

By RUPA SHENOY, Associated Press Writer Rupa Shenoy, Associated Press Writer Sun Mar 1, 8:16 am ET

CHICAGO – Paul Harvey, the news commentator and talk-radio pioneer whose staccato style made him one of the nation’s most familiar voices, died Saturday in Arizona, according to ABC Radio Networks. He was 90.

Harvey died surrounded by family at a hospital in Phoenix, where he had a winter home, said Louis Adams, a spokesman for ABC Radio Networks, where Harvey worked for more than 50 years. No cause of death was immediately available.

Harvey had been forced off the air for several months in 2001 because of a virus that weakened a vocal cord. But he returned to work in Chicago and was still active as he passed his 90^th birthday. His death comes less than a year after that of his wife and longtime producer, Lynne.

“My father and mother created from thin air what one day became radio and television news,” Paul Harvey Jr. said in a statement. “So in the past year, an industry has lost its godparents and today millions have lost a friend.”

Known for his resonant voice and trademark delivery of “The Rest of the Story,” Harvey had been heard nationally since 1951, when he began his “News and Comment” for ABC Radio Networks.

He became a heartland icon, delivering news and commentary with a distinctive Midwestern flavor. “Stand by for news!” he told his listeners. He was credited with inventing or popularizing terms such as “skyjacker,” “Reaganomics” and “guesstimate.”

“Paul Harvey was one of the most gifted and beloved broadcasters in our nation’s history,” ABC Radio Networks President Jim Robinson said in a statement. “We will miss our dear friend tremendously and are grateful for the many years we were so fortunate to have known him.”

In 2005, Harvey was one of 14 notables chosen as recipients of the presidential Medal of Freedom. He also was an inductee in the Radio Hall of Fame, as was Lynne.

Former President George W. Bush remembered Harvey as a “friendly and familiar voice in the lives of millions of Americans.”

“His commentary entertained, enlightened, and informed,” Bush said in a statement. “Laura and I are pleased to have known this fine man, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”

Harvey composed his twice-daily news commentaries from a downtown Chicago office near Lake Michigan.

Rising at 3:30 each morning, he ate a bowl of oatmeal, then combed the news wires and spoke with editors across the country in search of succinct tales of American life for his program.

At the peak of his career, Harvey reached more than 24 million listeners on more than 1,200 radio stations and charged $30,000 to give a speech. His syndicated column was carried by 300 newspapers.

His fans identified with his plainspoken political commentary, but critics called him an out-of-touch conservative. He was an early supporter of the late Sen. Joseph McCarthy and a longtime backer of the Vietnam War.

Perhaps Harvey’s most famous broadcast came in 1970, when he abandoned that stance, announcing his opposition to President Nixon’s expansion of the war and urging him to get out completely.

“Mr. President, I love you ... but you’re wrong,” Harvey said, shocking his faithful listeners and drawing a barrage of letters and phone calls, including one from the White House.

In 1976, Harvey began broadcasting his anecdotal descriptions of the lives of famous people. “The Rest of the Story” started chronologically, with the person’s identity revealed at the end. The stories were an attempt to capture “the heartbeats behind the headlines.” Much of the research and writing was done by his son, Paul Jr.

Harvey also blended news with advertising, a line he said he crossed only for products he trusted.

In 2000, at age 82, he signed a new 10-year contract with ABC Radio Networks.

Harvey was born Paul Harvey Aurandt in Tulsa, Okla. His father, a police officer, was killed when he was a toddler. A high school teacher took note of his distinctive voice and launched him on a broadcast career.

While working at St. Louis radio station KXOK, he met Washington University graduate student Lynne Cooper. He proposed on their first date (she said “no”) and always called her “Angel.” They were married in 1940 and had a son, Paul Jr.

They worked closely together on his shows, and he often credited his success to her influence. She was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1997, seven years after her husband was. She died in May 2008.

www.paulharvey.com or www.radiohof.org/news/paulharvey.html

“And now you know the rest of the story…”

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ADC Updates Financial Outlook and Plans New Cost Reduction Initiatives

ADC (NASDAQ: ADCT)(www.adc.com) announced an update to its first quarter fiscal 2009 guidance as well as additional plans to better align its cost structure with the current economic outlook and market demand. The company is implementing a number of new cost reduction initiatives across its operations to drive efficiencies and improve profitability and cash flows.

"In response to the ongoing difficult macroeconomic conditions and slower market demand, we are taking further cost reduction actions both to solidify our competitive position as a leading provider of high-quality equipment to fiber-based and wireless communications networks worldwide and improve our overall financial performance," said Robert E. Switz, chairman, president and CEO of ADC. "For the past three years we have been highly focused on driving costs out of our operations. This effort is intensifying as we work to achieve additional operating efficiencies in every area of the company. We also remain committed to maintaining a strong financial position with ample liquidity, allowing us to have operational and strategic flexibility in meeting the current and long-term needs of our global customer base. Despite the challenges we face in 2009, the unrelenting global demand for bandwidth will continue to offer strategic opportunities for ADC in the fastest-growing segments of our customers' networks."

Updated Guidance

ADC announced the following updated first quarter fiscal 2009 guidance:

• ·        Net sales of $240-255 million
• ·        Gross margins of around 29%
• ·        GAAP diluted loss per share of $(0.17) - $(0.23), which includes non-cash amortization expense of $(0.09) per share

ADC's previous guidance provided on Dec. 9, 2008 estimated net sales of $255-290 million and GAAP diluted loss per share of $(0.05) - $(0.17), including non-cash amortization expense of $(0.09) per share. The updated estimate does not include the potential impairment charge discussed later in this announcement.

The reduced revenue levels in the updated financial outlook primarily reflect the challenging macroeconomic environment and declining customer spending within the telecommunications industry. These factors have significantly impacted results in all business segments and across a majority of our geographies.

The updated estimates are subject to the completion of ADC's actual financial results for the first quarter that ended Jan. 30, 2009. ADC plans to announce its financial results for the first quarter for fiscal year 2009 on March 3, 2009.

Cost Reduction Plans

Based on the company's current outlook for the macroeconomy and market demand, ADC is improving the focus of its business operations by further reducing discretionary spending and capital expenditures and introducing new general and administrative process improvements. In addition, the company is implementing a general hiring freeze and planning additional workforce reductions. ADC expects to take a restructuring charge for some of these initiatives in the second quarter. Specific restructuring charges and employee reductions have not yet been finalized and will be reported separately at a later date.

Bank Line of Credit

As of January 30, 2009, ADC has terminated its $200 million bank line of credit. This facility had no outstanding balances and, as a result of the current economic environment, had become increasingly costly to maintain.

"We did not borrow funds under this bank line of credit and, based on the fact that it was increasingly unlikely that we would be able to utilize the credit facility under current terms of the agreement, we determined that the expense of maintaining it could be eliminated," said James G. Mathews, ADC's chief financial officer. "ADC maintains a strong balance sheet and cash position that continues to leave us well positioned to navigate through this challenging environment. After using approximately $90 million to buy back our common stock during the first quarter of fiscal 2009, we presently expect to end the quarter with over $500 million in cash."

Goodwill Impairment Analysis

ADC also reported that it is currently conducting an interim goodwill impairment analysis to determine if it is necessary to record an impairment charge to reduce the book value of its goodwill and other long-lived assets related to one or more of its operating segments. The company has undertaken this analysis based on a combination of factors, including the current economic environment and adverse market conditions that have resulted in a sustained decline in ADC's stock price as of Jan. 30, 2009. ADC presently expects that the results of this analysis will result in a significant non-cash impairment charge in its first quarter financial results that are scheduled to be reported on March 3, 2009.

March 3, 2009 Conference Call and Webcast for First Fiscal Quarter 2009 Financial Results

ADC will discuss its first quarter results during a conference call currently scheduled for March 3, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. The conference call can be accessed by domestic callers at (800) 399-7506 and by international callers at (706) 634-2489 or on the Internet at www.adc.com/investor, by clicking on Webcasts.

About ADC

ADC provides the connections for wireline, wireless, cable, broadcast, and enterprise networks around the world. ADC's innovative network infrastructure equipment and professional services enable high-speed Internet, data, video, and voice services to residential, business and mobile subscribers. ADC (NASDAQ: ADCT) has sales into more than 130 countries. Learn more about ADC at www.adc.com.

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Anixter International Inc. Announces a $200 Million 5 Year Senior Note Offering by Anixter Inc.

Anixter International Inc. (NYSE: AXE - News), a leading global distributor of communications and security products, electrical and electronic wire & cable, fasteners and other small parts, (March 2, 2009) announced that through its wholly owned subsidiary, Anixter Inc., it is offering $200 million of senior notes due 2014.

Anixter International Inc. fully and unconditionally guarantees the notes, which are unsecured obligations of Anixter Inc. The proceeds will be used to pay down short term borrowings and for general corporate purposes.

The offering will be made under Anixter Inc.'s existing effective shelf registration statement. Copies of the prospectus and prospectus supplement may be obtained from Anixter International Inc., 2301 Patriot Boulevard, Glenview, Illinois 60026, Attn: Treasurer. This press release shall not constitute an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction to any person where such offer or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

About Anixter

Anixter International is the world's leading distributor of communications and security products, electrical and electronic wire & cable, fasteners and other small parts. The company adds value to the distribution process by providing its customers access to 1) innovative inventory management programs, 2) more than 425,000 products and over $1 billion in inventory, 3) 237 warehouses with more than 6.5 million square feet of space, and 4) locations in 271 cities in 52 countries. Founded in 1957 and headquartered near Chicago, Anixter trades on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AXE. www.anixter.com

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Belden Declares Regular Quarterly Dividend

The Board of Directors of Belden (NYSE: BDC - News) declared a regular quarterly dividend of five cents per share payable on April 2, 2009 to all shareholders of record as of March 16, 2009. The Company has also established May 20, 2009 as the date for its annual meeting of shareholders.

About Belden

Sending All the Right Signals -- from industrial automation to data centers, from broadcast studios to aerospace, from cutting-edge wireless communications to consumer electronics, Belden people are committed to delivering the best signal transmission solutions in the world. Belden associates work in copper cable, fiber, wireless technology, connectors, switches and active components to bring voice, video and data to your mission- critical application. With 2008 revenue of $2.0 billion, Belden has manufacturing capability in North America, Europe and Asia. To obtain additional information contact Investor Relations at 314-854-8054, or visit our website at http://www.belden.com.

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Cisco lays off 250, more to come

Cisco Systems, which previously had been distinct among large network equipment vendors for not initiating job cuts as part of broader cost cuts, finally did lay off 250 employees this week. The company, according to The Wall Street Journal, plans to cut up to 2,000 jobs, but Cisco CEO John Chambers has insisted that Cisco will not be rocked by broader job cuts affecting a large percentage of its workforce. The company had 64,000 employees as of January, and late last year announced a hiring freeze and $1 billion in cost cuts.

For more:
- The Wall Street Journal has this report

Related articles
Cisco recently posted a 27 percent drop in quarterly profit
Cisco announced $1 billion in cost cuts last November

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CommScope shares sink after 4Q report

CommScope shares fall after 4th-qtr and 1Q revenue outlooks miss analyst expectations

CommScope Inc. shares plummeted Friday after the network infrastructure maker's fourth-quarter revenue missed analyst views and also predicted first-quarter revenue far below Wall Street expectations.

Shares of the Hickory, N.C.-based company fell $4.34, or 32.9 percent, to $8.83.

For the quarter that ended Dec. 31, CommScope fell to a loss of $342.4 million, or $4.86 per share, compared with a profit of $37.6 percent, or 51 cents per share, in the year-ago quarter.

The company said the loss was due mostly to $397.1 million in non-cash impairment charges, which included $359.5 million in goodwill and intangible asset charges, $17.7 million in amortization charges and $8.8 million in restructuring charges.

When excluding items such as these, CommScope earned $43.6 million, or 55 cents per share, which is a penny greater than what analysts polled by Thomson Financial expected.

Revenue rose 86 percent to $861.8 million, helped mainly by the company's late-2007 purchase of communications equipment maker Andrew Corp.

Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected a profit of 54 cents on $866.6 million in revenue.

For the full year, the company reported a loss of $228.5 million, or $3.29 per share, compared with a profit of $204.8 million, or $2.78 per share, in 2007. Adjusted earnings totaled $264.8 million, or $3.31 per share in 2008.

CommScope's revenue totaled $4.02 billion in 2008, more than double the $1.93 billion it reported the year before.

For the current quarter, the company predicted a loss, with revenue of between $720 million and $770 million. Analysts expect a profit of 46 cents per share, with higher revenue of $822.9 million. CommScope added that it expects better results in the second and third quarters, which are seasonally strong for the company.

In a client note, Stifel Nicolaus & Co. analyst Jeffrey Beach cut his price target by $7 to $33. He lowered his 2009 earnings forecast to $2.24 per share from $3.20, saying half of that cut is in the company's first quarter.

"The 1Q guidance is so weak that forecasting the rebound in 2Q and beyond is difficult, in our view," he said.

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Danaher Announces Pricing of Senior Notes Offering

Danaher Corporation (NYSE: DHR - News) announced Thursday February 26, 2009 that it has priced a public offering of $750 million of its 5.40% senior notes due 2019.

Danaher expects to receive net proceeds, after expenses, of approximately $744 million. Danaher intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to repay all or a portion of Danaher's outstanding commercial paper and for other general corporate purposes. The offering is expected to close on March 5, 2009.

Banc of America Securities LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Goldman, Sachs & Co. are acting as joint book-running managers.

The offering is being made pursuant to an effective registration statement filed by Danaher Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 14, 2006.

The offering of the senior notes may be made only by means of a prospectus. A copy of the prospectus and prospectus supplement relating to the senior notes can be obtained from Banc of America Securities LLC's Prospectus Department at 100 West 33rd Street New York, NY 10001, telephone 1-800-294-1322, email dg.prospectus_distribution@bofasecurities.com; from Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. at Harborside Financial Center, 100 Plaza One, Floor 2, Jersey City, NY, 07311-3988. Attn: Prospectus Department, telephone 1-800-503-4611, email prospectusrequest@list.db.com; and from Goldman, Sachs & Co.'s Prospectus Department at 85 Broad Street, New York, NY 10004, telephone: 1-866-471-2526, facsimile: 1-212-902-9316, email: prospectus-ny@ny.email.gs.com.

Danaher Corporation is a leading manufacturer of Professional Instrumentation, Medical Technologies, Industrial Technologies and Tools and Components.

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Dow Corning says it will cut 800 jobs worldwide

Dow Corning Corp. says it will eliminate 800 jobs, about 8 percent of its global work force

-- Dow Corning Corp. says it will cut 800 jobs, or about 8 percent of its 10,000-member global work force, because of the poor economy.

The company, a joint venture between Midland-based Dow Chemical Co. and Corning, N.Y.-based Corning Inc., will eliminate the jobs during the first half of 2009 through a combination of voluntary retirement programs and involuntary layoffs.

The Midland Daily News says only voluntary separations will be considered at Dow Corning locations in the United Kingdom and at its Hemlock Semiconductor Corp. joint venture in Saginaw County.

Dow Corning spokesman Jarrod Erpelding told The Bay City Times that it isn't known how many of the company's 3,500 Michigan employees will be affected. About 1,300 work at its corporate headquarters in Bay County's Williams Township and factory in Auburn combined.

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DuPont finance chief doesn't see recovery in 2009

DuPont CFO doesn't see recovery in 2009, says stimulus package could boost sales

DuPont likely won't bounce back from the economic slump this year, though it stands to benefit from a stimulus package under debate in Congress, the chemical maker's chief financial officer said Tuesday.

"We're not immune from this recession," Jeffery Keefer said at the Barclays Industrial conference in Miami. "We do not expect recovery in 2009."

The Wilmington, Del.-based company, also known as EI DuPont de Nemours & Co., said last month it swung to a fourth-quarter loss as sales and volumes fell sharply.

Part of the loss was due to a restructuring plan, including more than 2,500 layoffs, announced late last year. Others in the sector, including Huntsman Corp., Dow Chemical Co., Rohm & Haas Co. and Ashland, have also announced layoffs in recent months in an attempt to cut costs.

DuPont earned $2 billion, or $2.20 per share, in 2008, down from $2.9 billion, or $3.22 per share, in 2007.

For 2009, the company expects to earn $2 to $2.50 per share. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect, on average, earnings of $2.05 per share for the year.

DuPont is now working to conserve and generate cash, and maintain its balance sheet, Keefer said.

The company will slash capital spending and expenses this year, and focus on high-growth areas, including its agricultural and alternative energy businesses, he said.

Construction products -- including its pavement materials and Tyvek home wrap -- could see an uptick in sales if the final version of a stimulus package currently under debate in Congress is approved, Keefer said.

"We're well positioned to go through this economic recession," he said.

The company will return excess cash to shareholders "unless we have compelling growth opportunities," he said.

"We understand the dividend is the corner of our valuation," Keefer said. The dividend has been paid consecutively for more than 400 quarters,

http://www.crocodyl.org/wiki/dupont  www.dupont.com  

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The current industry position for next-gen standards

By pwylie

While optimism for a late 2009 finalization of the 10G EPON standard abounds, the actual deployment of the technology likely will take much longer, due to several considerations.

Alcatel-Lucent is a co-author of the IEEE standard for 10G EPON currently being developed, and it has a significant role in developing the 10G GPON standard too, according to Marcus Weldon, CTO for Alcatel-Lucent's wireline network division. Weldon said significant deployments of 10G PON technologies, both GPON and EPON, likely won't occur in live networks until 2011. He said that even once 10G EPON has been standardized and products have been developed around the standard, uptake could be limited by the success of current deployments of 2.5G GPON.

"We don't see any urgent need in the market for 10G technology," Weldon said. "Currently with 2.5G GPON, the upstream and downstream speeds at capacity are more than sufficient for customers' needs, and very few deployments actually have the take rate to be at full capacity, meaning speeds are usually greater for individual users anyway. The biggest play I see for 10G EPON currently is high-density areas where it allows for more nodes per PON through greater splitting capacity for multi-dwelling units."

Scott Wilkinson, VP of marketing for Hitachi, is also less than optimistic about the market opportunity for 10G EPON.

"There are problems with both flavors of IEEE standardized 10G EPON currently available," Wilkinson said. "First, the 10G downstream/1G upstream does not offer enough bandwidth upstream; and the 10G downstream/10G upstream is prohibitively expensive, because it requires a pricy core chip set."

He echoed Weldon's comments about successful GPON deployments keeping future demand for 10G low.

"Right now, GPON provides plenty of bandwidth, a lot more than people use or need," Wilkinson said. "Many carriers are deploying GPON right now, and they'll be able to upgrade to 10G EPON when it becomes available without changing outside points of deployment."

Wilkinson expects some limited 10G EPON deployments, mainly to enterprise customers, some time early next year, with commercial deployments beginning in late 2010. He was quick to add though that the commercial viability of 10G EPON has yet to be demonstrated.

"It will be two to three years before we see any significant residential 10G EPON deployments in the U.S.," Wilkinson said.

Julie Kunstler, VP business development for Teknovus, said her company is well underway with development of 10G EPON chip sets. Kunstler expects chips to ship in late 2009. Kunstler sees high demand for 10G EPON technology, but she said the driving factors are very different for developing and developed nations.

In Japan, for instance, Kunstler said the majority of demand for 10G EPON has been due to large amounts of bandwidth needed to run high-end video applications. She said numerous vendors and carriers are testing the standard for future deployment to meet their ever-growing bandwidth needs.

In China, on the other hand, carriers want 10G EPON for the density it would enable in high-occupancy buildings in China's rapidly growing urban areas. Since existing infrastructure is poor in most parts of the country, Kunstler said carriers are looking at newer technologies for network overhaul, rather than building on top of existing systems as carriers have done in developed markets like the U.S. and Japan. She also noted that Teknovus has EPON deployments in every Chinese province save one, and it will migrate some existing networks to the 10G standard once it is finalized.

While Kunstler said she sees demand rising in both sectors for 10G EPON, she said increased demand will really drive adoption, because it will make the technology more affordable through scale.

Source URL:
http://www.fiercetelecom.com/special-reports/industry-position-next-gen-standards

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Published on FierceTelecom (http://www.fiercetelecom.com)

The current industry position for next-gen standards - Part 2

By pwylie

Weldon agreed that Asian markets, and specifically Japan, are the ones poised to see the largest deployments of 10G EPON in the near future. He said some of the desire to move to 10G EPON there has been somewhat driven by carriers wanting to stay on the EPON standard, but also to upgrade from 1G EPON. Weldon said he had heard discussions that 1G EPON was maxed out in a technological sense, which Weldon said were driven more by perception rather than actual use cases.

Weldon said Alcatel-Lucent will leverage its strong market position in broadband access to experiment and test 10G EPON and GPON, as well as WDM-PON. 

As far as the standard that U.S. companies were likely to adopt for next-gen optical networking, Wilkinson said the ITU standard would likely gain more traction. He cited the telecom industry's familiarity and investment in the ITU and the robustness of the ITU standard as reasons U.S. companies would likely go with ITU over the IEEE standard. Wilkinson likes the ITU standard because of its standard of 10G downstream and 2.5G upstream, which he said gives a more cost-effective and useful offering for present conditions and demand.

Kunstler expects the U.S. cable players to consider 10G EPON as a viable alternative to DOCSIS technology in an effort to compete with Verizon's FiOS by offering faster individual downstream capabilities. She said 10G EPON's speed could help cable companies grab a larger share of the enterprise market, where they have traditionally lagged far behind telecommunications companies. She also thinks that instead of deploying current industry-leading optical networking technology, such as GPON, carriers will wait until 10G EPON is available to upgrade their networks.

While Kunstler is bullish on 10G EPON deployments, she thinks other next-gen optical networking technologies are not going to be as well received. For instance, Kunstler thinks that WDM-PON's lack of standards will keep it from ever becoming a mass-market technology.

WDM-PON's main advocate seems to be LG-Nortel, the joint venture between the companies in the wireline space. Nortel's acquisition of Novera in Aug. 2008 primed the joint venture's focus on WDM-PON.

While everyone quoted in this article agreed that WDM-PON was several years away from meaningful deployment (Weldon said no earlier than 2012), LG-Nortel has said [1] they are in WDM-PON trials with more than 10 operators globally.

LG-Nortel says that the WDM-PON could be standardized and cost-effective as early as 2011, but sets 2013 as the late end of its schedule. It said fiber needs to be deployed more widely and applications requiring more bandwidth must continue to expand for the market for WDM-PON to form.

Source URL:
http://www.fiercetelecom.com/special-reports/current-industry-position-next-gen-standards-part-2

Links:
[1] http://fibresystems.org/cws/article/tech/37800

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GE shares hit 16-yr low following dividend cut GE shares tumble to 16-yr low days after company slashes dividend for 1st time in decades

Shares of General Electric Corp. slid to a 16-year low Monday after the industrial conglomerate cut its quarterly dividend for the first time in decades.

On Friday, the Fairfield, Conn.-based company said it will pay shareholders a dividend of 10 cents beginning in the third quarter, down from the company's prior dividend of 31 cents.

The dividend cut, allowing GE to save $9 billion annually, had been long predicted by Wall Street and was the company's first since 1938. The move follows a similar cut announced by Dow Chemical Co. last month.

In a note to investors Sunday, analyst Jeffrey T. Sprague of Citi Investment Research wrote that the cut was "deeper than generally expected, but it makes sense to cut deep while the ax is out to hopefully avoid the need for another round.

"While this move is a reputational blow to GE and an income hit to long-suffering shareholders, it had to be done," he added. The analyst maintained a "Hold" rating on the stock.

Shares of GE slid 80 cents, or 9.4 percent, to $7.71 in midday trading Monday. Earlier in the day, GE stock hit a low of $7.51. The shares last sank below that level in April 1993.

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HCM Invests in New Cable Manufacturing Equipment

Hitachi Cable Manchester (HCM) continues to be a leader in the development of new and innovative copper and fiber optic communication cables. 

HCM continues to invest in the latest cable manufacturing technology.  Even during tough economic times, HCM has chosen to install four new Triple Torsion Twisters.  The twisters, which were installed February 16, will not only increase manufacturing capacity, but will produce twisted pairs at a speed three-times faster than previous models.  The twisters are used in the manufacture of high-performance Category 6 cables.  While many manufactures are choosing to forgo upgrades to their facilities, HCM has determined that the new twisters will better position HCM in the market once demand is back on the rise.  The new twisters are also more energy efficient than previous models. 

About HCM

HCM, located in Manchester, NH manufacturers a complete line of copper and fiber optic cables for the communication industry.  Over 3,300 different cable products are manufactured at this facility.  In addition to Category 6A cables, products include Category 6 and 5e cables, outdoor Category 5e and 6 cables, indoor and outdoor fiber optic cables, armored fiber optic cables as well as plenum-rated indoor/outdoor fiber optic cables.

To learn more about HCM products and where you can purchase them, please contact HCM toll free at 800-772-0116 or visit the HCM website at www.hcm.hitachi.com

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Intertek featured on truTV special “Testing the Limits”

truTV and Intertek take viewers into the world of smash-and-burn product testing; new television special premiering Thursday, February 26, 2009 at 11PM EST.

Intertek (LSE: ITRK), a leading provider of quality and safety solutions announced today that its laboratories will be featured in a new television special titled, Testing the Limits, premiering on the truTV network, Thursday, February 26, 2009 at 11 PM EST. Testing the Limits demonstrates the “bang, crash, boom” testing that a product must endure before it ever makes it on a shelf and into the hands of the consumer.

The show, filmed at three Intertek laboratories across the US, is chronicled by two Intertek engineers as they take viewers on an exclusive, behind the scenes journey into the world of product safety and performance testing. Testing the Limits gives the public a never-before-seen look into the exciting world of product testing. But it’s all “just another day” for Intertek, as pushing products to their failure point is what the company has done for clients for over 100 years.

“We are excited to work with truTV to elevate the awareness of product safety to the masses in a unique and entertaining way,” said Gregg Tiemann, Chief Executive, Intertek Commercial & Electrical Products. “Our company is known for creating innovative approaches in the industry, and using TV to spotlight the importance of product safety, in a bold way, aligns with the way we operate our business.”

Intertek opened its doors to truTV for this unique special to bring the unknown and unheralded world of product testing to the consumers.  Each year Intertek conducts millions of product tests and inspections across thousands of product categories throughout its network of more than 1,000 labs. The company’s ETL Listed Mark is the safety certification of choice for thousands of global manufacturers – from medical devices and automotive products to HVAC units, lighting products, industrial machinery, and much more – and can be found on millions of products sold across North America every year.

Visit www.etl.com or www.trutv.com for more information!

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Manufacturing sector contracts again in February

A private measure of the nation's manufacturing sector contracted for the 13th straight month in February, but at a slower pace than expected.

The reading suggested to some economists that the decline of the ailing factory sector could be bottoming out, though they expect a recovery is still far in the future.

The Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchasing executives, said Monday its manufacturing index actually rose to 35.8 from 35.6 in January. Analysts had expected a drop to 33.8, and a reading below 50 indicates the sector is shrinking.

The index, which is based on a survey of members of the Tempe, Ariz.-based group, has fallen steadily since August as the economy has deteriorated, hitting a 28-year low of 32.9 in December.

"Survey respondents appear generally pessimistic about recovery in 2009," said Norbert Ore, chairman of the group's survey committee. "Some express hope that the stimulus package will help their industry."

The new report showed manufacturers cutting jobs at a rapid pace while new orders fell. The employment index fell to 26.1 in February, a new record low, from 29.9 the previous month. New orders dipped to 33.1 from 33.2.

The production index increased for the second straight month, to 36.3, from 32.1 in January.

None of the 18 industries covered by the survey -- including wood products, primary metals, electrical equipment, transportation equipment and machinery -- reported growth.

"While the index continues to show the manufacturing sector to be in a steep decline, the steady readings of the last two months suggest the decline is not accelerating," David Resler, chief economist at Nomura Securities International, wrote in a note to clients.

Separately, the Commerce Department said Monday that construction spending dropped 3.3 percent in January, the fourth straight monthly decline. Wall Street economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters expected a 1.5 percent drop. Residential construction fell 2.9 percent and nonresidential activity dropped 4.3 percent, the biggest decline since January 1994.

The department also said that consumer spending rose in January after falling for a record six straight months, pushed higher by purchases of food and other nondurable items. Consumer spending rose 0.6 percent, even better than the 0.4 percent gain that economists expected, though the rebound was viewed mostly as a blip and not a sign of extended recovery.

President Barack Obama last month signed into law a $787 billion stimulus package in spending and tax cuts, but U.S. manufacturers are getting hammered by a global recession that is sharply cutting demand for domestic products and sinking American exports.

General Motors Corp. last week reported an annual loss of $30.9 billion. The Detroit automaker, which shed 10,000 jobs in February alone, has said it may need up to $30 billion from the government to keep it afloat.

Thousands more job cuts were announced last month by a variety of manufacturers, including Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., welding products manufacturer Lincoln Electric Holdings Inc., flash memory maker Spansion Inc. and makeup company Estee Lauder Cos.

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Megladon® Announces New Product Release of LGX Fiber Distribution Panels

Megladon issued a new product release of standard LGX Fiber Distribution Panels to compliment its HLC® SCRATCHGUARD™ patch cords and trunk cables.  Also in the new product line is a full suite of cable management products including fanning panels, storage and combination shelves.

By incorporating HLC SCRATCHGUARD patch cords and trunk cables into the distribution product line, Megladon is able to deliver the most robust turnkey solutions of any company in the marketplace.  These solutions can be shipped pre-tested and pre-populated for installation time-savings and increased network performance.  Megladon has experience in making complex fiber networks simple, and the versatile LGX Fiber Distribution System products create value within our customer’s networks.

“The addition of fiber distribution products is exciting and allows Megladon to diversify our product portfolio.  Being able to offer turnkey solutions with our HLC cables assemblies increases our value to the marketplace”, stated Daniel Hogberg, Product Group Manager at Megladon. He continued, “A mated pair of matched HLC connectors at the distribution panel provides the highest level of performance in a fiber optic network.”

Why is the ScratchGuard™ technology a big value in this new product? This patented new technology really delivers Durability and Dependability. For example we found out that the ScratchGuard technology has already made a big impact on portable fiber optic testing performance. Incredible but true: Test results showed that over 1000 insertions of the Megladon Scratch Guard™ Fiber Optic test cables used on the Fluke Networks amazing DTX CableAnalyzer™ showed virtually no degradation or scratching. www.megladonmfg.com   www.flukenetworks.com

Richard Brammer, Special Projects Manager for Communication Planning Corporation (a communications contractor based in Jacksonville, FL), told us that this new product has added a significant boost to the value of CPC’s solutions package. “We really save time and deliver a better installation with the Megladon LGX Fiber Distribution System products. Any reconfiguration is easier for field technicians.”  The Megladon product line supports the technician with terminations, connections, splices and convenient access within fiber optic networks.  www.communicationplanning.com  

Megladon Manufacturing Group Ltd., a subsidiary of TyRex Group Ltd.®, is recognized as a leader in the fiber optic marketplace. Founded in 1997, Megladon made it their mission to provide customers with fiber optic products that far exceed industry standards. As technology innovators, Megladon created the HLC (Hardened Lens Contact) termination, which has changed the market and taken it to the next level. For additional information on Megladon and their patented processes please visit the company’s website at www.megladonmfg.com or respond by email to scratchguard@megladonmfg.com.

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New Support for ADC Jacks Make JackRapid The Most Versatile, Fastest Punchdown Tool Available

Support for more jacks, redesigned ergonomic handle help installers complete punchdowns 8 times faster than single punch tools, with less effort and at lower cost

Fluke Networks today announced new interchangeable blade heads for the JackRapid™ termination tool that support ADC TrueNet® KM8 and Copper Ten® style cable jacks.  JackRapid now supports the vast majority of jack styles commonly used by cable installers.

The groundbreaking JackRapid™ termination tool lets technicians install jacks up to 8 times faster than with traditional punchdown tools.  Users can terminate and trim all eight wires in a jack at once with one easy squeeze, reducing the time spent on the job and saving labor costs. 

JackRapid's new ergonomically designed handle requires less effort when performing the punchdown process, reducing hand fatigue and allowing more jacks to be punched down faster.  The handle also includes a built-in wire jacket stripper.  With JackRapid's jacket stripper and the ability to precisely trim all 8 wires without separate snips, installers need fewer tools at the job site.  The built-in stripper and consistent punchdown action also combine to improve the overall quality level of the job while time to completion goes down.

In an installation of 1000 jacks, a standard single-wire punchdown tool may require 29 labor hours at an average project cost of approximately $1,445 USD.  The same installation job utilizing JackRapid requires 10 hours at an average project cost of approximately $500 USD.  Compared to the traditional single-wire punchdown tools, JackRapid can cut installation time and cost by 2/3. 

JackRapid’s patented design features an interchangeable termination head that holds the jack in place.  Different style heads accommodate jack styles from most popular manufacturers.  The termination head uses a wall-friendly design to that makes close-to-wall installations far easier than with other types of tools.

JackRapid increases accuracy and reliability.  Fewer reworks are needed, which increases client confidence and further time savings for the installer. JackRapid is also safer, reducing the risk that technicians will punch into the palms of their hands or through drywall when terminating jacks.

Product Availability

The JackRapid™ Termination Tool with punchdown capability for the C6a CopperTen® UTP RJ45 jack and the C6 TrueNet® KM8 UTP RJ45 jack for category 6 and is available for immediate delivery through Fluke Networks’ sales channels worldwide.  Interchangeable blade heads and replacement ergonomic handles are also available separately.  For a full list of blade heads and jack compatibility visit http://www.flukenetworks.com/JackRapid.

About Fluke Networks

Fluke Networks provides innovative solutions for the testing, monitoring and analysis of enterprise and telecommunications networks and the installation and certification of the fiber and copper forming the foundation for those networks. The company's comprehensive line of Network SuperVision solutions™ provide network installers, owners, and maintainers with superior vision, combining speed, accuracy and ease of use to optimize network performance. Headquartered in Everett, Washington, the company distributes its products in more than 50 countries. More information can be found by visiting Fluke Networks’ Web site at www.flukenetworks.com or by calling (800) 283-5853.

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NORTEL SLASHING 3,200 MORE JOBS

Nortel Networks, which filed for bankruptcy protection last month, said today it will eliminate another 3,200 jobs in the coming months as it re-organizes. The company currently employs about 30,000 people around the world, a number which itself is less than one-third of what the company's total payroll was back in the late 1990s.

Nortel will not pay severance to the employees who lose their jobs, an Associated Press story says. Neither will the company be paying management bonuses for 2008, after the Nortel board approved a management recommendation to eliminate the bonuses. Nortel has been busy since filing for bankruptcy protection, agreeing late last week to sell its Alteon application delivery systems unit to Radware.

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Good things happen when GREEN meets SAFETY

Increasing we are seeing cabling specs and designs in the USA calling for the use of LSZH RoHS (Low Smoke Zero Halogen + RoHS compliant) in place of traditional non-plenum cable constructions. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is guiding the way to better and safer practices. 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. Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive or RoHS) was adopted in February 2003 by the European Union. Note: the RoHS directive is not a requirement in the US codes.  RoHS compliant cables are a voluntary decision by the US consumer.

EUREKA: new cabling design recommended = LSZH RoHS

For a safer design, specify Low Smoke Zero Halogen + RoHS compliant cables for all non-plenum cable applications. This is particularly important in HOMES, HOSPITALS and SCHOOLS.

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™. www.usgbc.org

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.

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.

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/  

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”. http://www.crocodyl.org/wiki/dupont

CABLE MAY BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH

As if there weren’t enough dire health warnings bombarding us daily, here's another - some cabling may be hazardous to your health.

What is plenum cable? Safer or cheaper than conduit?

For more than 40 years, building construction utilized "return-air plenum" design for the heating and air conditioning systems.

In typical commercial real estate construction, "Plenum" is the technical term for the space above a suspended ceiling or below raised floor when it is used to return air from ventilated spaces such as offices to heating and air conditioning equipment.  In the USA, Plenum cable installed in building return-air plenum spaces for voice and data circuits is filled with hidden dangers and often represent both environmental and health dangers.

In the early 1970's New York City approved the use of plenum rated cable under Local Law 5. The National Electrical Code  (NEC) recognized plenum cable in 1978 (CMP listed).  This offering gained quick acceptance because of reduced costs.  The installed cost of plenum rated cable was substantially lower (usually more than 50%) than the cost of cable and metal conduit.  In 1978 virtually all plenum cables were insulated and jacketed with DuPont® Teflon FEP (Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene).  Competitive pressures and high market demand spawned numerous other constructions using materials that could also meet the test requirements for the NEC code (CMP listing).

TECHNO – TIP

What is the most commonly installed

PLENUM DATACOM CABLE?

The most commonly installed horizontal cable in the plenum is:

  4 PR  24 AWG  CMP  UTP CAT 5e (or 6) -  PLENUM CABLE.

A typical plenum cable for data or voice transmission has two main components: (I) a cable core made up of insulated copper wires twisted in pairs and (II) a jacket. The industry standard cable is 4-pair UTP, with four twisted pairs of insulated wire, with "U" meaning "unshielded" and "TP" meaning "twisted pair".  

FEP (Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene) is the most common insulation.  FEP is a stable and fire resistant material. The jacketing material for plenum cables has usually been FRPVC (Fire Resistant Polyvinyl Chloride) or PVC for non-plenum.  Both plenum & non-plenum PVC jackets have been compounded with stabilizers and plasticizers. For many years, these additives often contained LEAD and some harmful phthalates. Significant amounts of hazardous plasticizers (such as DEHP - a phthalate) can be released, leading to persistent contamination of the house dust or ambient air. Today, we have new choices that are free of heavy metals and harmful phthalates. .

NOW AVAILABLE: LEAD-FREE CABLES

In response to growing demand, almost all cable manufacturers have introduced RoHS compliant LEAD-FREE cables that are NEC (National Electrical Code) approved for use in the return air plenum. 

The best way to get the LEAD out is not to put it in

Many PVC products have been stabilized using LEAD compounds.  LEAD compounds are controlled by regulations that cover workplace exposure, water and air pollution, and water disposal. There are increasing demands on a global scale for alternatives to heavy metals like LEAD.

Many cables contain high levels of LEAD in the PVC jackets.  The good news is the companies that supply compounded PVC materials have developed alternative LEAD-FREE PVC compounds, and they are available at no additional cost   There is no reason to continue purchasing and installing cables that contain LEAD.  http://www.turi.org/business/wire_and_cable.htm

In The Pharmaceutical Basis of Therapeutics, (the "bible" of chemical therapeutics in medicine), LEAD (Pb) is defined in Latin as, "materia non grata," or, an absolutely unwelcome compound, of absolutely no value and causing great harm to human health. Physicians and observers of industrial disease have sensed the danger of LEAD for generations, but never quite understood the low-dose risk.

LEAD has long been recognized as a harmful environmental pollutant. There are many ways in which humans are exposed to LEAD: through air, drinking water, food, contaminated soil, deteriorating paint, and dust. Airborne LEAD enters the body when an individual breathes or swallows LEAD particles or dust. Before it was known how harmful LEAD could be, it was used in paint, gasoline, water pipes, and many other products.

Low levels of LEAD can cause adverse health effects on the central nervous system, kidney, and blood cells. Blood LEAD levels as low as 10 micrograms per deciliter can impair mental and physical development.  EPA's Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) profile on LEAD and LEAD Compounds -http://www.epa.gov/iris/subst/0277.htm

Flexible PVC can harm Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

On average, we spend about 90 percent of our time indoors, where pollutant levels are often higher than those outside. Indoor pollution is estimated to cause thousands of cancer deaths and hundreds of thousands of respiratory health problems each year. " www.epa.gov/iaq/hbhp/index.html  (Healthy Buildings, Healthy People: A Vision for the 21st Century)

PVC products can release heavy metals into the building environment. Metal stabilizers, particularly LEAD, cadmium, and organotins, can be released from PVC products. Significant quantities of LEAD have been found to be released from PVC window blinds into air and from PVC pipes into water. Toxicological effects of these substances include neurological, development, and reproductive damage.

Installed return-air plenum approved UTP cable, which contains LEAD, may have an impact on IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) and IEQ (Indoor Environmental Quality) in the building. LEAD dust is a known health hazard for building occupants. LEAD Dust may be released from some PVC products as they deteriorate over time and through exposure to heat or sunlight.

http://www.greenaction.org/healthybuildings/documents/hb_health_hazards.pdf

OLDER PVC COMPOUNDS

Stabilizers are added to the PVC compound to help slow down the degradation of the PVC polymer.  Stabilizers found in PVC may include LEAD and other potentially toxic heavy metals.  Both the stabilizers and the plasticizers (to make the material more flexible) additives are not chemically bound in the PVC.  They can be released over time resulting in a range of potential exposures    and raising risks from endocrine disruption, to asthma; and even from LEAD poisoning to cancer. 

A new analysis by the Environmental Working Group  (www.ewg.org) found many studies in the peer reviewed literature that showed toxic effects at doses below those considered to cause no effects by regulators.  Dr. Christina Thayer of EWG says, " Traditional testing misses important toxic effects at very low doses."  http://www.ewg.org/reports/leadastray/exec.html

For more Info: Environmental Impacts of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Building Materials - A briefing paper for the Healthy Building Network by Joe Thornton, Ph.D.   http://healthybuilding.net/pvc/ThorntonPVCSummary.html

Installing cabling that contains LEAD and other health hazards is an avoidable health risk.

In response to growing concerns over LEAD, the vinyl industry developed a LEAD-FREE PVC stabilizer compound.  It was introduced to the manufacturers on a trial basis.  Subsequently, this safer compound was improved and offered to the cable manufacturers on a widespread basis.   Today, you have a choice.  There are LEAD-FREE cables readily available. 

PVC disposal IS A WORLD WIDE PROBLEM

When PVC is incinerated in medical waste and garbage waste disposal furnaces, it is among the largest single sources of dioxin in those burners.  The United States Department of Environmental Protection (EPA) suggests that there is NO SAFE level of dioxin exposure.   Extremely toxic heavy metals in PVC, such as LEAD, cadmium, and chromium, are also released from the stacks and end up in the ash of these incinerators. Virtually all of the products made of PVC have safer substitutes available, making the risks posed by PVC completely unnecessary and unacceptable.

Currently, cabling may be removed and disposed of in normal construction & demolition (C&D) waste disposal methods.  In the near future, the cables that contain LEAD and other heavy metals may be reclassified to require special handling as HAZMAT (Hazardous Materials).  The general disposal costs of HAZMAT are higher than normal C&D disposal.  Toxicity is a major concern in decomposition and disposal.

PVC is extremely difficult to recycle.

Very little PVC is recycled, and this situation is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future. Because each PVC product contains a unique mix of additives, post-consumer recycling of mixed PVC products is difficult and cannot yield vinyl products with equivalent qualities to the original. Even in Europe, where PVC recycling is more advanced than in the United States, less than 3 percent of post-consumer PVC is recycled, and most of this is merely “downcycled” into other products which means there is no net reduction in the production of virgin PVC. By 2020, only 9 percent of all post-consumer PVC waste in Europe is expected to be recycled, with a maximum potential of no more than 18 percent.

http://www.healthybuilding.net/pvc/ThorntonPVCSummary.html

PVC containing LEAD cannot be readily RECYCLED

The multitudes of additives required to make PVC useful make large-scale post consumer recycling nearly impossible and interfere with the recycling of other plastics. The LEAD cannot be removed in a cost efficient recycling process at this time. 

In 1999 almost 600 Million pounds of PVC was used in wire and cable applications.

 Many communities and numerous countries are assessing costs to the full life cycle of products.  Products that contain materials which present costly challenges in safe disposal or recycling, may be front end loaded on price.  Changing the material selection to "green" products may have big dividends in cost avoidance downstream.  PVC in cabling is cheap and plentiful.  Downstream problems and life-cycle costs for PVC may be very expensive and widespread. 

Buying a safer tomorrow - Green Procurement

Designing for the future will include choices in materials and components that can be reused or recycled. The materials that you choose to include in your building will make a significant contribution to its overall impact on the indoor environment. Avoiding unnecessary indoor air pollution sources is the most obvious method to improve indoor air quality. There is strong support to design low-polluting buildings and recommendations on low-polluting building materials. Advocate safe, energy-efficient, and long-lasting products and services. Things that last and are useful are the greatest hedge against waste and are better than reuse or recycling.

Most consumers are unaware of the toxic materials in the products they rely on for word processing, data management, and access to the Internet like the LEAD that may be present in your PVC jacketing data communications cabling.  Many companies are “going Green”. Purchasing agents are looking to safer alternatives.  Requesting LEAD-Free data communications cabling is one way to ensure a safer purchase.  What is Green Purchasing? It’s considering the environmental impacts of a product when you make purchases. These products should have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environmental when compared to competing products that serve the same purpose. 

Avoiding stabilizers, containing LEAD, in flexible PVC cabling materials and using safer, nontoxic materials may be the best way to eliminate potential downstream hazards and liability. 

LEAD phase out is coming

The European Commission is considering a proposal to restrict the use of LEAD in electronics and electrical equipment: "Member States shall ensure that new electrical and electronic equipment put on the market after 1 January 2006 do not contain LEAD...."

Major corporations, particularly those in Japan, are setting phase out dates for LEAD. Sony has already implemented the use of LEAD-Free solder in most printed wiring board soldering processes, and has set a target of 2005 year-end to be using LEAD-Free solder in all products. LEAD, when dissolved by acid rain, may pollute groundwater and other parts of the environment. Sony is forging ahead with the reduction and elimination of PVC, which may release toxic substances when burned, from products. Sony has already developed and commercialized PVC Free headphone cords. PVC has also been eliminated from the POP (Point of Purchase) advertising for electronics products handled by Sony Marketing of Japan. http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/Environment/publication/en_koukoku_0130.html

ABANDONED CABLE - A SAFETY HAZARD

This accumulation of abandoned cable is particularly evident in commercial real estate due to continual tenant turnover.  Some plenum spaces have begun to look like an explosion of multi-colored spaghetti. The plenum space in some older multi-tenant buildings have become so packed with active and abandoned cables that there is no room to install new without removing old. A tour of the telephone and cable rooms will give you preview of the volume cable that is installed. 

After years of discussions and proposals, the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) voted and approved a change into the National Electrical Code - NEC 2002. The NEC 2008 Code Book requires that abandoned cable be removed for both copper and fiber.  [Note: there are approximately 4,200 different Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) that may adopt all or part of the NEC 2008] 

The abandoned cable is anything but a goldmine.  Unlabeled and undocumented inactive cable is almost impossible to re-use without a substantial investment in a cable management program. Often the removal of the inactive cable is the least expensive method to comply with the NEC code requirements.       

NEC 2008 - requirement for removal of abandoned cable

The National Electrical Code (NEC) contains the pertinent mandatory Codes.  These Codes are rules intended to ensure the safety during installation, use and/or disposal of materials, components, fixtures, and systems.  The Codes ensure minimum construction quality and ensure safety of life, health and property.

The safety provision to require the removal of abandoned cable was the first major change to cabling requirements in the National Electrical Code in more than 20 years. In 1978, NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) made an exception to NFPA 90A - Standard for the Installation of Air-Conditioning and Ventilating Systems, which requires any materials installed in a plenum space to be  “non-combustible”. The exception, which allowed cables tested and rated as CMP to be installed in the return air plenum, was drafted more than 30 years ago.  In the 1970's, no cables were available which could meet the requirements of non-combustible.   www.nfpa.org 

The NEC is revised on a three-year cycle.  The next revision of the NEC will be in 2011.  The NEC code (when recognized and accepted) is enforced by the AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction), which includes state, local, county and city code authorities.  Each AHJ can adopt the NEC code in whole or partially.

 Some cities may elect to adopt the entire or partial current NEC code on a timetable not included in the attached schedule.   

The current NEC 2008 requires that accessible "abandoned" cable be removed for both copper and fiber.

The accumulation of miles and miles of cabling left in the ceilings and walls of facilities has become a major concern for life safety. In a Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) presentation at the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) National Conference (January 16, 2002), TURI conservatively estimated that there is over 45 billion feet of plenum cable in place.  Cables that are abandoned in ceilings, riser systems, and air handling systems are a source for fueling fire, smoke and sublethal toxic fumes that can incapacitate.  The buildup of layers upon layers of cabling has become a major concern to life and safety over the past 10 years.

RCRA is the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which was enacted by Congress in 1976. RCRA's primary goals are to protect human health and the environment from the potential hazards of waste disposal, to conserve energy and natural resources, to reduce the amount of waste generated, and to ensure that wastes are managed in an environmentally sound manner. In 1984, Congress enacted the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) which significantly expanded the scope and requirements of RCRA.

http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/ca/backgnd.htm#1                    www.turi.org

The definition of abandoned cable, as found in paragraphs 800.2 and 770.2 of the NEC 2002 Book, states "....Installed communications cable that is not terminated at both ends at a connector or other equipment and not identified "For Future Use" with a tag."  Admittedly, this definition of abandoned cable in the NEC is somewhat vague.  There is a concerted effort in the NFPA to draft a set of clearer definitions for this portion of the NEC 2002.  The definition clarity problem associated with the NEC 2002 - removal of abandoned cable - does not make the code invalid.  Hopefully, the local authorities will use good judgment    and discretion in the application and enforcement of this code when accepted by the AHJ. For copper cable, paragraph 800.52(B) of the NEC Code states "...The accessible portion of abandoned communications cables shall not be permitted to remain.." Additionally, paragraph 800.52(1) states that abandoned cables in vertical runs shall not be permitted to remain. Article 770 states the same requirements for optical fiber risers and horizontal cables.

the incapacitation factor

The FEP insulating materials used in most CMP plenum approved cable are subject to heat decomposition and the emission of sublethal toxic fumes. Some of the fumes can incapacitate (by blinding and choking) building occupants. Current and proposed testing makes no provision to recognize toxicity or emissions that are essentially colorless (i.e., hydrogen fluoride, which converts to hydrofluoric acid upon contact with any moisture). http://www.tuberose.com/Teflon.html

FEP (Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene) [known by the trade names DuPont® Teflon FEP and Daikin-America® Neoflon FEP] materials are normally stable. But, when they burn or are heated, the halogens separate and become highly reactive - forming toxic and highly corrosive gases that can significantly damage organic, inorganic and metallic materials. Hydrogen fluoride is one of the gases produced from heat decomposition of FEP.

Hydrogen fluoride vapor causes severe irritation and deep-seated burns of the eye and eyelids if it comes in contact with the eyes. If the chemical is not removed immediately, permanent visual defects or blindness may result. Hydrofluoric acid is a severe irritant to the nose, throat, and lungs. Severe exposure causes rapid inflammation and congestion of the lungs. Death may occur from breathing this chemical. http://www.wireville.com/news/Cabling%20Can%20Blind%20You.html

There are major areas of concern that remain un-addressed in the NEC 2008 (National Electrical Code). As the building industry is besieged with litigation revolving around the mold toxicity issue, we asked the question: "Does the testing process for fire safety measure the TOXICITY of the cables when overheated or burned?" The answer is shockingly "NO".

Most of the cabling industry participants understand the meaning of terms like: fire, smoke and fuel load. The testing for the current code measures only flame spread, and smoke index. The testing does not measure heat decomposition, thermal toxicity, toxic gases or the incapacitation factor.

Many safety experts feel that the NFPA revision of the scope that defines the safety issues should include sublethal toxicity and the incapacitation factor. If the testing does not recognize these other areas, then the full safety factor is not included. As a simple example: imagine chaining your legs to a large anchor and dropping to the bottom of the pool. The chain and anchor won't kill you, drowning will.

Communications infrastructure (cabling & connectors) is focused on two major areas - performance and safety. Typically, performance is placed in the arena of standards (EIA/TIA) and safety is related to codes (NFPA/NEC). Most of the information provided by the manufacturers deals with performance and interoperability. The information about safety is usually described in relationship to meeting certain codes.

Remarkably, fire safety performance SUSTAINABILITY is not measured. Who wants a product that is safe today and useless tomorrow? You should know how long these products maintain their fire safety performance. This important aspect of safety is also completely absent from the criteria of the current of the NEC (2008) and the proposed criteria of the upcoming NEC (2011).

Cables that are listed and approved for use in air spaces (CMP - UL 262 ) should be tested and monitored to determine if the safety performance falls below the minimum code threshold. Fire safety equipment such as sprinkler systems and extinguishers are periodically monitored to assure performance that meets a code requirement. Fire safety performance is required over time. Currently the cable fire safety performance is only tested once.

During the past several decades, you may have seen the effect of product “toxicity” on various industries and the victims. No one can ignore the echoing repercussions from tobacco, asbestos, and lead. The finger pointing and lawsuits continue to be prominent in the news. One common area of the litigation over these products seems to be the failure to warn the buyers/users about the dangers.

In the commercial real estate world, cable removal is a hot topic. Most building owners can work with existing tenants to comply with the NEC 2008 mandate for the removal of abandoned cable. The tenants may minimize the downstream costs associated with cable removal by maintaining proper labeling and keeping good cable management records. By working with the building owners the new tenant might accept your cabling infrastructure. The old tenant and the new tenant will both save money.

SAFETY

The tragedy at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, has burned an image into almost everybody's conscious thoughts.  Safety in the commercial and office building environment is a renewed priority. 

Modern office buildings use open, concealed spaces for return-air plenum as well as pathways for data and communications cabling. Ceiling cavity plenums (the space between the top of the finished ceiling and the underside of the floor or roof above) or raised floor plenums (the space between the top of the finished floor and the underside of the raised floor) are spaces used to return environmental air and often contain large amounts of data and communications cabling, sometimes several generations.  Because of the volume of airflow in these spaces, they are particularly vulnerable to the spread of toxic gasses yet are virtually free of detection systems.  Investigation reports have shown that toxic gasses in these concealed (plenum) spaces can travel rapidly, be very difficult to locate and remove from the building.

We should select materials that have low smoke generation characteristics, and reduced toxicity (how harmful the smoke is to human beings).  Smoke and toxic fumes from wires and cables installed in air handling spaces should be minimized.  US codes only address two (2) of these criteria.  The NEC (National Electrical Code) is silent when it comes to toxicity. 

If there is a fire, heating and air conditioning ducts could become conduits for hydrogen fluoride and other gases, which can cause fatalities.  Halogen in the insulation and the jacketing of CMP cables helps prevent the cables from catching fire, but if the cable jackets overheat, the fumes may drive up the death toll.  

important note: Many cable manufacturers have added RoHS compliant, LEAD-FREE cables to their product lines.  Remember to request:  RoHS compliant LEAD-FREE cables.

CABLING CATEGORIES

CAT 5e LEAD-FREE Non-Plenum           CAT 6 LEAD-FREE Non-Plenum

CAT 5e LEAD-FREE Plenum (CMP)       CAT 6 LEAD-FREE-Plenum

CAT 5e+ LEAD-FREE Non-Plenum         CAT 6+ LEAD-FREE Non-Plenum

CAT 5e+ LEAD-FREE Plenum (CMP)     CAT 6+ LEAD-FREE-Plenum (CMP)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

The Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) - Technical report No. 51 - ‘Environmental, Health and Safety Issues in the Coated Wire and Cable Industry’ www.turi.org/PDF/Wire_Cable_TechReport.pdf

The Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI)

Environmental Challenges in the Coated Wire and Cable Industry Meeting Summary, June 2002

http://www.turi.org/business/wire_and_cable/wc_summary_20020606.pdf

EPA Issues Powerful Indictment Of Chemical in Teflon

http://www.ewg.org/policymemo/20021113/20030328.php

West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection - News Release on Teflon Pollutant

http://www.dep.state.wv.us/Docs/2931c8.nov.pdf 

State DEP Underestimates Health Hazards of Teflon-Related Chemical

West Virginia DEP and related news Releases on Teflon Pollutant

Environmental Working Group (EWG) e-clips

http://www.ewg.org/news/eclips.php?reportid=127

“Environmental Impacts of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Building Materials’

A briefing paper for the Healthy Building Network by Joe Thornton, Ph.D.

 http://healthybuilding.net/pvc/ThorntonPVCSummary.html

US Environmental Protection Agency-Technology Transfer Network Air Toxics  - LEAD COMPOUNDS          

http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/LEAD.html 

PVC - A Primary Contributor to the  U.S. Dioxin Burden

Pat Costner, Charlie Cray, Gail Martin, Bonnie Rice, David Santillo and Ruth Stringer 

http://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/PVC-Primary-Contributor-Dioxin.htm 

The LEAD Education and Abatement Design Group

http://www.LEAD.org.au/fs-index.html

Green by Design - Daniel Williams, AIA

http://sustainable.state.fl.us/fdi/edesign/news/9704/grnbydes.htm 

Comments on the Commissions Green paper on environmental issues of PVC

http://www.ecocouncil.dk/engelsk_websted/arkiv/2000/001128_green.html 

United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)  - ‘LEAD and Human Health’

http://www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/LEAD/health.htm

The Alliance For A Clean Environment 'PVC  The Poison Plastic - There are SAFER ALTERNATIVES '

http://www.acereport.org/pvc2.html

"What is Extended Product Responsibility? " By David Haskell Grassroots Recycling Network

http://www.grrn.org/

Healthy Building Network

http://www.healthybuilding.net/pvc/

ASTDR - Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry -ToxFAQ’s ™ for LEAD

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts13.html

NFPA's Research Foundation examines how quickly smoke incapacitates
Study aims to assure escape from burning buildings
NFPA smoke toxicity

http://www.nfpa.org/PressRoom/NewsReleases/ResearchFoundationStudy/researchfoundationstudy.asp 

International Study of the Sublethal Effects of Fire Smoke on Survivability and Health  - Phase I final Report

http://fire.nist.gov/bfrlpubs/fire01/PDF/f01080.pdf

Combustion atmosphere toxicity of materials intended for internal cables - white paper by Borealis

http://www.borealisgroup.com/public/pdf/customer_centre/0202toxicity_FROCC.pdf

Hydrofluoric Acid MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) by DuPont

http://msds.dupont.com/msds/pdfs/EN/PEN_09004a2f801b4efc.pdf

Occupational Health Guideline for Fluorine

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/pdfs/0289.pdf 

Occupational Health Guideline for Hydrogen Fluoride

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/pdfs/0334.pdf  

Hydrofluoric Acid MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) by DuPont

http://msds.dupont.com/msds/pdfs/EN/PEN_09004a2f801b4efc.pdf  

UL limited combustible cable testing program revised:

http://www.ul.com/wiretalk/v11n3/testing.html 

Link to article on critical cabling safety issues:
"Cabling what you don’t know can kill you" article by Stephen Saunders

http://www.wireville.com/news/Cabling%20Can%20Kill%20You.html

ACUTA

ACUTA’s April 19-22 Annual Conference

Addresses Technology Successes, Challenges

Speakers representing 28 different colleges and universities will bring their expertise and insight to this year’s Annual Conference of ACUTA, the Association for Information Communications Technology Professionals in Higher Education, April 19-22 in Atlanta.

In addition to the many campus professionals sharing their knowledge, successes, and challenges in educational sessions, the conference will feature an extensive lineup of industry expert speakers. Topics range from wireless implementations to unified communications and convergence, green computing and networking to emergency alert systems, and from project management and leadership to addressing funding challenges.

Keynote speaker for the event will be Miles O’Brien, former chief technology and environmental correspondent for CNN.

“This year’s Annual Conference sessions are designed not only to address emerging technologies and technology strategies, but also to provide expert guidance on how our members can increase their performance and that of their staffs,” said Jeri Semer, executive director of ACUTA. “Most importantly, the conference itself offers the ideal opportunity for our members to network with their peers. This sharing of strategies and experiences provides a great benefit to our members and their schools.”

This is the 38th Annual Conference for ACUTA, the only international association dedicated to serving the needs of higher education information communications technology professionals. Representing nearly 2,000 individuals at some 780 institutions, ACUTA’s core mission is the sharing of technology and management information, and its Annual Conference is its largest event of the year. The 2009 conference is the first ACUTA annual gathering held outside the summer months, as the organization moved the conference earlier in the year in an effort to make it more convenient for more members to attend.

ACUTA’s Annual Conference runs concurrently with its 13th annual Forum for Strategic Leadership in Communications Technology, a two-day assembly of senior attendees, with intensive sessions taught by higher education leaders and expert consultants. The forum’s focus this year is on the challenges presented in a time of great financial and technical change and technology’s role in addressing those challenges.

The Annual Conference also features an exhibit hall with companies showcasing the latest campus-focused technology products and services. During the event, at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta, ACUTA will announce the winners of its annual leadership and institutional excellence awards. More information about the Annual Conference and the Strategic Leadership Forum can be found at www.acuta.org.

About ACUTA
ACUTA, the Association for Information Communications Technology Professionals in Higher Education, is an international non-profit educational association serving colleges and universities. Its core purpose is to support higher education information communications technology professionals in contributing to the achievement of the strategic mission of their institutions. ACUTA represents nearly 2000 individuals at some 780 institutions of higher education, with members ranging from small schools and community colleges to the 50 largest U.S. institutions. ACUTA’s Corporate Affiliate members represent all categories of communications technology vendors serving the college/university market. For more information, visit www.acuta.org or call 859-278-3338.

Contacts: Pat Scott, ACUTA, 859-278-3338, ext. 221, or pscott@acuta.org

Kevin Tanzillo, Dux PR, 903-865-1078 or kevin@duxpr.com

BICSI

BICSI U.S. South-CentralRegional Meeting was a hit

BICSI U.S. South-Central Regional Meeting (February 26^th in Houston, TX) was a real value for the attendees. Networking plus lunch and learn (CEUs included) was the order of the day.

These regional meetings bring the value of the big conferences at a fraction of the cost and a big reduction in travel time. We tip our hat to Michael Collins and the other regional directors for their contributed time and successful efforts.

U.S. South-Central Region Director
Michael Collins, RCDD
Technical Sales Manager - AT&T
6500 W. Loop South, Zone 4.8
Bellaire, TX 77401
Tel: +1 713.567.1234
Fax: +1 832.553.8047
Cell: +1 713.306.6134
E-mail: mcollins@bicsi.org

www.bicsi.org

One of the educational presentations at this meeting included the inside scoop of a new technology that will revolutionize how we connect fiber optic cabling.

Extending the Lifecycle of Fiber Optic Cables

Power Point Presentation …will be on www.megladonmfg.com

Fiber Optic cable lifecycle is a challenge within fiber optic networks because of the inherent fragile characteristics of fiber optic cables.  Fiber performance is drastically reduced when there are scratches or contamination present on the fiber, and also over the course or multiple matings and improper installations. 

This presentation outlined these characteristics by focusing on how they are caused, how they deteriorate performance, and how they can be prevented. 

Industry best practices can contribute to extending the lifespan of the fiber optic cables, but are limited in their ability to actually safeguard fiber cables from damage.   An introduction to Megladon Mfg. SCRATCHGAURD™ technology shows how existing technology can help strengthen optical networks through more robust connector technology.

By John Culbert, President – Megladon Mfg. johnc@megladonmfg.com

BICSI Region Meetings are the perfect setting for personalized networking with industry professionals in your local area. Offered throughout the year, these one-day meetings also provide up to four continuing education credits (CECs).

BICSI Region Directors are continually working to add new and exciting programs where you can view vendor showcases and attend technical presentations on some of the latest innovations in the ITS industry. The cost of attending a BICSI Region Meeting is $25 for BICSI members, members of related organizations and anyone interested in learning about BICSI. Students may attend region meetings for free. Expand your knowledge by coming to the next meeting in your region!

Click here to download the Region Meeting Sponsor Application. 
Click here to download the Region Meeting Presenter Application. 

Breakfast Clubs –

[ Download Breakfast Club guidelines ]

BICSI Breakfast Clubs fill you in on what's happening in your area and frequently offer unique technical presentations and vendor exhibits. These informal meetings are increasingly popular as they offer brief, informative morning gatherings that provide CECs and allow you time to head to the office and continue your day.

Upcoming Region Events

Southeast Region Meeting
March 5, 2009
Dulles, VA

Connected Buildings
March 10, 2009
Bayamon, OC Puerto Rico

South-Central Breakfast Club Meeting
March 17, 2009
Albuquerque, NM

Canadian Regional Meeting
March 19, 2009
Moncton, NB

Northeast Region Meeting
March 26, 2009
Breinigsville, PA

Canadian Region Meeting
March 27, 2009
Cagary, AB Canada

Western Region Meeting
March 31, 2009
San Diego, CA

North-Central Region Meeting
April 2, 2009
Cleveland, OH

Northeast/North-Central Breakfast Club Meeting
April 7, 2009
Pittsburgh, PA

Energy efficiency for Data Centers - in row cooling
April 16, 2009
Bayamon, OC Puerto Rico

Canadian Region Meeting
May 28, 2009
Toronto, ON

Northeast Region Meeting
June 26, 2009
New York, NY

Northeast and Noth-Central Breakfast Club Meeting
July 28, 2009
Pittsburgh, PA

Northeast and North-Central Breakfast Club Meeting
October 6, 2009
Pittsburgh, PA

Northeast Region Meeting
October 15, 2009
Sturbridge, MA USA

Canadian Region Meeting
October 22, 2009
Ottawa, ON Canada

South-Central Region Meeting
December 15, 2009
Dallas, TX

Sunday - April 19, 8:30 AM - 11:45 AM

Steal My Project Management Office

Brett Coryell (Emory University)

This session has everything, and we mean everything, you need to set up a fully functioning project management office

Sunday - April 19, 8:30 AM - 11:45 AM

Wireless Trends

Sunday - April 19, 1:15 PM - 4:30 PM

Financial Models to Support Converged Technologies

Sunday - April 19, 1:15 PM - 4:30 PM

Infrastructure Needed to Support IPTV

Walt Magnussen (Texas A & M University) a

Chris Norton (- Texas A & M University)

This seminar offers a description of the infrastructure required to support IPTV (multicast). The instructors recently installed an IPTV head end at the Texas A&M University ITEC. The plan is that the programming is being evaluated for Internet2-wide distribution.

Monday - April 20, 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

Corporate Presentation: Replacing Legacy Voicemail Solutions with Unified Communications

Monday - April 20, 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

ROI for VoIP? Yep, We Struggled

Faye Snowden (University of the Pacific)

After funding to implement VoIP for the Stockton campus was approved and the deployment completed, an eye was turned to Pacific’s Dugoni School of Dentistry. Should a currently functioning switch be replaced? Should perfectly working handsets be replaced? Telecom together with Dugoni began work on the traditional ROI. See how Pacific moved from the traditional ROI to a cost comparison which allowed them to understand the costs of staying with the current system versus moving to VoIP.

Monday - April 20, 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

ACUTA 101

Mary Lou Emmons (Indiana University)

Chair of ACUTA’s Membership Committee, the presenter will take you through the conference events and the organization's history and objectives and leave you with resources that can be useful when you return home.

Monday - April 20, 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

Campus Experiences with Recent Environmental Emergencies

Brian Nichols (Louisiana State University and A & M College)

Mark Zuber (Kirkwood Community College)

The panelists represent campuses that experienced natural disasters over the past year. They will discuss what was done to deal with the emergencies and lessons learned along the way.

Monday - April 20, 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM

How to Deploy Identity Management without Busting the Budget

Brad Alexander (- Wellesley College)

Higher education institutions have unique requirements of identity management solutions and the capabilities of commercial off the shelf software packages are typically pushed to their limits. The presenters will discuss the challenges involved and will present some of the key findings and recommendations culled from working with a number of institutions, including Wellesley College.

Monday - April 20, 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

Corporate Presentation: Converged Network Solutions Enhance Campus Communications

Monday - April 20, 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

ACUTA Organizational Collaborations with Internet2 and ITERA

James Gantt (- Murray State University)

As a part of a strategic initiative, ACUTA has established collaborative relationships with Internet2 and ITERA. These two organizations represent the higher education research community and the faculty that teach telecommunications classes on our campuses. This session will consist of a moderated panel discussion with members of the two associations as they describe what their associations do and how ACUTA members can take advantage of these relationships.

Monday - April 20, 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

DMCA – Policy and Enforcement on a Campus Environment

Brian Nichols (Louisiana State University and A & M College).

Terry Doub (- Louisiana State University and A & M College)

The RIAA is cracking down on college campuses more today than ever before. Additionally, new peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing mandates outlined in the reauthorized Higher Education Act (HEA) are making it harder for universities to remove themselves from the line of fire. In this session, you’ll learn what the issues are surrounding illegal file-sharing and the new legislation affecting DMCA policy.

Monday - April 20, 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

Campus Cabling and Termination Solutions

Monday - April 20, 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

The Road to Unified Communications at UCLA

Janice Bundy (UCLA)

Bundy will discuss UCLA’s RFP and award process, their implementation plan, and their communications strategy to transition 17,000 MSM voice mail subscribers to the AVST system.

Monday - April 20, 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM

Corporate Presentation: Dual-Band Mobile and Hosted Services

Monday - April 20, 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM

Bringing Effective Operational Leadership to IT

Carol Gray (University of Southern California)

The presenter will teach attendees to become better leaders and communicators with emphasis on improving their overall leadership abilities.

Monday - April 20, 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM

Designing and Deploying 802.11n Wireless on a College Campus

Sandra E Roberts (Wellesley College)

Most schools have now deployed 802.11a/b/g wireless technology in some manner on campus; Wellesley College has taken the plunge into a campus-wide design and deployment of an 802.11n network

Monday - April 20, 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM

Siemens User Group

User Group Leader: John Stier, Stony Brook University, john.stier@stonybrook.edu

Monday - April 20, 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM

Users' Perspectives on Unified Communications

Mark Reynolds (University of New Mexico.

Serge Razafindrakoto (Louisiana State Univ and A & M College).

Carolyn Trail ( Roanoke College) 

Representatives of three universities will discuss their experiences with unified communications. Why are they doing it? Pros and cons? ROI? What is UC bringing to the table? How will they market it? Will it improve productivity?

Monday - April 20, 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM

Aastra User Group

User Group Leader: Diane McNamara, Union College, mcnamard@union.edu

Monday - April 20, 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM

NEC User Group

User Group Leader: Hardy Kail, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, kail@uthscsa.edu

Tuesday - April 21, 8:00 AM - 9:15 AM

Where is Telecom in the Convergence Sea Change?

Bill Clebsch (Stanford University)

Tony Mordosky (- Rowan University)

This lively discussion about the big ideas in information communications technologies will make you think. The panelists will banter about their views on convergence, telecommunications, and other technologies that are transforming higher education.

Tuesday - April 21, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Corporate Presentation: Are You Totally Prepared?

Tuesday - April 21, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Illinois Network Upgrade Project

Beth Scheid (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

Paul Lucas (- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

It took five years to secure campus funding to upgrade legacy Cat 3 buildings to a Cat 6 infrastructure, with a 100 Mbps connection to each desktop and a 1 Gbps connection to each building. The presenters will discuss how they prioritized their work, partnered with other campus units, contained costs, and dealt with pressures to increase the scope of the work as technologies evolved.

Tuesday - April 21, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Pinnacle User Group

User Group Leader: Mark Herro, Texas A&M University, mherro@tamu.edu

Tuesday - April 21, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Polycom User Group

User Group Leader: Donna White, Georgetown University, whitedb@georgetown.edu

Tuesday - April 21, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

AVST User Group

User Group Leader: Scott Claverie, California State University, Chico, sclaverie@csuchico.edu

Tuesday - April 21, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

How to Go Green

Bill Clebsch ( Stanford University) 

Joyce Dickerson (Stanford University)

This session will focus on sustainability and green computing in higher education, using Stanford’s efforts as an example of what is possible. The presenters will provide an overview of the topic, focusing on how sustainability needs to be an integral part of IT engagement and planning for campus initiatives, from new buildings to new system implementation to broader initiatives driving towards an environmentally sustainable world.

Tuesday - April 21, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Design and Deployment of a Campus-Wide VoIP System

Kevin Sebolt (Franciscan University of Steubenville)

In 2005, Franciscan University made a strategic decision to embrace the convergence of voice and data on a single network with results that continue to pay dividends. By August 2006, the University had successfully deployed 1,800 VoIP stations (for administration AND students)

Tuesday - April 21, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Financial Models: Different Approaches to the Same Result

Angel Wingate (Duke University)

David Mixon (Sr. Business Manager – Duke University)

Brett Coryell (Deputy CIO – Emory University)

Susan Crochet (IT Human & Financial Resources Officer- Louisiana State University)

Michael Palladino (- University of Pennsylvania)

The panelists will focus on their IT funding models, how they determine the costs that need to be recovered and the amounts to be charged, how their budgets are structured, and their visions for the future of IT funding over the next 3-5 years. The audience will have an opportunity to participate in the discussion.

Tuesday - April 21, 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

Corporate Presentation: Delivering Next-Generation Telephony Applications

Tuesday - April 21, 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

Slippery Rock Intros RFID Payment System for Mobiles

Henry Magusiak (Systems Engineer, IT – Slippery Rock University)

Beverly Lumley (Slippery Rock University)

Contactless technology came to the students at Slippery Rock University with the replacement of its ID cards with cards based on an RFID system that includes a 13.56MHz contactless token to affix to a cell phone, PDA or other portable device. The complementary tag can be used to pay at vending and laundry machines; check out library books; buy meals; receive financial aid, tuition reimbursements, or refunds; or make contributions to the university.

Tuesday - April 21, 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

Where Have All the Women Gone? Were They Ever Here?

Marilyn Drury (- University of Northern Iowa)

Attracting and retaining women in higher education IT and providing them with opportunities to move into leadership roles provides individuals and organizations with an expanded pool of talent and skills along with new perspectives. This session will share recent research findings from women leading higher education IT organizations. This session will provide fresh ideas as to how your organization or institution might attract and retain women in IT positions.

Tuesday - April 21, 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

 Going Green: Mobile University

Tuesday - April 21, 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

IT Funding from the CIO Perspective

Carolyn Lightfoot (Lee College); As Interim Dean of Administrative Services Lightfoot oversees an annual budget of more than $5M for the operation of Administrative Services. As

John K. Mullin (Georgia Institute of Technology)

William Gruszka (CIO - Southern Polytechnic State University) .

Ric Simmons (Louisiana State Univ and A & M College)

This session will focus on the current structure of each school’s IT budget and how is it funded; their proposals for funding over the next 2 years; their expectations of success; and their visions for the future of IT funding over the next 3-5 years and beyond. The audience will have an opportunity to participate in the discussion.

Tuesday - April 21, 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM

Corporate Presentation: UC Migration Done Right- Avoid the Pain

Tuesday - April 21, 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM

Legislative and Regulatory Issues Overview

Tuesday - April 21, 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM

Cisco User Group

User Group Leader: Wendell Barbour, Longwood University, barbourwa@longwood.edu

Tuesday - April 21, 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM

Looking Back on Massive Wiring Upgrades

Tuesday - April 21, 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM

Connecting Your Campus Wirelessly

Kevin Roberts (CIO – Abilene Christian University)

Kayvon Beykpour, Aaron Wasserman, Ben Cunningham, and Pablo Jablonski (Team Stanford University)

Mobility solutions are becoming more prevalent in higher education, both in and out of the classroom. They will discuss their unique needs, factors they considered, challenges they overcame, opportunities the solutions provided, and the growth potential. They will also discuss how the solutions have enhanced the educational process and the student life experience.

Tuesday - April 21, 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM

T-Metrics User Group

User Group Leader: Dave Wirth, Princeton University, dwirth@princeton.edu

Tuesday - April 21, 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM

Verizon Business User Group

User Group Leader: Deb Duncan, Texas A & M University, djduncan@tamu.edu

Wednesday - April 22, 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

FERPA

Reta Pikowsky (Georgia Institute of Technology.

We’ve all heard of FERPA. But do you really know what it is? The presenter will discuss FERPA and some things IT professionals need to know when considering how we transport information on and off the campus.

Wednesday - April 22, 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

 Navigating through the 'TDM to VoIP' PBX Minefield

Wednesday - April 22, 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Corporate Presentation: Network Security Myths and Secrets

Wednesday - April 22, 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Marist College Implements Clean Access

Christine Mulvey (Marist College) Eric Kenny (Marist College)

Implementing a new Network Access Control system can be a long process fraught with challenges. Marist College had a set of requirements that no single vendor supported completely. With a little ingenuity and touch of home-grown code, they implemented Cisco's Clean Access campus-wide. The presenter will outline their requirements, vendor selection, limitations they overcame, notification methods, manpower needs, and deployment of a full-blown NAC.

Wednesday - April 22, 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Project Management: Can you Walk the Walk?

Melanie Leggett (Texas A & M University) Walt Magnussen (Director for Telecommunications – Texas A & M University)

Project management is not practiced as often as it could or should be. While there is a cost in implementing a good project management plan, the cost of not doing so is projects that are not delivered on time and under budget. The presenters will review the PMP certification process and will demonstrate how project management has enhanced efficiency and timely completion of projects, not to mention the increased camaraderie at their institution.

Wednesday - April 22, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Corporate Presentation: Productivity Powered by the Human Voice

Elwyn Hull (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center)

Wednesday - April 22, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

 Implementing a Mobile UC Solution

Wednesday - April 22, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Geekwork and Bean Counters

Jerry W. Smith (Director, Office of Information Services - Pittsburg State University)

This session will consider how the mindset and approach to work differs between technical and administrative staff

Wednesday - April 22, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

 Leveraging Existing Copper Networks to Meet Campus Safety Requirements

Wednesday - April 22, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

 Cyber Threats & Identity Theft

Terence B. Fisher (Supervisory Special Agent of the Atlanta, Georgia Cyber Squad – FBI)

Wednesday - April 22, 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

 Corporate Presentation: 3G Wireless Solutions

Wednesday - April 22, 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

Managing your Institution's Wireless Bubbles

Andy Hulsey (Director Telecommunications - University of Central Florida)

Institutions could benefit by considering radio communications spectrum management that includes WiFi and beyond. Licensed radio frequencies are a precious commodity and need management.

Wednesday - April 22, 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

 How Shared PC Computing can Change Teaching

Wednesday - April 22, 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

Limitations of Third-Party EAS over Cellular Text Messaging

Patrick Traynor (Assistant Professor in the School of Computer Science - Georgia Institute of Technology

Emergency alert systems  -  This talk will focus on the limitations of cellular networks as the basis of emergency information disseminators.

Wednesday - April 22, 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

 Gaining Buy-In and Support for Technology Initiatives

Wednesday - April 22, 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Re-FRESH Your Perspective, Re-charge Your Batteries and Re-plenish Your Spirit

Kirk Weisler (Chief Morale Officer) Recognized internationally for his demystifying approach to building effective teams and creating great culture with what he calls “Culture Building," Kirk travels around the world speaking with IT and support professionals on things they can do without permission, and without a budget to grow themselves, their people, and create an outrageously cool cultures in the process. Kirk began his personal cultural revolution and leadership training programs in the low morale, low pay, high turnover world of outsourced call centers Now he shares his evangelical message around the world…encouraging, inspiring and inviting them to create the culture they want, to take ownership of their environment and to stop having “a job” and start having a life!

Chief Morale Officer Kirk Weisler will inspire you to wrap up the FRESH IDEAS you gained at the Conference and return to work invigorated.

Whether you are a strategic visionary, a technology guru, a problem solver, or a worker bee, you should take time to replenish yourself to keep your leadership spirit fresh and your perspective positive. At this closing session, Kirk will show you how to:

Abilene Christian University)

Duke University)

Emory University) 

Franciscan University of Steubenville)

Georgia Institute of Technology

Indiana University) 

Kirkwood Community College) 

Lee College

Louisiana State University and A & M College) 

Marist College)

Murray State University)

Pittsburg State University)

Roanoke College) 

Rowan University)

Slippery Rock University)

Southern Polytechnic State University) .

Stanford University) 

Texas A & M University

UCLA)

University of Central Florida)

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

University of New Mexico.

University of Northern Iowa)

University of Pennsylvania)

University of Southern California)

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center)

University of the Pacific) 

Wellesley College) 

CABA

CABA New Research Papers are now online and searchable

Networking science is the foundation of the 21^st century.

If you were arrested for being informed and knowledgeable, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

CABA - the Continental Automated Buildings Association has New "Research Papers" that are now online and searchable. Join today.  www.caba.org

CABA continues to provide timely research and information on integrated systems and home/building automation. We are pleased to announce that one hundred and fifty four (154) research papers were added in 2008! Below are some of the latest research papers that have recently been placed in the CABA Research Library at: http://www.caba.org/Content/Documents/Document.ashx?DocId=32711.

Only CABA members have access to the full CABA Research Library! Individual contacts within CABA members will now have their own username (their personal email address) and password. Therefore, if any contact would like to be added to your account, they need to email either Rawlson O'Neil King (king@caba.org) or Susan Martin (martin@caba.org) with their full contact information and we will gladly set them up. The registration won't be instantaneous, but should be completed within one or two business days.

Logging into the system will allow CABA members to access private member sections and will also provide registered users with the opportunity to access new, integrated online discussion forums.  If you ever forget your password, enter your email address in the top right hand section of the CABA web site (http://www.caba.org) and select "Forgot password" and an email will be sent on how to change it.

CABA non-members can access the CABA "Public" Library at: http://www.caba.org/Default.aspx?pageId=174730 to view the full Reports that have been featured in the Friday CABA SmartBriefs. Please contact Ken Gallinger,(mailto:gallinger@caba.org); 613.686.1814 Ext. 229 or call the "Member Hotline" - 888.798.CABA (2222) for additional info.

Are you aware that CABA research subscriptions/membership fees start at $600. See http://www.caba.org/Default.aspx?pageId=125188 for additional details on the CABA research subscription/memberships.  As a non-member, you can obtain these reports by entering the CABA eStore (http://estore.caba.org/collections/research-reports), selecting "Research Reports".  

CABA SmartBrief

This online news publication from the Continental Automated Buildings Association  delivers leading news and research about integrated systems and automated homes/buildings industry information to your inbox each day.  If you haven't already, you can view a recent issue and sign up at: http://www.smartbrief.com/caba.   It only takes a minute to subscribe and it's free.   

You may also want to circulate it to others in your organization or your customers. CABA members are encouraged to send there breaking news stories and video clips so they can be added to the SmartBrief.

CABA Research Library:

(IS-2009-24) UPnP Technology - The Simple, Seamless Home Network 
http://www.caba.org/Content/Documents/Document.ashx?DocId=36369 

This brochure from the UPnP Implementers Corporation is a promotional piece for UPnP.  It provides an overview of the UPnP Forum and the UPnP Implementers Corporation, and announces that UPnP has been approved as an ISO/IEC standard.  A very brief overview of the UPnP networking and control method is included.

(IS-2009-23) Automated Demand Response Cuts Commercial Building Energy Use and Peak Demand 
http://www.caba.org/Content/Documents/Document.ashx?DocId=36371

This summary from Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory describes AutoDR.  AutoDR is a demand response system for buildings that delivers data about a supply event requiring energy reduction.  Energy management systems in building query a utility server for event notices.  They then manage local energy consuming equipment, such as air-conditioning equipment and lighting in response.  The objective is to shed load so the utility can tailor the demand to the available supply of electricity.

(IS-2009-22) CES 2009 - Top 10 Trends 
http://www.caba.org/Content/Documents/Document.ashx?DocId=36372 

DIGDIA presents a summary of key innovation at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) held January 2009 in Las Vegas.  Among the products noted are LCD TVs that are back lit with LEDs for improved contrast, 3D TVs, and TVs with on-screen short cuts (widgets) to Internet-based information.  Many products promoted "green features."  Computer projectors small enough for embedding in a phone are coming.  Flash memory is replacing tape and disks for camcorders.  Digital photo frames are becoming a very competitive market.  Netbooks, sized between a laptop and a PDA, are seeking market share.  Mobile TV is growing.

(IS-2009-21) A Recent Whitestone Study of Energy-Saving Retrofits has Lessons for Other Green Projects

http://www.caba.org/Content/Documents/Document.ashx?DocId=36373

This overview of a report from Whitestone Research examines how to achieve U.S. federally mandated energy savings in older buildings.  A key issue is initial investments versus life-cycle costs.  A detailed analysis showed that a high initial investment saved money over 40 years.  It included such features as a roof garden, triple-glazed windows, and a heat recovery chiller.  Not all investments have the same or even positive returns.  More research is needed.

(IS-2009-20) A U.S. Innovation Strategy for Climate Change Mitigation

http://www.caba.org/Content/Documents/Document.ashx?DocId=36374

This report from the Brookings Institution proposes fiscal and government investment policies for reducing greenhouse gasses (GHGs).  Recommendations include establishing a price for GHGs, research and development tax credits, and public support for university and private sector research.  An expenditure of $8 billion per year through 2016 for this research is proposed.  The U.S. government currently funds 59% of the basis research in universities, non-profits, and government labs.  The cost to stabilize GHG emissions is 0.2 to 5 % of global GDP, depending on the targeted GHG level.  The U.S will bear about 25% of this cost.

(IS-2009-19) ZigBee Resource Guide 
http://www.caba.org/Content/Documents/Document.ashx?DocId=36375 

This guide from the ZigBee Alliance is a promotional magazine for ZigBee.  It includes ads from ZigBee suppliers and summaries of market potential for ZigBee products.  Applications of ZigBee for energy conservation and energy management are described.

(IS-2009-01) 10 Best Practices for Online Merchandising

http://www.caba.org/Content/Documents/Document.ashx?DocId=32704 

This brochure describes how to create an effective web site for retail merchandising. Two techniques are described: user navigation and user search.  About half of shoppers prefer to navigate through a site, while half prefer to search for a particular product.  A search technique needs to help customers who do not provide enough specificity so they can locate the desired product.  If a search fails, alternate products should be offered.  Merchandizing zone techniques on a Web site are discussed for moving selected products, product lines, products with high inventory, or products with high margins.

NECA

What’s next? The NECA (National Electrical Contractors Association) Annual Conference & Exhibition

Mark your calendars for NECA’s Annual Conference & Exhibition.

NECA Convention and Trade Show - Sep 13, 2009 - Sep 15, 2009 in Seattle, WA. This event rivals BICSI and has a host of different buyers with very substantial budgets. The Electrical Contractor is definitely in the IBS business.
In fact, here are just a few interesting statistics from the 2008 Electrical Contractor Magazine profile study:

-66% of electrical contractors did work in Communications/Systems Connectivity, and almost 6 in 10 worked in CII Automation & Controls in 2007.
-57% do work in Residential Automation/Controls

-57% do Structured Wiring / Cabling work

-46% of the electrical contractor’s revenue now comes from their involvement in Design/ Build projects. 
-Overall, electrical contractors make brand substitutions/decisions about 70% of the time.

Industry Experts will discuss the latest solutions for the Integrated Building Systems including: Power – Communications – Control -Security - Life Safety systems plus wireless backbone infrastructure. Change is happening in their world. www.necanet.org

"NECA provides solutions and educational assistance for nearly all the issues that Electrical Contractors face.  Foundation research and NECA's educational programs at the convention and show are addressing our existing problems and working diligently on paving the way for future growth in our industry.”
Ron Autrey, Miller Electric 

NECA Offers “CEU’s or Contact Hours” for Licensing Requirements during NECA Convention & Show.  NECA is an authorized CEU provider and complies with the guidelines and requirements established by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). Participants in many of NECA’s workshops and seminars satisfy state and local licensing requirements. NECA Convention & Show attendees will be scanned at pre-convention workshops, management seminars, and technical workshops. A certificate of contact hours will be available for pick-up on-site.

”Milspec Industries exhibits at 20+ shows a year and we find that NECA does a fantastic job of reaching all segments of the electrical industry.”
William Clary, Milspec

Plan to attend the 2009 NECA Convention and NECA Show in the Emerald City on September 12–15, 2009. Bring your key staff with you. Budget to bring your key people and educate your staff in today’s electrical industry. NECA promises to give you the educational tools that you need to effectively compete in this work environment.

September 12-15, 2009 - Washington State Convention & Trade Center - Seattle
 www.necaconvention.org  More information and specifics to follow next month.

We fight poverty the old fashioned way. We work hard and deliver the products and services that you need.

TPMA

Telecommunications Project Management Association – News March 2009

Change is coming!

Surviving in tight financial times requires a willingness to change. TPMA has a new Website, newsletter format, new classes and new class options. We are adding new internet classes and new ways to share information. All of our programs are being updated to conform with the new (December 2008) PMBOK 4th. edition which has been recognized by ANSI as the standard for Project Management. We will soon offer test preparation programs focused on the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute (PMI).

Customers demand professional project managers who can bring their jobs in; on time, meeting budget and exceeding stakeholder expectation. They have no margin for error.

Your Project Management team should develop a “typical project” binder.

It should include:

• Scope of Work (SOW)
• Quality Plan & lessons learned
• Safety Plan
• Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS)
• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
• Gantt/milestone Charts
• Earned Value Cost/schedule tracking
• Value Engineering
• Network Diagram/PERT/CPM Charts
• Project Calendar
• Timeline
• Communications Plan

Your Sales Team should understand the plan, and be selling it as a value added to current and potential customers.

You should be selling the plans to your upper management (the value added you bring)!

Remember: Perception is reality!

Upcoming Telecommunications Project Manager (TPM) Classes

• Tampa – April 20-24, 2009
• Baltimore – May 6-10, 2009 (BICSI Conference)
• Tampa – May 18-22, 2009
• Tampa – June 29- July 3, 2009

For more information visit our Website at www.telpm.org

BICSI NEWS

25 Changemakers in 25 Years

A celebration of ambition, drive and follow-through

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the RCDD® (Registered Communications Distribution Designer) Program. Over  the  years, we have witnessed the contributions of many influential individuals who, through their vision and drive, have revolutionized the information transport systems (ITS) industry. The group of Changemakers featured in this article are educators, mentors, spokespeople and leaders who have left their footprint in a constantly evolving world. You’ll read about individuals who revitalized cities by developing IT Zones and updating water and power facilities. You’ll discover RCDDs who have co-authored  books on industry subjects never before addressed. You’ll learn about folks who have initiated industry standards and educational events—even those who helped introduce BICSI to areas outside of the United States. In fact, you may even recognize some of the names on our Changemaker list! BICSI pays tribute to these 25 exceptional

Our Changemakers

Although there are countless individuals to recognize as changemakers, the professionals featured in this article have effectively helped to shape the course of the ITS industry. This core group of individuals is empowering in their ability to share what they’ve learned to make a difference.individuals.

John Bakowski, RCDD, NTS,

OSP, WD

Owner and President, ITS Design and Audit 

St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

Stephen Banks, RCDD

Director, Nightlake Limited

Birmingham, United Kingdom

Betty M. Bezos, RCDD, NTS, OSP, WD, PE, PMP, TPM

President and Owner, Bezos Technologies

Miami, Florida

Eugene Botes, RCDD, NTS

Chair, BICSI Middle East and Africa District

Dubai, India

Jerry L. Bowman, RCDD, NTS, CISSP, CPP, TPM

Managing Director, CommScope Global Services

Columbus, Ohio

Colin Browitt, RCDD,

Technical Officer

Retired Technical Representative

Templestowe, Victoria, Australia

Catherine Dunn, RCDD

Business Development Manager,

KITCO Fiber Optics

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Robert S. Erickson, RCDD, NTS, OSP, WD, MMIS

Owner, Communications Network Design

Haysville, Kansas

Robert Y. Faber Jr., RCDD, NTS

Global Accounts Manager, The Siemon Company

Watertown, Connecticut

Brian Hansen, RCDD, NTS

Spec Engineer, Leviton Network Solutions

Rosemount, Minnesota

Ray Keden, RCDD, ITS Technician

Development Manager, Telecommunications, ERICO

San Leandro, California

Christine A. Klauck, RCDD, NTS

Manager of Technical Support, Leviton Fiber Connect Group

Brookfield, Connecticut

David P. Labuskes, RCDD, NTS, OSP, CSI, CTS, CPHIMS

Vice President, RTKL Associates Inc

Baltimore, Maryland

Tom Larsen, RCDD

Retired, AT&T

Buford, Georgia

Dennis Middleton

Managing Director, DESA Australia Pty. Ltd.

Fairfield, Australia

Gary Mormile, RCDD

Manager, Telecom Project Engineering

Bank of America

La Mirada, California

Carol Everett Oliver, RCDD

Marketing Analyst, Berk-Tek, a Nexans Company

New Holland, Pennsylvania

Harry Pfister, RCDD

Retired, GTE

St. Petersburg, Florida

Vic Phillips, RCDD, OSP,

ITS Technician, RITST, MI

President, Information Transport Systems Designers International (ITSDI)

Florence, South Carolina

David M. Richards, RCDD, NTS, OSP, ITS Technician

Owner, DR Consulting

Tampa, Florida

Ron Shaver, RCDD, NTS, OSP, WD, TPM, ITS Technician

Master Instructor, BICSI

Tampa, Florida

Greg Sherry, RCDD, NTS, WD

Managing Director, Data Centre Standards Ltd

London, United Kingdom

Richard S. Smith, RCDD, NTS, OSP
Manager, Bell Aliant Cabling Solutions,

Bell Aliant Regional Services

Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada

Ron Z. Symolon, RCDD, TLT

Retired, Southern New England Telephone

Cheshire, Connecticut

Tony Whaley, RCDD, NTS, WD

Vice President, RTKL Associates Inc.

Baltimore, Maryland

A little history

While telephone giant AT&T was being dismantled following a government antitrust suit in the early 1980s, Tampa, Florida-based BICSI, serving less than 480 members, was developing a credentialing designation for individuals in the communications and building industries.

The idea for an exam-based registration originated with a group of building industry consultants (BICs) from Bell Canada. These BICs were familiar with BICSI through the annual BICs (and later BICSI) conferences that took place in Kentucky in the early ‘70s. Prior to deregulation, BICs worked with  building owners and designers to ensure that new buildings were correctly designed to incorporate telephone distribution systems. BICSI President Jim Alexander recognized the need for a formal registration program that would educate and test individuals in the proper design, integration and implementation of telecommunications and their related infrastructure. He and Executive Secretary Larry Romig (later named Executive Director) initiated the development of the Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD) Program.

The RCDD registration was created in 1984 to promote economical, efficient and flexible tele-communications in commercial and multi-family buildings. The program was intended for architects, electrical engineers, interior designers and telecom personnel from both the regulated and deregulated sectors. Today, the RCDD is an internationally recognized credential for the telecommunications cabling industry and has evolved to include voice, data, video, security and other low-voltage systems. The RCDD credential is achieved by passing a rigorous exam based on the Telecommunications Distribution Methods Manual (TDMM), and is maintained by meeting continuing education requirements and by frequent interaction with other members of the ITS community.

John Bakowski, RCDD, NTS, OSP, WD

Owner and President

ITS Design and Audit

St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

BEGINNINGS: John’s love for telecommunications developed early. He began his career designing building networks for Bell Canada in the BICS group. In 1976, John met Larry Romig, then BICSI Secretary, at a Canadian BICS conference hosted by Bell Canada. Larry, impressed by John’s coordination of the event and his passion for the industry, invited John to become a member of BICSI.

SUCCESSES: John is credited with bringing an international focus to BICSI. As the former Global Region Director for BICSI, he was the voice for countries outside of the United States. During early inter-national expansion efforts, he traveled to Australia with President Richard Reed and Executive Director Jay Warmke to advance the country’s efforts in becoming the Australia/New Zealand District—the first district for BICSI. When John was named BICSI President in 2006, he continued to focus on the international membership. Through his efforts, members in the South Pacific, Japan, Columbia, Europe and the Middle East had a direct connection to the Board of Directors, resulting in a more diverse and intense membership.

Giving Back: Retired from Bell Canada, John continues to stay very active within BICSI and the ITS community. He now provides audit and design consulting on a global level. In addition to his work on the BICSI Registration and Specialties Supervision Committee, John also works with BICSI Cares, the Speakers Bureau and the Past Presidents Council.

John also enjoys proctoring BICSI exams. It’s an opportunity for him to talk to others involved in BICSI courses and programs. “I reach out to people all over the world and share successes I’ve had in the industry. We learn so much from each other.” John often offers words of encouragement and support to those who have struggled taking their RCDD and Specialist exams.

Forward Thinking: What began as a vision to increase the talent pool brought to BICSI has materialized into the NxtGEN Program. While working with international membership, John realized that a growing number of people in the ITS industry were eager to work for and achieve BICSI specialties, but didn’t necessarily need or want the RCDD credential. With that in mind, John presented his idea of allowing individuals to become BICSI Specialists without first having to become an RCDD.  A committee, initially referred to as the Inverted Funnel Project, was developed to review this task. After substantial research, the committee presented their findings and a strategic plan was put in place. The BICSI NxtGEN Committee, under the appointed leadership of Jerry Bowman and Bob Erickson, was created, opening the door for those seeking specialized industry experience and elevating the status of the RCDD credential globally. 

ADVICE: “I believe the ITS industry will continue to grow regardless of the financial blip our economy has recently experienced. But with fewer jobs out there, it’s essential to bring a higher level of service to all your clients. Listen to their needs so you can help your clients grow. BICSI is the ideal platform to network, learn and share your expertise and knowledge—a very rewarding atmosphere unlike any other venue in our industry!”

Stephen Banks, RCDD

Director

Nightlake Limited

Birmingham, United Kingdom

BEGINNINGS: At the age of 16, Steve began as a technician apprentice, and he entered the ITS field straight out of school. Toward the end of his apprenticeship at General Electric Company (GEC) of the United Kingdom, he was involved with a newly formed computing group that was developing the digital telephone exchange solution for what is now known as British Telecom. Steve remained at GEC for 20 years, moving through the organization and becoming a design authority for major government and defense projects. Throughout his career, Steve has experienced the electromechanical, electronic, digital and optical aspects of the ITS industry. He took a job at Alcatel, during which time he was involved with the introduction of BICSI to Europe. His involvement at BICSI has been focused on the internationalization of its processes and its core documents, such as the TDMM and ITS Installation Methods Manual (ITSIMM). He also sits on many of BICSI’s committees and co-chairs the Standards Committee.

SUCCESSES: Having been nominated twice as one of the industry’s top 10 ITS influences in the U.K. press, Steve believes all of his accomplishments are great successes. “We have a good client base, good contacts

and good friends. I don’t see anything as a failure. Everything is a success, because it will allow you to move on to the next level.” Coming from a man who has worked in every aspect of the ITS industry and now runs a highly respected consulting company, these words certainly ring true.

Forward Thinking: Since Steve works in a technical industry, he feels that all of what he does is forward-looking, based on sound engineering and experience. “Technology advancements are always breaking ground in one area or another, and there isn’t a problem that you can’t find a solution for,” he says. “So much of what we do is continually changing, with the development of the next generation of products and solutions.” Steve believes that one of the things that makes BICSI stand out in advancing the industry is the creation of

standards and educating people to deliver useable solutions both now and for the future.

ADVICE: “The day that you believe you know all about what you’re doing is the day that you stop learning. There’s a whole lot more to the subject than what you think you know.”

Betty M. Bezos, RCDD, NTS, OSP, WD, PE, PMP, TPM

President and Owner

Bezos Technologies

Miami, Florida

BEGINNINGS: After finishing college with a degree in civil engineering from the University of Miami, Betty was hired by Southern Bell to work as an outside plant engineer in South Dade County, Florida. She later transferred to the BICS group in Miami, and obtained the RCDD credential in 1990. With that in hand, Betty moved on to become a building LAN manager. In 2000, she started her own consulting company and became a BICSI Master Instructor.

Mentors: Betty believes that anyone can become a mentor at any age and at any point in their career. She credits a number of mentors in her life, including a wonderful high school history teacher who taught her that teaching (and learning) could actually be fun. Professionally, Betty has been fortunate to always have mentors present in her life at the right moment in time. Referring to the RCDD credential, Frank Mazzotti was a mentor who sent her to Tampa to take “an exam that one day could probably mean a lot in your career.”

Giving Back: Betty enjoys offering professional guidance, career path information and talking to students about the opportunities that lie ahead. Before her job involved almost 100 percent travel, she volunteered at her church to work with teenagers and young adults. Professionally, she continually connects with students who have taken her courses at BICSI or in university settings. She feels extremely proud to receive e-mails from students telling her they received a job offer after having applied the knowledge acquired in one of her courses.

ADVICE: “Take every opportunity to enhance your knowledge and experience. You may feel that a job is monotonous and does not challenge you, but just by learning a new technology or methodology, you can expand your point of view.” Betty notes that she read Who Moved My Cheese when she was going through challenges in her job. It made her realize that the ITS industry was a field that required the ability to “always be with our tennis shoes around our neck, and to keep moving to the next opportunity. Always be an element of change!”

Forward Thinking: “I am very lucky to be involved in a field that has experienced incredible changes in so few years. As I meet young engineers and designers, I share their excitement and interest for what the future will bring to this field. Technologies such as WiMAX have become competitive and will assure connectivity to remote areas and developing countries throughout the world.”

Eugene Botes, RCDD, NTS

Chair, BICSI Middle East and Africa District

Based in Dubai, India

BEGINNINGS: Eugene’s ITS story began right after school, when he went into telecommunications with the South African Air Force. After that, he went into the private sector, working for a company that likely installed the very first structured twisted-pair cabling solution in South Africa. Gradually, Eugene progressed through the ranks, from installation to sales, with some consulting work as well. He got to hear about BICSI in the mid-1990s, and in 2000, Eugene became the first RCDD in Africa. He became an NTS Specialist shortly after that and took further training in 2003 to become a BICSI Master Instructor—the only one in the Middle East and Africa at that time. He has trained nearly half the RCDDs in the Middle East and Africa and is now serving as the Chair for BICSI’s Middle East and Africa district.

SUCCESSES: Eugene believes that a part of his success can be attributed to support from BICSI Headquarters and other BICSI members in Southern Africa and the United Kingdom. “Without support from others, tasks become more difficult.” 

One successful initiative Eugene has been able to spearhead, with the help of a Steering Committee in Dubai, is the growth of BICSI members in the Middle East and Africa district. Over the past year, the number of conferences held in that region has been increased from one to three—one in South Africa, one in Dubai and one in Saudi Arabia. Because of the geographic size of the area, Eugene felt it would be easier for BICSI to go to the members, rather than people having to travel to BICSI. Therefore, it has been much easier for interested people and members to gain knowledge through attending local conferences.

Membership has increased by at least 130 since 2007, and Eugene has helped to regain lost members, as well as attract new members in the Middle East and Africa—an amazing feat in these poor economic times. “BICSI is consistently growing in the area,” Eugene says. “Yes, the economic crunch has now reached this part of the world too, but as an RCDD you’ve got this global qualification, and if there’s anything I can do to help someone get a better job or a better career, whether it’s in Dubai or somewhere else, that’s what I want to help with.” At the same time it is equally important that knowledge be transferred by those that have it to those that need it—a vital aspect of BICSI’s vision that can be achieved by conferences and training.

ADVICE: Eugene sees life in general this way: “You cannot do what you want to do until you’ve done what you have to do.” Reaching goals may take hard work, but if there is something to believe in, it’s best to dig in, keep believing in it and see things through.

Jerry L. Bowman, RCDD, NTS, CISSP, CPP, TPM

Managing Director

CommScope Global Services

Columbus, Ohio

BEGINNINGS: Jerry became involved in telecommunications as an IT management professional back in the late 1980s. As the industry embraced distributed computing and the speeds began to increase, he began to train technicians in the emerging TIA standards and best practices. During one of those training sessions, Jerry had the opportunity to talk with the instructor, who was an RCDD. He was so impressed with the instructor’s knowledge of telecommunications that, after completing his company’s design training, he began to design the structured cabling systems for the company’s facilities using the newly published TIA-568 standards and the BICSI TDMM. Shortly after the first project, Jerry began to study the TDMM and obtained his RCDD.

SUCCESSES: Jerry experienced his most successful projects after becoming involved in BICSI. He is most proud of the opportunities that he’s had to contribute to the various BICSI manuals and standards. While the design and construction of new factories, high-rise and special-use facilities is exciting, he feels it’s more stimulating to be able to work with a team of professionals and create a document that serves an entire industry. He encourages all ITS professionals to get involved in a committee and write their name in BICSI’s history.

ADVICE: “You are entering this business at possibly the most exciting time in its young history. With technology systems and supporting ITS infrastructure now emerging as pillars of the construction design process, I would encourage those entering this industry to obtain their RCDD and get as much training and additional specialties as they can. The future holds great promise for these emerging professionals, providing they have the breadth of knowledge required for ITS and technology systems and can assume leadership roles within the design and construction process.”

Giving Back: Giving back allows Jerry to repay the debt he owes to those people who took time to teach him during his early years in this business. He pays it forward by ensuring the industry has a new generation of “givers” who will replace those in service now. Surprisingly, when Jerry finds new volunteers, their reason for not having stepped forward before has little to do with the time or energy commitment, but has more to do with their being unsure about how to help. Jerry encourages anyone with doubts or questions to simply ask how they can get involved.

Forward Thinking: “The next biggest changes will occur when we overcome the turf wars and the last few remaining technical challenges and really embrace the 4th utility idea. Once IP data networks finally overcome the last few speed bumps, the RCDD of the future will have an increased responsibility

for the successful construction and operation

of tomorrow’s technology-rich workplace and can take their rightful places next to the architects, engineers and others who are recognized as the foundation of the design and construction industry.”

Colin Browitt, RCDD,

Technical Officer

Retired Technical Representative

Templestowe, Victoria, Australia

BEGINNINGS: Colin gained his basic knowledge and understanding of the industry while in technician training school, where he later earned a diploma in electrical engineering, with a specialization in electronics. Profession-ally, Colin spent much of his career with Telecom Australia, Australia’s leading telecommunications and information services company. During his years with Telecom Australia, Colin saw great change in the industry, which reflected change with the company. When Colin first joined Telecom Australia in 1969 it was known as the Post Master General’s Department and later Telecom Australia. After Colin left Telecom Australia in mid-1990, it later became known as Telstra.

For the following 13 years, Colin also worked as a technical representative for three major telecommunications manufacturers specializing in connectivity solutions. He later became a traveling instructor. Through his teaching, he helped to elevate the quality of ITS professionals in Australia.

SUCCESSES: Working with other associations and companies in Australia, Colin helped create a lobbying group consisting of BICSI members and many other individual organizations. This consortium is working together to bring industry issues to the government. More specifically, the group is working to elevate government policies and create a more strict compliance policy in regard to the quality of ITS design and installation projects.

ADVICE: Colin advises young professionals to first become generalists before specializing in a specific area of ITS. By gaining a fundamental understanding of all things that relate to communications, young professionals will be better equipped to work on more specialized projects later in their career. Colin believes everyone should have experience as a technician, or an equivalent position, and work toward the RCDD credential.

Giving Back: Colin has actively worked in conjunction with others to promote BICSI South Pacific and create recognition of BICSI in the credentialing program area. In the past, he has helped coordinate the speakers and topics for the annual South Pacific Conference, as well as work on the TDMM and volunteer on the local Steering Committee.

Catherine Dunn, RCDD

Business Development Manager

KITCO Fiber Optics

Virginia Beach, Virginia

BEGINNINGS: Cathy’s entry into the structured cabling market was pure happenstance. With career experience in city planning and commercial real estate, she moved from Virginia to Connecticut in 1990. When she couldn’t find a job in real estate, Cathy began working for a temp agency. Through one of her assignments, she interviewed for a job at Hubbell Premise Wiring and her ITS career began. Working with the sales team, product managers and engineers, she learned about structured cabling products from the ground up.

SUCCESSES: With a career focused on sales and marketing within the ITS industry, Cathy is proud of her work on strategic initiatives with a variety of major manufacturers, distributors and end users. Successful projects that stand out include product development and sales management with major structured cabling manufacturers, distributors and national accounts; marketing collateral design and production including catalogs, training manuals and Web site development; product training and curriculum development; and work with the BICSI Membership and Marketing Committee for the past four years.

Mentors: Cathy feels very fortunate to have worked with Brian McGlone, Kevin Thom and John Szupiany of Hubbell Premise Wiring. They have always been strong proponents of BICSI and have encouraged their staff to obtain certifications and get involved. She counts Maureen Selfridge, Carolyn Venceslau and Sharon Uricchio as three of the hardest working and most successful women she knows and views them as great role models when she entered the industry. “They proved that you can establish a career in a predominantly male marketplace while raising a family!”

Giving Back: Cathy believes that giving back is one of the greatest privileges we can exercise, both in our professional and personal life. She enjoys her committee work at BICSI immensely, as well as opportunities to mentor newcomers, network with other members and participate in BICSI Cares at each conference. She’s a firm believer that whatever we give away comes back to us.

Forward Thinking: “We have talked for years about increased bandwidth and conver-gence, and I believe that we are in the midst of a transition from legacy communications structures to true next-generation networks. Fiber optics provides the logical means to meet this exploding demand and I think we will see great strides in the next 5-10 years in this technology, particularly in areas such as health, media, business and government.”

Robert S. Erickson, RCDD, NTS, OSP, WD, MMIS

Owner

Communications Network Design

Haysville, Kansas

BEGINNINGS: Bob began his career working as an electrician on communications towers in Vietnam. While in college, he accepted a job with Southwestern Bell where he was introduced to telecom. For 30 years he worked as an OSP supervisor, OSP design engineer, and customer sales and support engineer. For more than 10 years he has shared his knowledge with students in the Master’s program for Data Communications at Friends University. Currently, Bob is the owner of Communications Network Design.

SUCCESSES: Throughout his career, Bob worked on many successful projects—but one job in particular stuck out to him. Bob worked on a team hired to network a school district in Kansas. The budget was very restricted, but through hard work and strategic planning the system was every bit as good, if not better, than other school districts with much higher budgets. The school district soon became the fastest growing district in the state and their communications network is now among the most advanced in Kansas and the surrounding states.

ADVICE: Bob believes it is most important for young professionals to always be open-minded and look for different and innovative ways of doing things. “Always try new methods and don’t be afraid to fail. Become involved and take ownership in something you feel strongly about.” Bob believes there are three types of people in the world: ones who make things happen, ones who watch things happen, and ones who wonder what happened. “It’s your choice as to which one you represent. Be proactive and make things happen. Never be afraid of change, embrace it, the ride can be exhilarating and rewarding.”

Mentors: Many mentors helped shape Bob’s vision and outlook, both personally and professionally. He’s a positive thinker and helps others around him stay positive and be creative. Negativism will almost always lead to failure. He recalls being told that the best solutions have not yet been developed and never be timid about your ideas. When you voice your opinion, do it in a positive, constructive and enthusiastic way.

Forward Thinking: “ITS is a vibrant field that will continue to grow for the foreseeable future,” says Bob. He suggests pursuing a career in the evolving and rapidly changing communications industry.

Robert Y. Faber Jr., RCDD, NTS
Global Accounts Manager

The Siemon Company

Watertown, Connecticut

BEGINNINGS: Bob graduated from Southern Connecticut State University in the early 1980s with a Bachelor of Science degree in economics. Rather than seeking employment in that field, he was pulled in a different direction to join a small start-up cabling installation company and never left the telecommunications cabling industry. Bob’s initial knowledge of the ITS industry included installing 1A2 key systems, electronic key systems and private branch exchange (PBX) telephone systems. He has continued to acquire immense knowledge working for Siemon the past 25 years.

SUCCESSES: Bob lists his two sons, Rob and Chris, now 16 and 14 respectively, as his most important contributions to the world. He believes the RCDD credential, which he attained on his first attempt, is his most significant professional milestone. He has fond memories of the many hours involved in reading and reviewing the TDMM and the friendship that he developed with George Thorning as they studied for the exam.

ADVICE: “The best advice I can offer is to expect the unexpected, immerse yourself in your profession and seek out opportunities to learn that which is unknown to you as you plan to succeed. Seek knowledge and you

will find success.”

Giving Back: Bob spends countless volunteer hours finding ways to innovate and improve the content published in the BICSI reference manuals and BICSI standards. He feels it’s necessary to get directly involved in order to improve the content for those who study these manuals for future exams. Bob is very proud of the continual improvements that he and his colleagues have offered to BICSI and challenges everyone to realize the satisfaction that comes from making important contributions to BICSI and the industry.

Forward Thinking: “In a couple of words, technology and convergence. Today’s ITS professionals use converged applications and appliances as tools to improve efficiencies in the workplace. The next generation of ITS professionals will interact with these voice, data and video applications and appliances like never before. Already, we are beginning to see all modes of information continually adapt to the emerging demands of new technologies. In the future, we will use these converged applications and appliances utilizing Internet-based, artificial intelligence networks.”

Brian Hansen, RCDD, NTS

Spec Engineer

Leviton Network Solutions

Rosemount, Minnesota

BEGINNINGS: In the 1980s, Brian had a job selling security systems when he met an owner of a cable manufacturing/distribution company. “After I tried to sell him for two hours on a security system, he sat down with me for two hours telling me why I should work for his company,” Brian recalled. That start brought Brian into the ITS industry, where he has been working since.

Mentors: Boyd Uppman, a long-time member of the BICSI Registration and Specialties Supervision Committee, served as Brian’s mentor and got him involved with BICSI. Boyd told Brian about the RCDD program and encouraged him to work toward getting the credential. “I really appreciate what Boyd did for me,” Brian says. “Boyd mentored a lot of people in our industry and our organization. I give a lot of credit to him and what he did in getting me involved with BICSI.”

Forward Thinking: Besides becoming the president of BICSI in 2010, Brian looks forward to writing technology credits for the LEED/Green Building Rating System. LEED/Green building is a very hot topic, and there are no technology credits for it as of yet. Brian believes that writing these credits will not only be a benefit to BICSI members, but for anyone involved in the ITS industry. Once these technology credits are complete, Brian plans to focus on building relationships with other organizations in the industry.

ADVICE: Get involved in ITS and BICSI early. In conjunction with BICSI’s NxtGEN program, Brian wants to involve more colleges and technical schools with BICSI to bring the youth back into BICSI and the RCDD program. “We all know the benefit of the RCDD and how it benefits us in the industry. It can only help young professionals to get their RCDD while they’re in or coming out of college to get them a better position in the industry. The more students and schools we can get involved, the more beneficial it is, not only to them, but to BICSI, our membership and our fellow RCDDs.”

Ray Keden, RCDD,

ITS Technician

Development Manager, Telecommunications

ERICO

San Leandro, California

BEGINNINGS: Ray’s love for telecommunications began straight out of middle school in Frankfurt, Germany, when he enrolled in a three-and-a half year apprenticeship as a telecommunications technician. After earning a master’s degree in electrical engineering, Ray began work at a large, private German telephone company, Telefonbau und Normalzeit, where he remained for 14 years. In 1984, Ray came to America and established Keden Consulting. Working in UL, CSA and NEMA committees, he gained a great deal of experience in North American codes and standards. For the past 14 years, Ray has been employed at ERICO®, where he is currently the development manager for telecommunications.

SUCCESSES: Ray considers his greatest professional achievement to be the introduction and adaptation of the J-Hook. The first non-continuous pathway system to emerge in the ITS industry has become one of the most widely used pathway systems in North America. Ray presented the CADDY® J-Hook to BICSI, TIA and ISO/IEC, where it now plays an important role in both domestic and international standards. What began as a low-cost installation option has developed into a smart choice to help achieve green building solutions.

Giving Back: During his 30 years of participating in standardization, Ray has worked closely with many major standards organizations. An active member of the BICSI Codes and Standards Committees for 12 years, Ray also sat on the German Standards Association (DKE/VDE) from 1978-84. He has represented BICSI since 2002 as a principal in Panel 3 of the National Electrical Code (NEC®). With extensive knowledge in grounding and bonding, as well as cabling standards, Ray is working within ISO/IEC on the Cabling Implementation Task Group (CITG). Their objective is to meld European CENELEC standards and North American TIA standards into a new ISO/IEC 14763-2 Implementation and Operation of Customer Premises Cabling – Part 2: Planning and Installation.

“You don’t contribute to an industry association to garner recognition,” says Ray, “but when BICSI bestowed the 2006 Harry J. Pfister Award for Excellence in the Telecommunications Industry on me, I was humbled, proud and speechless.”

ADVICE: “Get involved, share knowledge and make a commitment to help further the ITS industry,” advises Ray. “You will experience personal rewards along the way. Contractors recognize those affiliated with BICSI as individuals serious about proper knowledge and education. In particular, the RCDD credential opens many doors that might otherwise remain closed.”

Forward Thinking: “There is a better solution out there” is Ray’s working principle. “Working with cables, conduits and other materials was once a relatively static science. As we face the environmental challenges of today, we need to focus on creating products that are more efficient…products that save our resources.”

Christine A. Klauck, RCDD, NTS
Manager of Technical Support

Leviton Fiber Connect Group

Brookfield, Connecticut

BEGINNINGS: Chris originally never aspired to work in the ITS industry. Chris wanted to work as a physical education instructor and planned on studying it after high school. Though supportive, her parents stressed the importance of learning a trade as well. Before studying to become an instructor, she received a certificate in drafting. After completing both programs, Chris began searching for a job and realized there were no openings at schools for instructors. She began drafting for IBM and eventually learned to draft on computers.

SUCCESSES: One of the largest projects Chris worked on was the Price Waterhouse building in Manhattan, New York. The building had more than 1,800 cable drops, with 6 cables per drop and 18 change orders per day. The installation took two years to complete and Chris worked as a project manager and designer throughout the project.

Giving Back: Chris has been an active volunteer within BICSI and other associations for many years. She previously held the position of U.S. Northeast Region Director, currently serves as the Chair for the BICSI Cares Committee and was recently elected to the Board of Directors as Secretary. Through her work with  BICSI Cares, she has had the opportunity to research and select the charities that benefit from attendee donations at the BICSI conferences. With her help, hundreds of thousands of dollars have been donated 

to charity.

Forward Thinking: Currently, Chris works with structured cabling within data centers. She explains it as complicated but exciting. “Looking into the future, there is no doubt data centers are going to play a major role in all designs,” said Chris. With the increased speed of systems, manufacturers are capable of doing a tremendous amount toward the 40 Gb/s applications that are not yet written.

David P. Labuskes RCDD, NTS, OSP, CSI, CTS, CPHIMS

Vice President

RTKL Associates Inc

Baltimore, Maryland

BEGINNINGS: At the start of his career, Dave held the position of chief information officer at a credit and collections finance firm. He later worked as executive vice president with Accelerated Payment Systems, the first offered service supporting payment by check over the phone. For the five years following, Dave owned his own consulting firm named Premier Technology Services, which focused on information technology solutions for businesses and specialized in both the retirement community and financial software industries. Dave began working with RTKL, an international design firm, in 1999 to start a consulting division that worked specifically on low-voltage, voice and data cabling design. Currently, Dave’s division at RTKL employs 60 people who work on ITS projects with specialties in wireless, voice and data, audiovisual, acoustics and security design.

SUCCESSES: Through BICSI, Dave volunteers as the chair for the Technical Information and Methods Committee. This committee is responsible for writing and updating the BICSI technical manuals, as well as the development of additional technical publications. Through his work, he has helped to shape the direction of BICSI and has been actively involved with the NxtGEN initiative. Professionally, Dave takes great pride in the people who work within his division at RTKL. Through his team of talented individuals, the Special Systems Design Group has made great contributions to the value of the RTKL brand.

ADVICE: Dave believes you should focus on giving, not taking, and become involved as a volunteer. “Take the opportunity to meet talented people, learn new skills and help your business grow. Whenever or whatever you give will provide a sense of ownership and affect change in the industry.” Dave has spent as much as 30 hours per week on volunteer work. He believes volunteering is a great way to contribute to BICSI and the industry as a whole.

Forward Thinking: Looking ahead, Dave believes that wireless technologies are going to take center stage in the industry. “Ignore wireless technologies at your own risk,” he warns. He also advises professionals to throw away all assumptions, as the industry will likely undergo a massive shift that requires ITS professionals to create new relationships. Businesses will begin sharing more information virtually and partnering with other businesses to provide new opportunities. The move, he believes, will be global. New challenges will arise and new solutions will be created.

Tom Larsen, RCDD

Retired from AT&T

Buford, Georgia

BEGINNINGS: His first job out of college, Tom joined the sales department of New York Telephone, which was then part of the “Bell System.” In 1980, Tom moved to Atlanta and joined BellSouth’s BICS department. Soon after, Tom was promoted to head up BellSouth’s BICS staff. He then joined BICSI and began a long history of close involvement in BICSI activities.

SUCCESSES: Tom played an integral role in the evolution of BICSI conferences. Back when corporate co-sponsors helped conduct the conferences, BellSouth co-sponsored the Winter Conference for more than 10 years. As the conference co-sponsor director, Tom worked closely with Carol Eisman (then BICSI conference manager) to advance BICSI conferences from homegrown overhead projector presentations to the professional

format that exists today. “Working as the conference co-sponsor director was particularly rewarding for me because new ground was always being plowed. BICSI’s membership numbers soared, especially internationally.”

Giving Back: Tom spent much of his professional career giving back to the industry. Throughout the years, Tom chaired the Education and Training Committee, the Engineering Committee and the Governmental Relations Committee. He won BICSI’s Member of the Year Award in 1986 for establishing BICSI’s first Engineering Committee, the TDMM format and BICSI’s initial design training courses. His continuous involvement during BICSI’s formative years helped the association grow into a leading educator of telecommunications design skills.

Advice: “Get involved in the leadership of BICSI. Lend your expertise and help shape BICSI’s future.”

Dennis Middleton

Managing Director

DESA Australia Pty. Ltd.

Fairfield, Victoria, Australia

BEGINNINGS: As a young man in Scotland, Dennis was always pulling apart clocks, bikes and anything else he could get his hands on. He wanted to be a motor mechanic, but it was suggested that Dennis become an electrician because it was cleaner, more respected and was the way of the future. He got an apprenticeship at the age of 16, and a year-and-a half later, when his family moved to Australia, even more opportunities opened up for him.

After studying one night a week for 10 years at night school in many subjects, Dennis was included on a team that installed the power for some of IBM and ICL’s largest computers in Melbourne. He was highly recognized as someone who understood the stringent grounding requirements for those company’s mainframes, so he continued to be included in major installations all over Australia, New Guinea and Bougainville copper mines.

As computing migrated from the computer room to the desktop it was natural for Dennis to be included in the complex cabling require-ments to the desktop, and he has continued in that aspect of the industry to this day.   

SUCCESSES: Dennis believes that, rather than having a single big success, he has had a series of many small successes. One of these successes was starting his business, DESA, from scratch in 1989. Currently he supervises a staff of more than 300 full-time employees. He was also instrumental in bringing BICSI to Australia, and he uses the RCDD qualification as the cornerstone of his company’s technical team. In doing so, Dennis has set a precedent for other Australian companies to follow suit.

Advice: Dennis was told many years ago that “there is no luck in business; it’s all about preparation.  Prepare for an opportunity when it comes along, because when one is prepared and the opportunity comes, others will call that luck.”

Giving Back: “I feel that I will never give back enough to this industry,” Dennis says. However, since starting DESA, he decided that one of the key success factors for his company would be employing apprentices. Over the past 20 years, he has employed thousands, and watching how the young men and women grow and enjoy the benefits of the ITS industry is fantastic. “Most of our project managers who hold RCDD qualifications have completed their apprenticeship with DESA.” 

Forward Thinking: “Our industry is secure with the good, young people I see coming through, and it is important for folks around my age to believe in these people and help them along the way as others have helped us.”

Gary Mormile, RCDD

Manager, Telecom Project Engineering

Bank of America

La Mirada, California

BEGINNINGS: Gary began in the industry in 1968 working for Pacific Telephone. There he performed a variety of technical and supervisory tasks and eventually became involved with their BIC engineering group. Under recommendation from George Loveren, a fellow BICSI member and RCDD, Gary sat for the RCDD examination and passed. He was among the first group of individuals to take the exam. Since then, he has been a constant contributor to the ITS industry and has urged many in the industry to become BICSI members and work toward receiving the RCDD credential.

SUCCESSES: Gary recalls a project in the early 1990s for the Department of Water and Power where a team from his organization was tasked with updating the Department’s facilities. One of their main multi-story buildings in the San Fernando Valley needed to have a complete infrastructure installation of voice, data, systems, wiring and communications systems. His team was able to build the entire infrastruc-ture and complete the job within the given time line and to a very high standard of installation, especially for that time. It was a very large, very expensive project that Gary was proud to manage. Gary was also one of the managers of an engineering and construction group that worked on design and construction buildout for the Southern California Metrolink System.

Forward Thinking: At the 2008 Fall Conference, Gary was able to attend a presentation regarding NxtGEN and what the program will do to further specialize the structure of the RCDD and Specialist programs. He is very encouraged by this move. He compares it to medical degrees and specializations. “It’s hard for a doctor to know everything. That’s why there are specialties. In the same way, with complex technology, it is very difficult for one RCDD to know every single aspect about every single technology and be 100 percent current. It’s just too much to digest. The further specialization will help to alleviate that.” He believes that NxtGEN expands the importance of BICSI as an organization and the importance of training, and it gives more focus and more credibility to a certification. “Being one of the original RCDDs,” he notes, “I really think it’s a good move.”

Advice: “Stay involved with the organization and support it,” Gary says. “I think, in the long run, BICSI provides many benefits to engineers. Companies I work for today acknowledge my background and acknowledge the organization and what it stands for. The RCDD is my ‘badge of honor.’ It really shows how well-rounded you are.”

Carol Everett Oliver, RCDD

Marketing Analyst

Berk-Tek, a Nexans Company

New Holland, Pennsylvania

BEGINNINGS: Carol began her career working in marketing and advertising. After several years of working with clients in the ITS industry, Carol was urged by a mentor to start her own firm. In 1996 Everett Communications was established. For the past 3 years, Carol has been working for Berk-Tek as the marketing analyst.

SUCCESSES: As a contributing writer to Cabling Business Magazine, Carol has a monthly column called Reel Time. She believes it is important to publish technical information in an easy-to-read format. “I try to explain technical items in the simplest of terms,” says Carol. With more than 100 articles published in many trade journals, it is clear that she has helped to advance the industry with her column, case studies and white papers through education and exposure.

Advice: Carol recalls studying for the RCDD exam. At the time, she was overwhelmed with the amount of information. After asking her Master Instructor for further explanation on some of the topics, she realized it was easier to understand the material by approaching each section individually. After putting her life on hold for three months, Carol achieved the RCDD credential in 2003. She now promotes the RCDD and advises ITS professionals to peruse the credential and embrace the evolving industry through training.

Giving Back: In 1996, Carol attended her first BICSI conference. Since then, she has attended them regularly and currently sits on the Nominating Committee and the Exhibitor Liaison Committee, which she helped to establish and served as its first chair. Through this volunteer work, Carol has helped evolve the Exhibit Hall into what it is today. Working closely with each exhibitor, the committee brings suggestions back to BICSI and proposes policy changes based on the exhibitor feedback.

In addition to her volunteer work with BICSI, Carol also works with ASIS International, an organization for security professionals, as their subject matter expert for structured cabling on their Education Council. “I’m working to create a bridge between the structured cabling and security worlds.” 

Forward Thinking: Looking ahead, Carol predicts that all network services will soon be going into one telecom room, including the security industry and building automation. Smart buildings mean more structured cabling, and the need for ITS professionals to become multidisciplined.

Harry Pfister, RCDD

Retired from GTE

St. Petersburg, Florida

BEGINNINGS: While studying pre-engineering at St. Petersburg Junior College, Harry saw a job posting for an osp engineer at General Telephone Company. Over the next 32 years he held several management positions, promoted to senior and later systems engineer. Harry learned a great deal on-the-job with the AT&T/Bell Telephone Training Manual leading the way. Little did Harry know that attending educational Systems Seminars put on by the University of Kentucky in old tobacco barns would be his first step in helping to establish BICSI.

SUCCESSES: Harry was a regular attendee of the biannual Systems Seminars that offered architects and engineers hands-on learning opportunities and lectures. In time, Harry noticed that more telephone employees were attending the seminars than architects and engineers, changing the dynamics of the event. Representing General Telephone on the Planning Committee, Harry came up with the idea to develop a new conference tailored to individuals in the communications field. In 1973, the University of South Florida and General Telephone sponsored the first BICs conference in Tampa, Florida. As attendee numbers rose, Harry, along with BICSI Executive Director Larry Romig, saw the need for a professional telecommunications association, and in 1974 BICSI was born.

In addition to helping establish BICs conferences and later, BICSI, Harry is also credited for developing the GTE Telephone Standards Manual. The manual was a compilation of many different technical resources from all over the world. When the publication was completed, Harry presented it to BICSI, and it was used as a primary resource for the development of the TDMM.

Giving Back: Harry is extremely active in both his home community and the ITS industry. He shares his knowledge of outside plant and building design in the many committees and organizations he has sat on. Harry has been president of Construction Specifications Institute, as well as local chapters of both the Electrical Council of Florida and the Producers Council (educating architects and engineers). In addition, Harry has been a member of IEEE for 50-plus years and was a member of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association for 30 years.

Advice: Harry’s philosophy, not surprisingly, is if you’re able and active, you should participate. Get involved in the industry. Volunteer to sit on a professional committee, then work hard to make a difference.

FORWARD THINKING: How can we make our industry better? How can we improve our community? For Harry, our community and our industry work hand in hand. By requiring proper codes, we can avoid problems down the road and focus on improving technology and making our world a safer, technologically smarter place to live and work.

Vic Phillips, RCDD, OSP, ITS Technician, RITST, MI

President

Information Transport Systems Designers International (ITSDI)

Florence, South Carolina

BEGINNINGS: Vic started out as an Aviation Electronics Technician for the U.S. Navy. After four years, he moved on to Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), and later the Southern Bell Telephone Company. He began as a groundsman with PG&E and worked his way up to journeyman lineman. Vic graduated under the G.I. Bill with a degree in business administration and industrial management. After 10 years with Southern Bell he was promoted as an OSP engineer. Two years later he became the building industry consultant for the Florence District.

While working for Southern Bell as a BIC, Vic was invited by Bill Milam, the BICS Staff Manager for South Carolina, to attend the 1978 Tampa BICSI Conference. Vic was so impressed that he asked to return the following year. When his company was unable to pay his way, Vic paid for himself.

SUCCESSES: As the 75th member of BICSI, Vic became very involved in the association. In 1980, BICSI President Dunn Harvey asked Vic to chair the Engineering and Standards Committee (today known as the Technical Information and Methods Committee), where he served until 2002. Vic worked with this group to create BICSI’s first technical document, the BICSI Engineering and Standards Handbook. Published by GTE, this book outlined the technical specifications for running pathways in commercial buildings and was used throughout the industry. In addition, Vic became part of a joint working group with GTE to produce and publish the BICS Handbook, the first comprehensive document to address distribution design. The BICS Handbook would later evolve into the TDMM. Vic was also instrumental in developing BICSI’s Installation Program as one of the three SMEs asked to write the BICSI Cabling Installation Manual.

Giving Back: After serving as BICSI President from 1988-89, Vic was ready to retire, which he finally did in 1991. “The industry was good to me. I felt it was my personal responsibility to give back to those starting out in the field.” In 1996, Vic became a BICSI Master Instructor so that he could pass on his knowledge and experience to his students via “brain dumps.” To this day, Vic teaches classes in both distribution design and outside plant. In addition, Vic is helping to expand the availability of BICSI credentials as vice chair of BICSI’s NxtGEN Committee.

Advice: “Treat BICSI as YOUR association. Take entrepreneurial ownership and help BICSI continue to grow and become the world’s premiere ITS association.”

FORWARD THINKING: Back in 1987, Vic and BICSI Executive Director Larry Romig began the process of creating an educational program that enabled individuals out of high school to go as far as they wanted in the telecommunications industry. Today we’ve seen that goal materialize with BICSI’s ITS Installation Program and Distribution Design Program. Now individuals have all the resources they need to become professionals and specialists in the ITS industry.

David M. Richards, RCDD, NTS, OSP, ITS Technician

Owner

DR Consulting

Tampa, Florida

BEGINNINGS: Upon finishing high school in the mid-eighties, David was introduced to the industry by a neighbor who was a retired Pacific Bell instructor. The electrical, as well as mechanical properties of telecom instruments for that time were very fascinating to him, so David attended Western Technical College and received a diploma in telecommunications. His first position was as a repair technician for telephone/answering devices and fax machines. The use of cellular telephone technology was in its beginning stages, and he was involved in the inception of a cellular phone installation and repair department for the first company he worked for following school.

SUCCESSES: David’s success has come since his discovery of BICSI during a 10-year service as the vice president of technical training for PCC Network Solutions. He has volunteered as the BICSI U.S. Western Region Director from 2005-06, the BICSI Board of Directors Liaison for the Education Advisory Council and Installation Committee and is a BICSI Certified Trainer and a Master Instructor. He was involved from start to finish with developing the current BICSI strategic business plan, and served with the National Science Foundation Consortium of Volunteer Instructors from 2001-06. David continues to serve on the Installation Committee and was the driving force behind the development of the BICSI Cabling Skills Challenge.

Advice: ”Find your talent and passion in the industry. Develop a relationship with those who you feel are successful in those areas. Ask them how they got to where they are today and what would they do differently now that they are there. Accept that change is constant in this industry and continuously seek updated education to expand your knowledge.”

Mentors: Mentors have always played a big part in David’s career, and they are the reason for him discovering his passion for teaching. Mentors have helped him maintain his perspective toward his career, while at the same time helping him set benchmarks and goals to keep his curiosity and thirst for knowledge satisfied.

Giving Back: Being a volunteer for an association like BICSI has given David the opportunity to satisfy his passion for sharing knowledge and being a mentor in honor of those who have done the same for him throughout his career. He is honored to stand up in front of his peers and give them something practical to take back to their place of work. His never-ending goal is to keep finding new ways to provide a career path for those who started in the field and would like to expand their horizon in the industry.

Ron Shaver, RCDD, NTS, OSP, WD, TPM, ITS Technician

Master Instructor

BICSI

Tampa, Florida

BEGINNINGS: Ron started out in the U.S. Air Force working in Airborne Communications. His early career also included work in the oil field industry, where he maintained electronic devices sent into oil wells. When Ron’s company purchased a computer business, EMR, Ron was excited for the opportunity to work with computers. In the late 1970s, cables supporting mainframe-to-desktop emerged. Since few companies were selling this new technology, Ron began making custom cables in his garage and selling them locally. In 1978, Ron began his own business. When competition grew and RFQs began requiring RCDDs, Ron earned his RCDD credential. In 1996, Ron became a contract Master Instructor teaching for BICSI. In 2000, he came to work for BICSI full-time as a subject matter expert. He was later promoted to manager of curriculum and instructor development.

SUCCESSES: What began as a love for computers developed into a homegrown business. Ron’s 1978 company, Custom Computer Cable Company, was in business for 18 years. Established at a time when there were no standards and twisted-pair didn’t exist, Ron used innovation to get computers and cables to talk to one another. Later, Ron’s experience allowed him to quickly adapt to twisted-pair cables as well. 

Ron also takes pride in the accomplishments of BICSI’s Professional Development (PD) department where he worked and managed for three years. He credits the entire group for greatly improving and updating many of BICSI’s distribution design and wireless courses, as well as BICSI’s entire installation program. These updates required a tremendous amount of effort and cooperation on the part of what Ron considers “an extremely talented PD team.”

Giving Back: Though Ron retired from BICSI in 2008, his love for teaching has brought him back to the classroom. Ron continues to teach as a Master Instructor, utilizing his knowledge to assist others in earning credentials and bettering the industry. With strong ties to BICSI’s PD department, Ron has also committed himself to doing “whatever it takes” to make the busy department’s job easier. He is currently involved in several BICSI projects, including NxtGEN and updating the next edition of the Network Design Reference Manual (NDRM).

Advice: “Allow people to do their jobs—what they know how to do. Everyone has their own areas of expertise, and we should respect that.”

Forward Thinking: “The Telecommunica-tions industry has always been a very dynamic industry. Even in today’s economy, technology continues to change. We should expect advancements in wireless and fiber-to-the-home. Products and services will likely continue to develop to meet the increasing demand for bandwidth to all facets of the private and public sectors. The insatiable thirst for knowledge throughout the world drives these advancements.”

Greg Sherry, RCDD, NTS, WD

Managing Director

Data Centre Standards Ltd

London, United Kingdom

BEGINNINGS: Greg began working in the industry more than 30 years ago when he was accepted into an apprenticeship program with what was then U.K.’s leading computer manufacturer. Greg’s father was an electrician and introduced him to the emerging industry.

Since his start, Greg has now become involved with data centers and currently owns Data Centre Standards Ltd, which audits, designs and builds data centers across Europe. Greg also serves on the BICSI Board of Directors as European Region Director.

SUCCESSES: Greg worked on the largest cabling project in Europe in 1997. As the Quality Control Consultant on the project, he worked to oversee the design and installation of more than 200,000 cables. As this was one of the first category 5e installations in Europe, the cabling was stringently tested. Not many other buildings have been tested to the same level since.

In addition, Greg takes great pride in his RCDD, NTS and WD credentials. At the time he passed the exam, there were less than 100 other RCDDs in Europe. Greg was also the third NTS Specialist and the first WD Specialist in Europe.

Greg was voted as one of the top 10 ‘movers and shakers’ in the U.K. cabling market and has also been appointed to be on the judging panel for three major European data center awards ceremonies.

Advice: “Staying current and up-to-date is key in the ITS industry because changes come so quickly,” says Greg. He also suggests that all ITS professionals should create and plan a training program and career progression path. It is important to keep up with emerging technologies and continue to receive training in the latest developments.

From firsthand experience, Greg realizes the importance of becoming involved with BICSI. With the development of the BICSI Data Center Standard, Greg was able to see a business opportunity within the industry. Staying current in the industry will not only prove to be individually rewarding, but could also translate into new business opportunities.

Giving Back: In 1998, Greg was introduced to BICSI. At that time, the U.K. had little to no guidance or quality control in the industry. Since then, he has helped to create more awareness of the organization and its credentialing programs. “I volunteer to make a difference,” says Greg. He currently sits on the Board of Directors and also volunteers on BICSI’s Ethics Committee, Membership and Marketing Committee and Registration and Specialties Supervision Committee. Additionally, he works with the European Country Chairs to continually encourage BICSI growth in the region and often presents at breakfast club meetings.

Richard S. Smith, RCDD, NTS, OSP

Manager, Bell Aliant Cabling Solutions

Bell Aliant Regional Services

Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada

BEGINNINGS: Richard began in the industry in the 1970s, when he was hired by New Brunswick Telephone Company as an installation and repair technician, and he will celebrate his 34th anniversary with the company—now called Bell Aliant—this year. Impressed with BICSI and what the organization offers, he became a member in 1999 and subsequently earned his RCDD, NTS and OSP credentials. In 2006, Richard was elected as BICSI’s Canadian Region Director, a position in which he has been re-elected for the 2009-10 term.

SUCCESSES: Easily, one of Richard’s greatest successes to date is bringing the Canadian Region Meetings to community colleges and technical schools, rather than holding them in hotels or corporate buildings. The same information that is traditionally shared with members at Region Meetings is now also shared with faculty and students enrolled in ITS programs. Here, young professionals have the opportunity to learn what BICSI is and what the organization has to offer. Students and faculty also have the opportunity to interact with today’s ITS professionals to find out what skill sets they are looking for. 

Additionally, Richard worked with BICSI Headquarters to reallocate the money that would have been used to rent other facilities and created the BICSI Next Generation Scholarship. The award is presented to a deserving student in a college-level IT program. It represents the association’s focus to reach out to the next generation of IT, engineering and other ITS professionals to help them to achieve their knowledge-based goals.

Forward Thinking: “Today, universities and other post-secondary schools graduate students with a myriad of credentials, including graduate engineers. I would like to see the day when technical colleges graduate BICSI-credentialed Installers, Technicians and potentially, RCDDs or other BICSI accreditations similar to how the P.E. Program tracks today,” Richard says. “I would also like to see BICSI manuals—because of their timely, vendor-neutral, manufacturer-independent content—be used as resource manuals by students taking various ITS programs at technical schools.”

Advice: “The reward for good work is more work,” Richard notes, and he feels that access to information from BICSI has made that saying even truer. Richard encourages everyone planning a career in the ITS industry to get BICSI accreditations to ensure that they are equipped with the information to do good work.

Ronald Z. Symolon, RCDD, TLT

Cheshire, Connecticut

BEGINNINGS: As a young man just out of the U.S. Army, it seemed natural for Ron to follow in his dad’s footsteps and work at a telephone company, so he took a position at Southern New England Telephone (SNET). There he spent the next 30 years, the last nine of which he spent in the BICS group. After retiring from SNET, Ron began a second career as a telecommunications consultant with the State of Connecticut Department of Public Works. Over the years, Ron also served as vice president of marketing at Data Link Corporation, director of marketing at New England Insulated Wire Corporation and founder and past president of Communication Cable Consultants Inc. (CCCI), a subsidiary of a large architectural/engineering firm in Connecticut. During this time, Ron implemented many state-of-the-art planning and design standards pertaining to building communications distribution facilities.

SUCCESSES: While working at SNET, Ron was hand-selected to co-author a chapter in “High Tech Real Estate.” This was the first book ever published to comprehensively address essential information needed by professionals involved in commercial real estate and telecommunications ventures. Ron used his expertise to write the chapter entitled “Inside Wiring for the High Tech Building.” This chapter dealt with the importance of preplanning and managing high-tech buildings. Date Pro Research later selected this chapter as a technical reference in their own technical data publications.

Ron experienced another success when the City of Waterbury, Connecticut selected his firm, CCCI, to assist in the development of the state’s first “Information Technology Zone.” The purpose of the zone was to revitalize an old, failing industrial area of the city and pull it out of economic distress. After many months of research, CCCI developed a master plan and the city began marketing its new I.T. Zone to the public. They were able to draw many new and emerging businesses back to the city. The plan used technology as the main attraction.

Giving Back: As one of the first people to ever sit for the RCDD exam, Ron worked very hard to familiarize the industry with the benefits of the credential. In 2002, he introduced BICSI and Ron Provost, Government Relations Committee Representative, to the State of Connecticut Licensing Bureau. Connecticut ultimately became the first state to recognize the RCDD credential, and later the state-recognized Telecommunications Infrastructure Layout Technicians (TLT) License was established.

Advice: “Your reputation precedes you in this industry, so you must consistently provide quality workmanship. Gather all facts and figures and provide clients with engineered solutions. Listen to your client. When providing technical design documents, be accurate and clear with your requirements. Remain consistent from project to project so that your client, the contractor and you are in agreement as to what is expected.”

Tony Whaley, RCDD, NTS, WD

Vice President

RTKL Associates Inc

Baltimore, MD

BEGINNINGS: Tony started out in wireless communications as a radio repairman in the U.S. Army. He trained on telephone switches while stationed in Germany and was hired by the University of Cincinnati as a telecom foreman, overlooking the crew that performed moves, adds and changes for the university’s telephone system. It was during this time that Tony met some individuals working on the outside plant and data side who talked about BICSI and its programs. With piqued interest, Tony did some research, joined the association and attended his first conference in 1997. Following that, he studied for and attained his RCDD credential and realized the door had been opened to a whole new world of opportunity.

SUCCESSES: Tony counts many fortunate successes in his career. His first experience was working with the APEX group in Maryland to help design a collapsed fiber backbone system for the J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington D.C. Containing more than 75 telecommunications closets, it was a real teeth-cutter project in Tony’s career. More recently, he was part of an award-winning design team for the design of the new Communications Command Post at the U.S. Army’s Fort Stewart. Overall, Tony feels blessed to have worked with and learned so much from the talented individuals he has met over the years.

Mentors: Tony credits many mentors who touched his life. Bennie Lovette at the University of Cincinnati helped Tony get started in the industry and discover BICSI. Paul Kenny at APEX (now Vision Technologies) mentored Tony in pricing and managing projects. John Lynch pushed Tony to be detail-oriented in all that he did at Bell Atlantic. Eric Maxfield and Rick Stewart helped Tony to become a true designer and consultant. Finally, David Labuskes—also being recognized as a Changemaker—has become a friend and mentor who opened the door for Tony to be a leader and mentor to his fellow co-workers.

Giving Back: Tony is constantly involved in developing white papers and teaching classes on low-voltage systems. He works on BICSI’s Registration and Specialties Supervision and Technical Information and Methods committees to help provide quality products to the ITS industry. He truly believes in the power that BICSI credentials can have for a rewarding and successful career. Tony gives back to the industry because he feels it is important to pitch in and ensure the products and information BICSI produces continue to be top-notch.

Advice: “Take advantage of all the ITS industry has to offer. From basic telecommunications courses that can introduce you to this field to the more advanced courses that can allow you to become a communications designer, be sure to explore all the possibilities. I stand as an example of how BICSI certifications helped me to land better jobs, promotions and gain an overall better quality of life.” 

Reprinted with permission of BICSI News – 2009 – www.bisci.org 

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New Faces, New Opportunities

Many of you may know me from my years of writing in the ITS industry, and now I’m excited to continue contributing as the new editor of BICSI News. As challenging as it will be, I will do my best to fill the shoes of former editor Michael McCahey, who has been an invaluable asset and responsible for taking BICSI News from newsletter status to the flourishing publication it is today. Many thanks to Michael for helping me transition into this new role.

Despite the doom and gloom surrounding our economy, I’m optimistic about the future. First, I believe information transport systems (ITS) have reached the point where they are so critical to business success and growth, that ITS design and installation will remain high on the list of priorities. Furthermore, many of the initiatives due to come out of the new Obama administration could mean exciting opportunities.

In December 2008, the new administration announced plans to invest in transportation, make public buildings energy efficient, modernize schools and health care, and upgrade Internet infrastructure. So whether you voted for Obama or not, most of us can agree with his statements that “it is unacceptable that the U.S. ranks 15th in broadband adoption,” and “introducing electronic medical records could prevent mistakes and help save billions.” This will be the first time in history the U.S. has voted for a technology-savvy, Blackberry-using president and, in my opinion, that means good things for the ITS industry.

As businesses turn to alternative energy sources and strive to improve productivity and security, more doors will open for ITS than we thought possible. Intelligent buildings that monitor energy use and better protect people and property could increase the amount of cabling needed to transmit signals from more than just PCs and laptops. A transportation upgrade could mean outside plant fiber deployments for intelligent transportation systems. If electronic medical records become commonplace, healthcare facilities might need higher bandwidth, more connections, and expanded data centers. If the Obama administration keeps its promise to initiate “sweeping efforts to modernize schools and boost broadband access,” we could see a good deal of money pumped into our industry.

Even with these new opportunities, ITS professionals will need to be at the top of their game to make it through the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. It is therefore my goal to continue BICSI’s mission of providing relevant, vendor-neutral information to help ITS professionals improve skills and expand their scopes of work. In 2009, I plan to focus much of BICSI News on making the right choices, introducing new opportunities and deploying cost-saving strategies.

Please know that I am always just an e-mail away from discussing ITS technology, the going-ons in our industry, and any thoughts you have for future articles in BICSI News. Even if you’re unsure whether a specific topic is a good fit, I want to hear your ideas.

Reprinted with permission of BICSI News – 2009 – www.bisci.org

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Rising Need for Mass Notification Systems

Brief history, current status and future outlook for a growing opportunity. BY REECE J. MILLER, JR., P.E., RCDD

A Brief History

The rising need for mass notification systems (MNS) was driven by several attacks on U.S. government facilities across the globe. The June 25, 1996 bombing incident at the Khobar Towers Complex in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia was the first time that a need existed to warn building occupants of impending danger. The August 7, 1998 attacks on the U.S. embassies in Africa were accented by the injuries to embassy personnel from glass shards. Again a need existed to inform the embassy staff of the danger and direct a safe course of action.

On October 12, 2000, terrorists attacked the USS Cole, and the hardened damage control intercom on the ship allowed for directing movement of the crew to safe areas. From this, the Department of Defense (DoD) concept for mass notification was born–the ability to direct first responders and personnel about what to do and where to go during an emergency event.

The first effort in defining MNS was the DoD’s original Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) standard UFC 04-021-01 published in December 2002. After much effort the DoD working group had a better knowledge of what was required for mass notification. The group then coordinated with NFPA 72® committees and was successful in getting the requirements implemented in the 2007 edition of NFPA Fire Alarm Code® as Annex E. Annex E provides guidance for the interface of MNS with standard fire alarm/voice evacuation systems. It was the first time in the history of the fire alarm code that another signal would be permitted to override the fire alarm signal. In addition, this code implementation is the fastest that any fire code has ever been modified from concept to approval.

Current Status

Many years ago, my first position with DoD required being on a recall roster. Simply put, the boss would call the next level of supervisors below him; they would then call some of the employees who in turn would call a select group of coworkers. This was an elementary crude MNS system, however slow it might be. Today, we have electronic means to perform this function. A modern MNS simply provides an electronic method to efficiently notify a great number of people of an emergency event.

Recently, several incidents on college campuses and in shopping malls have further enhanced the need for a notification system in our daily lives. In some of the college incidents, and most particularly in the shopping malls, if an MNS had been in operation, the loss of life would have been significantly reduced by directing people away from the danger areas. It has become clear to both the general public and emergency responders that emergency communications must be provided on a larger scale.

Some communities are working on county-wide systems. Older civil defense warning sirens are being refurbished or upgraded by using modern speaker technology. Newer speaker technology allows for numerous tones to be generated in lieu of the siren. Additionally, these newer systems can be installed to support voice; however, the range is seriously reduced with voice due to intelligibility issues. Some communities, especially those with large coverage areas, are now using telephone dialing systems. These systems can easily be programmed to dial all numbers in a pre-established call group or geographic area of the city.

College campuses across the country are also installing various systems. Many are installing wide-area systems that use sirens or speakers to cover the larger open campus areas, along with automatic dialing to registered cell phones. As the result of an incident, a college in Texas recently announced it is working to upgrade their MNS system to better distribute warnings.

On Halloween day this past year, I was on a college campus when a couple of students dressed in costume came into the engineering building. The inappropriate costumes consisted of hockey masks and toy weapons. Campus security was quick to respond, and the MNS started warning staff and students in the building.

Unfortunately, the disadvantage to the dialing system is that it only notifies those that are in a position to answer the phone. In the aforementioned Halloween incident, as a visitor on campus who was not registered to the university call group, I was not notified of the incident but instead was informed by one of the professors in our meeting.

Future Outlook

In April 2008, the UFC 04-021-01 standard was revised to better reflect the DoD policy. The UFC document states, "Mass notification provides real-time information and instructions to people in a building, area, site or installation using intelligible voice communications along with visible signals, text and graphics, and possibly including tactile or other communication methods. The purpose of mass notification is to protect life by indicating the existence of an emergency situation and instructing people of the necessary and appropriate response and action." 

NFPA is now helping to refine the MNS systems as they relate to and interface with fire alarm systems. The NFPA 72® committee is making major changes to the fire alarm code for 2010, which is scheduled for release in late 2009 and will be the largest revision of this code in many years. The code is being reorganized and updated to reflect today's needs for MNS. Both the UFC and the fire code provide technical guidance for installers and designers to deploy MNS, while UL is developing standards for MNS equipment.

Public interest in MNS became notable after the Virginia Tech Campus shootings and other college incidents, along with problems in shopping malls. Continued incidents in public places will only increase the demand for the ability to direct the public away from dangers on campuses and in shopping complexes.

It is highly probable that over the next few years all colleges, shopping complexes and public gathering places will deploy some form of an MNS. ITS designers and installers should therefore work to expand their knowledge of MNS systems, train their work force and consider this growing opportunity. While many areas are shrinking with the current economy, growth in this part of our industry is here and should continue to expand.

For more information, refer to the following:

BICSI. Electronic Safety and Security Design Reference Manual, Tampa, FL: BICSI, 2006.

UFC 4-021-01, Design and O&M: Mass Notification Systems, Department of Defense,
9 April 2008 (available at http://www.hnd.usace.army.mil/techinfo/)

NFPA 72®-2007, Annex E, National Fire Alarm Code®, National Fire Protection Association, 2008.

  Mr. Reece J. Miller Jr., P.E., RCDD

Mr. Reece J. Miller, Jr., P.E., RCDD (Jay) is a recognized subject matter expert in the field of fire alarm and mass notification systems. He has served in numerous engineering positions since joining Mobile District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in May 1981. He is currently manager for the U.S. Army Center of Standardization for Aviation (Vertical Construction) and C2F (Command and Control) Facilities. Mr. Miller authored the U.S. DoD Guide Specifications for MNS and assisted in writing the BICSI Electronic Safety and Security Reference Manual, 2nd edition. He can be reached at reece.j.miller@usace.army.mil.

Reprinted with permission of BICSI News – 2009 – www.bisci.org

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The Pros and Cons of Optical Fiber Termination Methods

The performance, installation, management, and cost considerations surrounding today’s primary optical fiber termination methods. BY CRAIG FLEMING

As bandwidth and storage requirements evolve, optical fiber links are more vital than ever for transmitting data to and from a large number of sources. As enterprises implement more optical fiber cabling to support the bandwidth and storage requirements in the data center and backbone infrastructures, termination methods are under intense scrutiny.

With so many types of optical fiber, connectors, and deployment strategies available, data center professionals have become increasingly concerned with making the best termination choice for their environment to ensure performance, rapid deployment, manageability, and reduced total cost of ownership, as well as scalability for future growth. Making an informed choice requires understanding the key performance, installation, management, and cost considerations surrounding the three primary optical fiber termination methods:

• Pre-terminated plug-and-play multi-fiber push on (MPO) Solutions
• Factory-terminated pigtails with splicing
• Field termination

Preliminary Considerations

Every data center environment is unique with several aspects to be considered. Determining answers to the following questions will help data center managers as they explore the pros and cons of each optical fiber termination method:

• What type of optical fiber and connector interface is required for bandwidth and equipment?
• How many optical fiber terminations are required both now and in the future?
• What is the overall insertion loss budget?
• How quickly do systems need to be deployed?
• Is expertise and equipment on hand for termination and splicing?
• Can cabling lengths be easily predetermined?
• How much space is available for terminations, cable slack, and splices?
• How frequently will moves, adds, and changes (MACs) need to be made to individual circuits?
• What is the overall material and installation cost budget?

Option 1: Plug-and-Play MPO Solutions

The MPO connector is a high-density, multifiber connector that typically terminates 12 optical fibers in one connector approximately the same size of a one SC-style optical fiber connector. MPO plug-and-play cassettes include an MPO interface on one side broken out to12 individual optical fiber interfaces on the other side. These cassettes can be deployed in an optical fiber distribution frame for higher density applications or in optical fiber panels to connect the main distribution area (MDA) to the equipment distribution area (EDA) in the data center.

Plug-and-play trunk cables are round 12-fiber cables that are preterminated in the factory with MPO connectors on both ends. These trunk cables are purchased in predetermined lengths and are typically easier to manage than traditional ribbon cables. They can be quickly connected to the MPO plug-and-play cassettes at the cross-connect or interconnect in the MDA, EDA, or other areas of the data center. This method eliminates the need for onsite optical fiber termination and splicing. Consequently, customers can rapidly complete optical fiber connections in high-density applications.

Advantages to plug-and-play MPO solutions include:

• Reduced labor cost—Less time is required for plug-and-play installation versus splicing or field termination. Less expertise and resources are required of installation staff.



• Enhanced performance—MPO connectors are factory-terminated and tested in a clean environment with comprehensive quality control processes and documented test results that correspond to serial numbers stamped on each assembly.



• Easiest and fastest installation—MPO solutions offer the easiest and fastest installation because they are easily plugged in. MPO 12-fiber trunk cables are also more robust and easily pulled through pathways.



• Better manageability and density—MPO cassettes offer the highest density for optical fiber connections, maximizing space savings in the data center. They are easily deployed in a cross-connect scenario for better cabling management.



• More environmentally friendly—The use of plug-and-play MPO solutions eliminates the waste and consumable associated with splicing and field termination and requires less packaging material.



• Better prepared for beyond 10-gigabit (Gb)—Speeds of 40 and 100 gigabit per second (Gbps) on multimode optical fiber will likely require parallel optical fibers where data is transmitted and received over multiple optical fibers. MPO connectors are more prepared for this technology because they already encompass multiple optical fibers.

Disadvantages to plug-and-play MPO solutions include:

• Increased material cost—Plug-and-play MPO solutions are typically more expensive than other options.



• Higher return loss and insertion loss—The additional mated pair increases the return loss and insertion loss. Insertion link loss with MPO solutions can account for an additional 0.5dB per cassette, requiring careful planning of the loss budget.



• Limited access to individual circuits—With 12-fiber MPO trunk cables, individual circuit access to backbone cabling is limited. However, when used in a cross-connect scenario, individual circuits should not need to be accessed once installed.



• Predetermined lengths required—MPO trunk cables are made to order in predetermined lengths, thus lengths and lead time must be part of the planning process. In addition, measurements need to be exact or slack storage will be required.

Option 2: Factory-Terminated Pigtails with Splicing

When cable runs are longer than 25 meters (m [82 feet (ft)]) or a degree of permanency is required, using factory-terminated pigtails at both ends and splicing optical fibers together offers an attractive alternative. With this method, a splicing unit can be located at one end of the optical fiber run or in a central location. At the patch panel, factory-terminated pigtails plug into the back of the panel. Some vendors’ intra-facility cables ship with the optical fiber panel and blocks, leaving a factory-prepared stub end ready for splicing to the individual strands of the cable.

Advantages to factory-terminated pigtails with splicing include:

• Reduced material cost—Factory-terminated pigtails are less expensive than plug-and-play MPO solutions



• Best performance and insertion loss—Factory-terminated pigtails are prepared in an environmentally controlled setting with quality inspection and documented test results that correspond to serial numbers stamped on each assembly. The connectors are polished and terminated in an automated clean environment that is not as subject to human error as field termination. Splicing is also a low loss method of attaching two optical fiber strands together.



• Easy and fast installation—Preterminated pigtails are fast and easy to connect, and trained technicians can splice two strands of optical fiber together in as little as 5 minutes compared to 15 minutes per field-terminated connector. The efficiency of splicing becomes more pronounced when comparing splicing a 24-fiber cable to field terminating it – 2 hours versus 12 hours. Stub-ended cable is also more robust and easier to pull because there are no connectors attached.



• Exact lengths and slack storage not required—Because backbone cable is cut to length before splicing, it is not necessary to predetermine a length, which decreases lead times. Cutting and splicing also eliminates the need to implement slack storage.



• Individual circuit access—Unlike 12-fiber MPO solutions, preterminated pigtails and splicing enable access to individual backbone circuits.



• Better flexibility and management—Several splicing solutions are available for managing and storing splices either at the equipment end or at a central location. Once the splicing is complete and backbone is in place, all MACs can be performed via patch cords at the cross-connect.

Disadvantages to factory-terminated pigtails with splicing include:

• Increased labor cost and expertise—Higher labor rates are typically required for technicians with fusion splicing equipment and expertise. Fusion splicing equipment and expertise should be readily available.



• Lower modularity and not prepared for parallel optical Fibers—Factory-terminated pigtails and splicing typically required 144- or 192-count optical fiber compared to the 12-count optical fiber used with MPO solutions. Because pigtails are broken out to individual connectors, it also is not as readily prepared for parallel optical fiber technology.

Option 3: Field Termination

When optical fiber is terminated in the field, the cable must be pulled between points and attached to patch panels at both ends of each run. Before it can be attached to the panel, technicians must attach connectors to each strand.

Advantages to field termination include:

• Lowest material cost—Typically, purchasing cable and connectors is the least expensive material cost with no preterminated pigtails or assemblies required.



• Exact lengths and slack storage not required—Because backbone cable is cut to length before adding connectors, it is not necessary to predetermine lengths, which can cut down on lead times. This also eliminates the need to implement slack storage.



• Individual circuit access—Unlike 12-fiber MPO solutions, individual optical fiber connectors enable access to individual backbone circuits.



• Easy cable pulling—When using field termination, bulk cable can be easily pulled from either end of the circuit.

Disadvantages to field termination include:

• Highest labor cost and slowest installation—It takes longer to install field connectors, increasing labor costs and requiring additional time for installation.



• Termination quality concerns—The yield of acceptable connections is directly related to the skill level and experience of the technician, and reliability is jeopardized as field-terminated connectors can fail or perform below acceptable signal loss tolerances. This can require the cost of redoing work that has failed, as well as the cost of additional connectors. Field termination may be less expensive at time of purchase, but extraneous expenses encountered in the field can rapidly increase.



• Least environmentally friendly—Field termination results in more waste and consumables and typically requires more packing materials for individual connectors and cable.

Cost Analysis

Data center managers have continually faced the decision of terminating optical fiber in the field or purchasing factory-terminated solutions. With today’s struggling economy and budget constraints, the cost of the chosen optical fiber termination method now needs to be considered more than ever, as well as the total cost of ownership associated with each method. That requires considering material cost, labor cost, and potential costs incurred over the life of the network.

The following cost analysis was conducted for a typical data center optical fiber MDA cross-connect using laser-optimized multimode optical fiber and 8,000-fiber ports housed in optical fiber panels.

 The cost analysis clearly demonstrates that factory-terminated pigtails with splicing is the least expensive option. Because this termination method also offers the highest performance, it will likely ensure better reliability and bandwidth capabilities over the life of the system.

For those customers who do not have the capability or expertise to splice optical fibers, plug-and-play MPO solutions can be a better choice than field termination. While field termination is typically a total lower cost option, labor hours associated with the plug-and-play MPO option can be less than half that of field termination. Therefore, deployment can be faster, which can potentially lower the total cost of ownership. Plus, plug-and-play MPO solutions avoid the need for field termination expertise and redoing any field terminations that have failed.

Summary

Today’s business environment leaves little margin for error. In most instances, the cost savings and performance enhancement associated with using factory-terminated pigtails and splicing makes it the best choice in optical fiber termination methods. Plug-and-play MPO solutions are also an attractive option for those customers requiring extremely high densities and fast deployment in the data center.

Optical fiber termination in the data center has much to do with a customer’s overall preference and with the method the customer has traditionally been comfortable with. However, increased optical fiber links in the data center and backbone infrastructures may justify re-evaluation of optical fiber termination methods. Not only do factory-terminated cables and MPO solutions eliminate the labor costs associated with installing connectors in the field, they also eliminate the need to spend money on redoing work that has failed, potentially losing thousands of dollars associated with network downtime. It can truly be a situation of pay now or pay later.

Craig Fleming

Craig Fleming is a senior systems engineer for ADC Telecommunications, Inc. in Eden Prairie, MN. For more information, contact Craig at craig.fleming@adc.com.

Reprinted with permission of BICSI News – 2009 – www.bisci.org

Cabling Installation & Maintenance

Multimode fibers rise to the challenge

An update on the current state of optical fiber in standards, including the definition of OM4.

This article was developed on behalf of the Telecommunications Industry Association’s Fiber Optics LAN Section (www.fols.org) by Sharon Bois, multimode fiber product line manager at Corning Optical Fiber; David Mazzarese, technical manager of fiber-systems engineering at OFS; and Olaf Storaasli, product manager for optical fiber at Draka Communications. FOLS members include 3M; Berk-Tek, a Nexans company; CommScope; Corning; Draka Communications; Fluke Networks; OFS; Ortronics Legrand; Panduit; Sumitomo Electric Lightwave; Superior Essex; and Tyco Electronics.

Multimode optical fibers have always offered users the most cost-effective choice to achieve the benefits of fiber-optic transmission in premises applications. The simple reason is that the electronics are less expensive than those used to power singlemode fibers. While TR-42, the User Premises Telecommunications Cabling Requirements Engineering Committee, has always recognized both multimode and singlemode optical fiber for private-network structured cabling, this was because a combined system has always provided the best value for the end user who might need singlemode fiber to support long distances or very high data rates.

The good news is that the newest generations of multimode fibers can support the same high data rates as singlemode, including 40 and 100 Gbits/sec, while retaining the cost savings associated with multimode fibers.

TR-42 initially recognized 62.5-µm multimode fiber in ANSI/TIA-568, The Commercial Building Cabling Standard, since it was the most capable fiber for the identified applications at that time. As newer applications and optical sources came along, the higher-bandwidth capabilities of 50-µm fiber became recognized as well.

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As transmission speeds increased, the market shifted from 62.5-µm to 50-µm fiber and, more recently, to 50-µm laser-optimized fiber (OM3). This trend will be accelerated with the advent of 40/100-Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) because there is no OM1 or OM2 objective at these next-generation speeds.

The next speed generations

The current objectives for both 40 and 100 GbE are to cover a distance of at least 100 meters on OM3 fiber. The 100-meter value will allow for extremely low-cost transceivers, but is well short of the 300-meter distance allowed by TR-42 in the TIA-942 data center standard; and no one seems excited about having to use singlemode electronics and singlemode fiber for every link in their network that reached farther than 100 meters.

In a survey presented at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE; www.ieee.org) 802.3 meeting in July 2008, 20 end users were asked to consider three options. Customers represented a broad cross-section of end users: corporate accounts, school districts, banks, military installations, consultants, network integrators, and government users. (Note that OM4 is a higher-bandwidth multimode fiber that will be discussed in greater detail later in this article). The three options were:

A) OM3 to 100 meters (requires one optical module);

B) OM3 to 150 or 200 meters; OM4 to 250 meters (requires one optical module);

C) OM3 to 100 meters; OM3 to 150 or 200 meters; OM4 to 250 meters (requires two optical modules).

The survey results were overwhelmingly (16 or 20) in favor of Option B: OM3 to 150 or 200 meters and OM4 to 250 meters. A minority (4 of 20) favored Option C: OM3 to 100 meters. All survey participants believed the 100-meter transmission length limit suggested by 802.3 would increase the cost of data centers at 40/100-Gbit/sec speeds by forcing them to use a more expensive singlemode system to meet their link-length requirements.

An ad hoc subgroup within 802.3 is studying extended reach, and working on meeting the needs of these and other multimode customers by extending the multimode distance from the current “at least 100 meters on OM3” to somewhere between 150 and 250 meters. Technical feasibility for these extended distances has been shown. What remains is to identify the distance and technical path that will provide the best, lowest-cost solution for the end user. The goal is to ensure that multimode fiber customers continue to get the best bang for their buck.

One possible path to achieve the extended distance would be through the use of a higher-bandwidth fiber. Unfortunately, the transceiver specifications that are currently proposed for the 40/100-GbE standards are such that a higher-bandwidth fiber, on its own, doesn’t provide much benefit. The sources have such broad spectral widths that the effects of higher bandwidth may only extend the distance by a few percent. But a higher-bandwidth fiber, combined with tighter transceiver specifications or a chip added to the host board, could support link lengths of at least 250 meters on multimode fiber.

Developers of standards using the Fibre Channel (FC) protocol also have started talking about next-generation speeds. This set of standards has a different migration path, as it increases speeds by a factor of 2 with each generation. Standards are currently in place for 8-Gbit FC, with discussions around creating a 16-Gbit standard on the horizon. In a Fibre Channel meeting last year, the idea of a higher-bandwidth fiber was raised and participants agreed that a multimode fiber with significantly higher bandwidth should be developed/characterized to support 16-Gbit/sec serial transmission over 150 meters.

OM4 fiber standardization

Standardization activities of OM4 multimode fiber are active in two fiber standards groups: TIA and IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission; www.iec.ch). Both the IEEE 802.3 (Ethernet) and Fibre Channel application standards groups have expressed interest in a higher-data-rate multimode fiber above and beyond the performance currently offered by OM3 fiber. This has prompted the ISO/IEC premises wiring cable committee to request the development of a new high-data-rate multimode fiber standard.

OM3 and OM4 are referred to as “laser-optimized” multimode fibers because they are specifically designed for use with high-performance, low-cost vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). Careful processing to precisely control the fiber’s refractive index profile is paramount to minimize modal dispersion—a critical parameter of these fibers often referred to as differential mode delay (DMD).

By limiting DMD, all modes (light paths) in the fiber arrive at the transceiver at the same time, minimizing pulse spreading and thus maximizing bandwidth. Bandwidth is ensured by thorough DMD testing after the fiber is manufactured. Thus, these higher-bandwidth fibers provide a combination of longer reach and lower system implementation cost for current (e.g., 10-Gbit/sec) and more importantly, future higher-data-rate multimode fiber systems.

Standardized in 2002, OM3 fiber has a minimum effective modal bandwidth (EMB) of 2,000 Mhz∙km at 850 nm using VCSEL transceivers. This is sufficient bandwidth to operate a 10-Gbit/sec Ethernet system up to 300 meters. An OM4 fiber is expected to specify a minimum EMB of 4,700 MHz∙km at 850 nm—more than twice the bandwidth of OM3.

OM3 fibers are backward-compatible and can support legacy applications that use LED transmitters operating at either 850 or 1,300 nm. There is a general consensus among the fiber manufacturers that OM4 will also be backward-compatible; however, the standard is still in the early stages of development and the exact specifications have not been finalized.

TIA standards committee TR-42.12, Optical Fibers and Cables, is developing the specification to be named TIA/EIA-492AAAD “Detail specification for OM4 850-nm laser-optimized, 50-µm core diameter/125-µm cladding diameter class 1a graded-index multimode optical fibers.” This standard is scheduled to be ratified in mid-2009. In parallel, IEC SC 86A Working Group 1 initiated work on the OM4 fiber standardization in April 2008. The A1 MMF standard 60793-20-10 will be revised to include a higher grade A1a.3 (OM4) fiber.

While standards in both TIA and IEC are expected to be completed this year, fibers meeting the current proposed specification values have been on the market for more than five years and are offered by all major multimode fiber manufacturers. Because of the larger system budget offered, the primary use for these OM4 fibers has been in networks that operate 10-GbE or Fibre Channel systems with links beyond the specified maximum of 300 meters on OM4, with OM4 supporting lengths up to 550 meters at 10 Gbits/sec. OM4 fibers are also used in 300-meter or shorter applications with a high number of connections, such as data centers.

Critical future component

Multimode fiber has come a long way from its humble beginnings supporting 10-Mbit/sec transmission. As speeds continue to increase and bandwidth demand continues to grow, laser-optimized 50-µm fibers become a critical component for structured cabling systems of the future. Structured cable is designed to last through several generations of electronics, so it is important to think about future needs as networks are installed today.

Laser-optimized 50-µm fibers (OM3 and the future OM4) will support 10-Gbit/sec transmission over 300 to 550 meters. For 40- and 100-Gbit/sec transmission, they will support at least 100 meters, but efforts are underway to increase that distance to 150 to 250 meters. This longer distance would cover the majority of LAN and data center link-length requirements.

By enabling significantly lower-cost transceivers, multimode fiber systems continue to be the low-cost, future-ready solution for premises networks of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

[PULLQUOTES]

No one seems excited about having to use singlemode electronics and singlemode fiber for every link in their network that reached farther than 100 meters.

As speeds continue to increase and bandwidth demand continues to grow, laser-optimized 50-µm fibers become a critical component for structured cabling systems of the future.

[TABLE]

Multimode fiber capabilities

* Fiber type is per ISO/IEC 11801

** 100 m on OM3 is the current objective in IEEE 802.3ba

Reprinted with permission of Cabling Installation & Maintenance – 2009 www.cablinginstall.com

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Using your infrastructure to support video applications

Smart applications require smart infrastructure. Is yours up to the task?

VALERIE MAGUIRE is global sales engineer with Siemon (www.siemon.com).

Today’s surveillance and broadband video applications are downright smart. Consider the following:

• Surveillance equipment boasting Internet Protocol (IP)-addressable interfaces and remote-control features offer significantly more security and flexibility than fixed analog devices;

• IP-based systems record images in digital format onto servers or hard drives, rendering the use of cumbersome tapes and cassettes for video storage obsolete;

• Community antenna television (CATV) will migrate to virtually interference-free, 100% digital broadcasting in February;

• Emerging Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) technology promises on-demand, interactive, high-definition viewing experience.

These applications are no longer suitably supported by generic coaxial cabling; they require smart cabling, too.

The number of design professionals and building owners choosing to support surveillance, broadcast, and other video applications with their telecommunications cabling infrastructure is climbing rapidly. For example, according to a report from Multimedia Intelligence (www.multimediaintelligence.com) entitled “Internet Protocol/Networked Video Surveillance Market: Equipment, Technology, and Semiconductors,” the market for IP/networked video surveillance cameras grew nearly 50% in 2007 to approach $500 million worldwide. The market segment is growing at more than four times the rate of the overall surveillance market.

In addition to replacing coaxial cables with slimmer and more-flexible balanced twisted-pair cables, the benefits provided by using a structured telecommunications cabling network to support video applications are numerous, including:

• Digital image quality;

• Ability to support high-definition (480i/p SDTV and 720p and 1080 i/p HDTV) applications;

• Active surveillance area motion, audio, and tamper detection with advanced security alerts;

• Pan/tilt/zoom and remote-powered devices, eliminating the need for separate power and control cables;

• End-user ability to communicate and interact with “smart” video devices;

• Compact and highly efficient storage and retrieval capabilities;

• Convergence of voice, data, and video applications over a single common infrastructure;

• Full support of standards-based cabling distances and topologies;

• More-effective infrastructure management, service, and scalability;

• Simplified troubleshooting;

• Improved asset management via IP-addressability;

• Neater pathways and improved pathway fill-ratios;

• Ability to upgrade to future applications;

• Lower total cost of ownership for many IP-based versus analog-camera implementations.

Planning for video

If you are not sure you need to support video now, the recommendation is to include in your cabling plans additional twisted-pair channels specifically targeted for video applications to accommodate future system needs. While you may not currently anticipate the need to support surveillance applications with your infrastructure, you cannot ignore that, with increasing safety and security requirements worldwide, the surveillance industry is growing rapidly. According to the RNCOS Industry Research Solutions study “Global CCTV Market Analysis,” (www.rncos.com), the global CCTV market, including analog and IP-based CCTV, grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.28% in 2007 over 2006. The same study forecasts the market to grow at a CAGR of approximately 23% between 2008 and 2012.

Planning now for video-applications support makes good business sense as well. According to a total cost of ownership analysis recently published by Axis Communications (www.axis.com), IP-based video systems always have lower implementation costs than analog-based systems if the cabling infrastructure is already present.

All surveillance and broadband video applications, when appropriate amplification is used to boost CATV signal levels at higher-frequency channels, are capable of operating over lengths of twisted-pair cabling greater than 100 meters. But maintaining the TIA/EIA- and ISO/IEC-specified generic maximum 100-meter, 4-connector horizontal channel topology has numerous benefits and is strongly recommended for video-applications support. In particular, adhering to the generic topology ensures that upgrades to future video applications will occur seamlessly, while also providing the flexibility that channels originally designed for high-speed data support can be used for video if necessary, and vice versa.

Video-deployment planning is simple: bring video-ready twisted-pair cabling, in addition to data cabling, to each work area or multi-user telecommunications outlet assembly (MUTOA). For support of surveillance applications in areas where wireless coverage is provided, it may be convenient to juxtapose video access points with wireless access points in the coverage area. (See sidebar, “Juxtaposing surveillance-equipment and wireless access-point coverage.”) The advantage to this approach is that the telecommunications outlet is conveniently located in the ceiling space where cameras reside, and video-equipment positioning is more flexible.

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IP-enabled video devices are preconfigured to accept the 8-position modular plug interface and offer pug-and-play capability with structured telecommunications cabling. Generic analog devices, such as CCTV cameras, monitors, and television sets, are typically configured with coaxial BNC or Type F connectors and require the use of video baluns to enable transmission over twisted-pair cabling.

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Video baluns are used in pairs to convert a 75-Ω unbalanced (i.e., coaxial) signal at the video-equipment interface to a 100-Ω balanced (i.e., twisted-pair) signal and then back to a 75-Ω unbalanced signal at the telecommunications room (TR) or floor distributor (FD). Video baluns are application-specific, such as for CATV or CCTV, and may be configured as single-port converters for use at the device interface, as single-port converters located in breakout boxes for use at the work area, or in 8- and 16-port video-distribution hubs for use in the TR. Video baluns may also be integrated into high-performance Category 7/7A patch cords.

CCTV surveillance applications

Video security can be an effective defense in detecting threats as well as a deterrent against future threats. CCTV solutions are simple to deploy; consisting of fixed or remote-controlled cameras, cabling, a recoding device, and a monitoring device. While mandatory for highly secure environments, such as government buildings, prisons, and casinos, surveillance systems are now also commonplace in education, healthcare, industrial, and financial facilities.

Historically, CCTV systems were static and deployed as analog systems supported by coaxial cabling. Enhancements, such as the availability of cost-effective baluns and IP-addressable devices, now make surveillance solutions the perfect application for operation over twisted-pair cabling. IP-based surveillance systems have the added advantage that they are significantly more flexible and “intelligent” than traditional analog CCTV systems. A wide range of structured cabling solutions supports video surveillance applications.

The simplest analog video CCTV configuration is a static system consisting of a fixed camera, twisted-pair cable, a pair of video baluns, and a recording device such as a digital video recorder (DVR). The video baluns are BNC/RJ-45 connectorized devices that transmit back-and-white or color images over one pair (the pair terminated on pins 7-8) of the twisted-pair cable. Optional PTZ capability supports the remote-controlled operation of the camera and offers more flexibility than fixed camera systems.

Adjusting the focus, angle, and field of view without being present at the camera site are all benefits of a PTZ-enabled system. Structured cabling that includes PTZ-enabled baluns, which use only the 7-8 pair to transmit video and PTZ commands, easily supports this functionality. Because these solutions operate over only one pair of a 4-pair cable, they represent an excellent opportunity to take advantage of the cable sharing capability of category 7/7A fully-shielded solutions. (For more information on cable sharing, see www.cablinginstall.com: “In commercial buildings, cable sharing makes cents,” June 2006; that article is based on the white paper, “Cable Sharing in Commercial Building Environments: Reducing Cost, Simplifying Cable Management and Converging Applications Onto Twisted-pair Media.”)

Note that power must be provided locally to each camera in both traditional coaxial and balun-based twisted-pair CCTV camera deployments. Depending upon the camera location, providing separate power can range from inconvenient to practically impossible, and this need cannot be avoided in coaxial implementations. Emerging PVD (power-video-data) technology uses a pair of powered video transceivers to fully support CCTV applications and eliminate the need for external power cords by transmitting video (one pair), power (two pairs), and data (one pair) over one 4-pair telecommunications cable.

PVD devices are not IP-enabled and data is still collected on a traditional external recording device, such as a DVR. At this time, PVD transceiver solutions easily accommodate the operation of fixed position cameras, which typically consume less than 300 mA of power, over 100-meter structured cabling topologies. Be advised that the maximum distance supported by PTZ cameras, which typically consume at least 600mA of power, is manufacturer-dependent and may be less than 100 meters, causing these implementations to fall outside the scope of structured cabling. The good news is that power delivery technology “borrowed” from the emerging related IEEE 802.3at PoE (Power over Ethernet) Plus application Standard may result in an improvement in the operating distances associated with PVD support of PTZ cameras in the future.

In typical structured cabling implementation topologies for analog balun-based and PVD video transceiver CCTV surveillance systems, the video distribution hub or PVD video integrator is located in the TR and a coaxial cabling backbone is provided. For maximum infrastructure flexibility and to facilitate adds, moves, and changes, it is recommended to use an interconnect patch panel in the TR.

CCTV over structured cabling offers a distinct advantage over traditional coaxial cabling implementations in that scalability and flexibility are introduced into the surveillance infrastructure. With structured solutions, cameras can easily be added or moved as the system grows and needs change; however, this technology is not intelligent, meaning that while substantial data is recorded, it is unlikely that the video is being actively monitored. Events can be missed and suspicious behavior can go unnoticed when monitoring personnel are distracted or otherwise occupied.

It is also important to remember that images collected over analog surveillance camera systems are recorded on bulky cassettes or tapes that must be periodically changed and will wear out over time. Image quality can also be impacted by the limitations of the recording device. IP-addressable surveillance solutions overcome these hurdles.

IP-based surveillance systems

IP-cameras and IP-based systems represent the future of video surveillance. These solutions deliver superior image quality, intelligent monitoring capability, remote accessibility, and infrastructure scalability. Today’s fixed IP-cameras are all remotely powered, and the use of an IEEE 802.3af-enabled PoE switch is required. IP-cameras may be fixed or PTZ-enabled. Further enhancements, such as more powerful PTZ capability, will become possible when the IEEE 802.3at standard is ratified.

The advantage of an IP-based surveillance system is that the camera acts like any other device on the IT LAN. Images are transmitted via Ethernet or wireless networks and can even be accessed through the Internet. This means that video feeds from multiple areas at multiple locations can be monitored from one supervisory site. Furthermore, because transmission is digital, the picture quality of an IP-camera is superior to that of an analog camera. Audio transmission is also supported. These capabilities result in IP‑based surveillance solutions being increasingly integrated into the structured cabling network by companies with geographically dispersed locations, building access control systems, and point-of-sale applications.

Network intelligence can also be built into the IP-based surveillance system. Events can be monitored and alerts can be delivered to report suspicious behavior that would otherwise go unnoticed. For example, the activation of a motion detector, audio sensor, or anti-tampering mechanism could automatically result in a short message service (SMS) text or e-mail being sent to the security operator.

Instead of relying on external recording devices, IP-camera images are recorded in digital format directly onto servers or hard drives, thus eliminating the need for bulky and unreliable tapes and cassettes. Video data can be stored indefinitely locally or transported to a remote location via the LAN or the Internet. Real-time video transmission is highly compressed and several compression options are available to maximize the trade-off between image quality, bandwidth, and storage capacity. Commonly used compression techniques include MJPEG, MPEG-4, and the emerging H.264 format.

In what will be another advance for the IP-based surveillance market, three leading manufacturers of IP devices (Axis Communications, Bosch Security Systems, and Sony) have created the framework for a forum whose purpose will be to develop a standard that will specify interoperability requirements for video devices, such as cameras, encoders, and video-management systems. Once the framework was established in late 2008, the manufacturers opened the process to all interested parties. This step will go far in removing barriers, such as the perceived custom nature of IP-based surveillance and concern regarding specialized knowledge required to install these systems that have been a hindrance to the adoption of the technology.

In most cases, an IP‑based surveillance system is more cost-effective than an analog system. Furthermore, IP‑enabled equipment is expected to decrease in price faster than analog equipment. The previously referenced total cost of ownership analysis prepared by Axis Communications concludes that IP‑based solutions of 40 cameras or more have a lower cost to acquire, install, and operate than same-size analog-based solutions. In fact, while 32-camera systems are the break-even cost point between the two systems, the analysis finds that even 16- to 32-camera analog solutions are only “slightly lower” in cost than IP based systems.

The typical structured cabling implementation topology for an IP-based surveillance system is shown in the nearby illustration. For maximum infrastructure flexibility and to facilitate adds, moves, and changes, it is recommended that a full crossconnect be provided in the TR. A side benefit of IP‑based surveillance technology operating over structured cabling is that  cameras can receive centralized backup power from the server room, so they will continue to operate in the event of a power failure.

IP in focus

Advanced video systems now deliver the highest-levels of system performance, image quality, flexibility, and intelligence; capabilities that can only be realized with the implementation of IP-based technology and a structured cabling infrastructure.

Next month, I will have a companion article discussing the use of structured twisted-pair cabling infrastructure to support broadband video and IPTV applications.

Reprinted with permission of Cabling Installation & Maintenance – 2009 www.cablinginstall.com

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Increasing efficiency with unified Communications

A Voice over Internet Protocol system anchors the unified-communications project taking place at Cooper Industries.

PATRICK McLAUGHLIN is chief editor of Cabling Installation & Maintenance.

The name Cooper Industries (www.cooperindustries.com) may look familiar to many professionals in the structured cabling industry. The company, which derives most of its revenue from electrical products, also offers the Cooper B-Line brand of products including cable tray and firestopping products. Additionally, Cooper B-Line acquired GS Metals, also a provider of cable tray, a little more than a year ago. Cooper Industries’ footprint on the structured cabling industry is not an insignificant one.

As a manufacturing business, Cooper Industries has communications-infrastructure needs of its own and, like its clientele, it seeks quality and value when making purchasing decisions. Currently, Cooper is in the midst of a communications-system upgrade that is marked by the company’s geographical diversity, and geography has played a part in several of the company’s decisions.

A global solution

The previous telephone system was a traditional dial plan with handsets and standard voice messaging. The central network interfaced among the companies divisions in Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, New York, and the United Kingdom. Inter-office calling required the dialing of the entire long-distance number, so a critical need for the new phone system was the ability for eight-digit dialing among all its offices.

“Cooper wanted a phone system that would also enable continued global business growth,” says Jeff Taft, strategic partnership manager with CXtec (www.cxtec.com), a provider of new and certified pre-owned networking and technology equipment. Cooper Industries has been a CXtec customer for approximately six years, during which time CXtec has provided pre-owned “equal2new” equipment as well as its own OEM products, in addition to support services, Taft adds. In this situation, “Cooper needed to leverage its global network and embrace the age of the new telecommunications infrastructure,” he says.

CXtec recommended flattening, consolidating, and simplifying Cooper’s phone system so that core, necessary services could be available at all of the company’s locations. CXtec advised Cooper on a single, Internet Protocol (IP)-based unified global communications system that comprises best-of-breed technology with centralized management.

“When offering a solution to any customer, it ultimately boils down to the solid relationships we have with our partners and their strong product offerings,” Taft continues. “Our goal is to offer our customers the best solution for their individual needs without being committed to only one or two vendor offerings.”

Ultimately, Cooper adopted a system that includes expertise and equipment from two vendors: Cisco Systems (www.cisco.com) and Netelligent (www.netelligent.com). Specifically, the suite of products includes Cisco’s CallManager 5.1 software clustered system with Cisco IPCC and cold-spare capability, and Netelligent Aware call recording.

The unified big picture

Unified communications as a technology is large and growing. In December, research firm Dell’Oro Group (www.delloro.com) published a report stating the unified communications market surpassed $3 billion during the third quarter of 2008. According to Dell’Oro, the $3 billion figure was driven in large part by the market’s top two vendors, Cisco and Avaya (www.avaya.com). The report indicates that unified communications is driving the enterprise-voice market from its hardware base, such as private branch exchanges (PBXs), to software.

“Functionality that has historically been confined to the core PBX hardware is moving into software applications that run on data servers and phones,” commented Alan Weckel, a director at Dell’Oro Group. “Previously unavailable features, such as graphical corporate directories and Web browsing, are becoming telephony features. At the same time, functionality that used to be tied to the phone at a person’s desk, such as caller ID logs or voicemail indication, is becoming available in cell phones and soft phones. More than ever before, the overall enterprise telephony market, from the PBX switch to the desktop phone, is shifting its emphasis toward software.”

Another research and analyst firm, Gartner (www.gartner.com), identified unified communications as one of the top 10 strategic technologies for 2009. (See sidebar.)

While the implementation of this unified-communications system is still rolling out across Cooper’s multiple sites, the company has already realized numerous benefits from the project’s first phase, including several that Weckel mentioned in his comments. With the Contact Center platform, Cooper has been able to considerably improve its call-center efficiency, and the Netelligent Aware call-recording system has enabled employee coaching and training, which has improved customer service.

Additionally, the eight-digit dial plan has directly reduced the cost to make a call, and the soft phones from Cisco have allowed remote and mobile users to use the global IP network as opposed to building cellular-phone expenses. The Cisco Mobility feature has improved communication by having a single-reach number that can reach an individual regardless of that person’s location.

The increased communications efficiency required some Layer 1 infrastructure upgrades, reports CXtec’s Tim Duffy. “That is typically the case,” when a user transitions from traditional phone service to an IP-based system. “But it does vary by customer. Category 5e is the minimum cabling requirement,” he says. “Some already have it installed, but in most cases they do not—especially in older facilities.”

Throughout the deployment of cabling systems and the unified-communications equipment, CXtec worked with Cooper Industries to ensure the project ran smoothly. “We had an on-site presence throughout,” says CXtec’s Duffy, “from initial pre-sales interactions, we had a team that met with Cooper representatives as well as reps from Cisco. Once the project was established and deployment was underway, the interaction varied from weekly update calls to actually deploying the technology on-site.”

Because of Cooper’s dispersed locations, CXtec partnered with another service-providing company. Depending on the location being upgraded, either CXtec resources or those of its partner were on site.

Overall, Cooper Industries’ implementation of a unified communications system has been successful because of the ability of the technology vendors, CXtec, and Cooper to work together. A collaboration of Netelligent’s expertise, Cisco’s equipment and tools, and CXtec’s relationships with both resulted in a smooth implementation.

Reprinted with permission of Cabling Installation & Maintenance – 2009 www.cablinginstall.com

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Essentials of an 802.11y network

The recently approved standard will allow for high-powered Wi-Fi-enabled communications at distances of 3 miles or more.

STEVE SMITH is executive editor for Cabling Installation & Maintenance. The Wi-Fi Alliance (www.wi-fi.org) contributed significantly to this article.

In late September of last year, the IEEE (www.ieee.org) approved for publication the 802.11y wireless standard, designed to enable high-powered Wi-Fi equipment to operate in the mostly vacant 3650 to 3700 MHz band. In essence, the amendment to the 802.11-2007 standard allows for increased wireless operation for more users at a much higher power than via traditional Wi-Fi equipment—up to 3 miles or more—and, according to the FCC (www.fcc.gov) will “create a spectrum environment that will encourage multiple entrants and stimulate the expansion of broadband service,” especially in rural areas.

The Wi-Fi Alliance (www.wi-fi.org), a global, non-profit industry association of more than 300 member companies devoted to promoting the growth of WLANs, recently published a white paper primer on the 802.11y standard, “A New Regulatory and Technical Environment for Wireless Broadband.” In its report, the Alliance notes that the key intentions of 802.11y include “to lower the cost of entry and compliance while allowing market forces to derive maximum value from the available spectrum through shared use.”

The standard emphasizes several interference restrictions, and the Alliance says that  “Wi-Fi technology is especially well suited to meet the requirements for avoiding interference…Because the contention-based protocol used by Wi-Fi technology senses and responds to a broad range of potential technologies, 100% of the 3650 MHz band is available to networks using the 802.11y protocol.”

The 3650 MHz band has been largely vacant due to the range limitations of radio waves and intentional frequency spacing to avoid interference, but the Alliance report notes, “The expectation is that successful deployment of [the Wi-Fi] model in the 3650 MHz band can and should lead to a much broader allocation of spectrum for lightly licensed networks utilizing a contention-based protocol mechanism—eventually including most of the known unused or underused radio spectrum.”

Light licensing means that licensees pay a small fee for a nationwide, non-exclusive license, and then pay an additional nominal fee for each deployed high-powered base station.

Potential installations include industrial automation and control, campus and enterprise networks, and public safety and security networks. In one scenario of a potential 802.11y installation, a fire station locates an enabling station (see description below) on its communications tower, and uses dependent stations on each fire truck and laptop. The incident commander controls the enabling station using a Public Safety band radio.

Key network elements

Through the courtesy of the Alliance, the following excerpts from their white paper describe the major elements and operation overview of an 802.11y network:

• Enabling stations. An enabling station is a high-powered fixed station with authority to control when and how a dependent station can operate. An enabling station communicates an initial enabling signal to its dependents over the air. The enabling station may then direct supporting enablement messages to be exchanged over the air, over another dependent station, or by mechanisms that rely on transport via higher layers. As with all high-powered stations, GPS coordinates and altitude information of enabling stations are registered in a public database to enable stations experiencing interference to locate interfering stations and seek interference mitigation. Enabling stations must include location information in every beacon.

• Dependent stations. Dependent stations are devices in the network that are not registered, but instead receive authorization to transmit from a registered enabling station over the air. Failure to receive the enabling beacon at regular, defined intervals requires a dependent station to suspend transmission until it is re-enabled. A dependent station may be fixed or mobile.

• Regulatory class information. Each device in a network must be able to operate within regulatory requirements of any channel available to it. Prior to 802.11y, channel switching only occurred within a particular band, where only transmit power limits may have changed. Future implementations will be able to move outside of the original band, complying with the regulatory requirements specified by the regulatory class octet in every beacon.

Together, these new elements support three significant new mechanisms defined in 802.11y:

• Dynamic Station Enablement (DSE). [This is] the process by which an enabling station grants permission and dictates operational procedures to dependent stations. The lightly-licensed structure of the FCC regulations for 3650 MHz calls for the creation of procedures to govern the use of the band and treatment of violations. DSE supports the lightly-licensed regulatory model by empowering the network operator to ensure appropriate operation of base stations and the dependent stations they enable. Beyond addressing the regulatory requirements for the 3650 MHz Order, DSE offers the promise of other channel management and coordination benefits¹. For example, since the enabling station is not required to serve as the access point for each of its dependent stations, DSE can reduce the likelihood of a dependent station contributing to radio interference by allowing the dependent station to complete the enablement process via a geographically closer access point and ultimately through a channel other than the air (e.g., the Internet)¹.

• Contention-based protocol incorporating regulatory class information. 802.11y devices can sense both 802.11 and non-802.11 devices and identify available spectrum as small as 5MHz. 802.11y access point beacons identify the country and the regulatory domain for their physical location. By incorporating both channel use and regulatory class information, 802.11y devices can identify available channels and adjust operating parameters to the laws of the country in which the access point resides.

• Extended Channel Switch Announcement (ESCA). A methodology to coordinate a move from one channel to another with less contention or to change channel bandwidth.¹ Specifically, an enabling station can identify the channel with the least aggregate interference to all of the stations that are connected to it on a completely dynamic basis. This capability ensures the best signal-to-noise ratio and lowest power levels possible. ECSA also incorporates regulatory class information--if a channel switch moves the network to a new regulatory domain, the station shifts to the approved frequencies and channels for the new domain. ECSA originates in 802.11y, and is now being applied retroactively to 802.11n and the other proposed concepts across 802.11.

Network operation overview

The first requirement for establishing an IEEE 802.11y network is determining if the area to be covered is in an exclusion zone. If it is outside of the protected regions, the network operator must file for a license, pay a small fee, and register the location of the enabling station in a public database. Dependent stations, fixed and mobile, may then be added to the network based on their ability to receive and decode the enabling beacon. Once enabled, each dependent station continually tests its ability to receive and decode an enabling beacon. Failing this test, the dependent station attempts to reacquire the beacon, with a finite number of attempts before ceasing trying for a predetermined amount of time.

This requirement prevents congestion caused by stations that may be truly out of range of an enabling beacon. Enabling stations continually test for interference. If interference is detected, the enabling station must silence the network and search for a clear channel. When a new channel is identified, ECSA directs all of the devices in the network to move to the new channel, which may include a change in regulatory class, as specified by the regulatory class octet.

Low-cost chipsets and the capability to effectively manage interference through contention-based protocols make Wi-Fi technology an excellent fit for applications in this spectrum. The improved quality of service (QoS) made possible by higher power levels will make Wi-Fi technology more attractive for intensive applications like Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

Ed. note—The complete white paper may be viewed at the Wi-Fi Alliance web site.

References

1. Blue, Scott. 2008. The Sensible Guide to 802.11y. Sensible Radio Corp. (www.sensibleradio.com/11y.pdf)

Reprinted with permission of Cabling Installation & Maintenance – 2009 www.cablinginstall.com

CNS

Cabling Networking Systems Magazine is never satisfied

Cabling Networking Systems Magazine is never satisfied. Canada’s leading publication for the Cabling and Networking Industry is on the move. We had the opportunity to meet with Maureen Levy, Senior Publisher and Paul Barker, Editor at the recent BICSI annual conference in Orlando, Florida. They were busy digging out volumes of information on new products and applications for their readers. CNS Magazine stays on top in Canada because they make the investment in researching the trends of the infrastructure industry and the business opportunities for the readership – in print and on-line.

Paul Barker, Editor said “These are challenging times. In the first quarter of 2009, we face an economy much different from a year ago – or even six months ago. People and business need help. CNS is committed to covering technical advances in the cabling, networking and telecom sectors that will allow both to improve their bottom-line.”

Maureen Levy, Senior Publisher told us to keep an eye on their website as many enhancements are in progress during the 1st and 2nd quarter of 2009. There will be many web-exclusive items with information to help the cabling community.

www.cnsmagazine.com

Trying times are no time to quit trying.

Frank Bisbee – HOTS monthly news column

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Building Smarts

The highly sophisticated central management system developed by Manitoba Hydro is a paragon of high-IQ thinking. It joins a number of other organizations that are taking intelligence to the next level.

By Denise Deveau

If there were a Mensa society for buildings, then Manitoba Hydro's new headquarters in Winnipeg would be at the top of the list. The 22-storey LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold-certified building has more built-in intelligence than your typi