FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 28, 2008

Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) Publishes Cabling Testing Standard for Commercial Buildings

Updates Reliability Requirements for Connecting Hardware Used In Balanced Twisted-Pair Cabling

Arlington, Va. - The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the leader in advocacy, standards development, business development and intelligence for the information and communications technology (ICT) industries, has published TIA Standard 568-B.2-7, Commercial Building Telecommunications Cabling Standard, Part 2 - Balanced Twisted-Pair Cabling Components, Addendum 7 - Reliability Requirements for Connecting Hardware Used in Balanced Twisted-Pair Cabling. This standard was developed to improve the performance reliability of copper cabling systems used in commercial buildings and premises networks.

The successful operation of a building's overall cabling system depends on the reliability of the connecting hardware, which, in turn, depends upon properly testing the reliability of the system components according to the latest standards. TIA-568-B.2-7 specifies the reliability testing requirements for 100 Ohm balanced twisted-pair copper cabling (used in Category 6 cabling), designed to support network reliability through at least two generations of Ethernet, including the next-generation 10GBASE-T Ethernet standard, over the next 10 years.

This standard specifies testing connecting hardware to various mechanical and environmental conditions and measuring parameters, such as changes in contact resistance, during and after individual test sequences. TIA-568-B.2-7 specifies test standards and schedules for:

• Solderless connections
• Modular plugs and jacks
• Other connecting hardware, including cross-connecting blocks and plugs; and pin and socket connectors

TIA-568-B.2-7 was formulated under the cognizance of the TIA TR42.7: Telecommunications Copper Cabling Systems Engineering Committee's TR-42.7.1: Copper Connectors Working Group. To obtain copies of the document, contact IHS International at (800) 854-7179 or visit http://global.ihs.com.

For technical information regarding participating in the TR-42 committee please contact Marianna Kramarikova at mkramarikova@tiaonline.org. For media inquiries, please contact Taly Walsh at twalsh@tiaonline.org.

The companies participating in TR-42 are: 3M Communication Markets Division, ADC, Agilent Technologies, Inc., Allied Telephone and Data Corp., Anixter Inc, Avaya, Baxter Enterprises, Beast Cabling Systems, Bechtel Telecom, Bel Stewart Connectors, Belden Networks Division, Berk-Tek, Broadcom Corporation, BTR Netcom Inc, Business Communication Svcs., C2 Consulting, Chatsworth Products, Inc., CIENA Corporation, Cisco Systems, Inc., CommScope Network Division, Connectivity Technologies, Inc., Corning Inc., CSI Telecommunications, dbi, Defense Information Systems Agency, Defense Supply Center, Columbus, Diamond USA, Inc., Dietrich Lockard Group, Inc., Draka Comteq Optical Fibre, Emtelle US Inc., ERICO Inc., Erico, Inc. Caddy Fastener Div., EXFO E.O. Engineering, Inc., Experior Photonics, Inc., The Fiber Optic Association, FiberSource Inc., Fluke Networks, Furukawa Industrial S.A., GarrettCom, Gemalto INC, General Cable, Genesis Cable Systems, Graybar, Greenlee Textron Inc., Harger, Inc., HARTING, Inc. of North America, Henkels & McCoy Inc., Hitachi Cable, Ltd., Homaco, Hubbell Premise Wiring, ICC, Ideal Industries, Inc., Intertek Testing Services, ITW Linx, J&M Consultants, Inc., JDSU, JPMorgan Chase & Co., KITCO Fiber Optics, Leviton Network Solutions, Luna Technologies, MC Communications, Molex Inc., Motorola Inc., National Technical Systems (NTS), NetGemini, Inc., NIES (Nexans Intel. Ent. Solutions), NORDX/Belden CDT Inc., Nortel Networks, Northwest Information Services, Noyes Fiber Systems, ODVA Open Devicenet Vendor Association, Inc., OFS, Ortronics, Inc., Panasonic Electric Works Laboratory of America, Panduit Corporation, Phoenix Contact, Photon Kinetics, Inc., POFTO & Information Gatekeepers, PPC, Quabbin Wire & Cable Co., Inc., RIT Technologies Inc., RTKL Associates Inc., The Siemon Company, SMP Data Communications Inc., Soapstone Networks, Solvay Solexis, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave Corp., Superior Essex, Surtec America, Telcordia Technologies, Inc., Tellabs, Inc., Timbercon, Inc., Tyco Electronics, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, UL Underwriters Laboratories Inc., US Conec LTD, Westell Technologies, Inc., Wiltec Technologies, Xtellus Dynamic Optics, The Wiremold Company, Yazaki NA Inc., Y-Connect Oper.

 

About TIA
Celebrating its 20^th Anniversary, the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) represents the global information and communications technology (ICT) industries through standards development, advocacy, business opportunities, market intelligence and world-wide environmental regulatory compliance. Thousands of companies and individuals work through TIA to enhance the business environment for telecommunications, broadband, mobile wireless, information technology, networks, cable, satellite, unified communications, emergency communications and the greening of technology. TIA is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

TIA's Board of Directors includes senior-level executives from ACS, ADC, ADTRAN, Alcatel-Lucent, Anda Networks, ArrayComm, AttivaCorp, Avaya, Bechtel Communications, Inc., Cam Communications, Cisco Systems, Corning Incorporated, Ericsson, Inc., Graybar, Henkels & McCoy, Intel Corporation, LGE, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nortel, OneChip Photonics Inc., OnSite Systems, Panasonic Computer Solutions Co., Research In Motion, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave Corporation, Telcordia Technologies, Tellabs, Tyco Electronics, Ulticom, Inc., Westell Technologies, Inc. and Zebra Technologies Corporation. Advisors to the Board include FAL Associates, ILS Technology and Orca Systems.

TIA membership enhances the ability of companies to prepare for the future of communications. TIA brings people and businesses together by helping the industry overcome technical and political barriers to communications. Visit www.tiaonline.org for details.

 

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