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Bisbee's Buzz
Connections…
Everything seems to be
connected in some fashion. One event
affects another and a huge chain reaction of CHANGE begins to take place. Today we see so many rapid changes in
technology that we seem numbed by the speed of the process. Every once in a while it may be appropriate
to look back in time to appreciate the changes that are ahead.
What’s new since 1906?
The year is 1906
The year is 1906.
One hundred years ago.
What a difference a century makes!
Here are some of the U.S.
statistics for the Year
************************************
The average life expectancy in the U.S. was 47 years.
Only 14 percent of the homes in the U.S. had a bathtub.
Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost eleven dollars.
There were only 8,000 cars in the U.S. and only 144 miles of paved roads.
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa and Tennessee were each more heavily populated than California.
With a mere 1.4 million people, California was only the 21st most populous state in the Union.
The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower!
The average wage in the U.S. was 22 cents per hour.
The average U.S. worker made between $200 and $400 per year.
A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian
between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
More than 95 percent of all births in the U.S. took place at HOME.
Ninety percent of all U.S. doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION! Instead, they attended so-called medical schools,
many of which were condemned in the press AND the government as "substandard".
Sugar cost four cents a pound.
Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.
Five leading causes of death in the U.S. were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke
The American flag had 45 stars.
Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii and Alaska hadn't been admitted to the Union yet.
The population of Las Vegas, Nevada was only 30!!!!
Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea hadn't been invented yet.
here was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.
Two out of every 10 U.S. adults couldn't read or write.
Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.
Eighteen percent of households in the U.S. had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.
There were about 230 reported murders in the entire U.S.A.
… Try to imagine what it may
be like in another 100 years.
It boggles the mind to try to
identify the “CHANGES” that have transpired in the past 100 years. Send us your
top ten “CHANGES” during the past 33 years. info@wireville.com
See you at BICSI in Las Vegas in September
2006. It will be a good conference with a powerful program. www.bicsi.org
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 offfice
(904) 645-9058 fax
frank@wireville.com
Preformed Line Products Announces Financial Results For The Second Quarter And First Six Months Of 2006
Preformed Line Products
Company (Nasdaq: PLPC -
News) reported financial
results for the second quarter and the first six months of 2006.
Net income for the quarter ended June 30, 2006 was
$3,545,000, or $.61 per diluted share, compared to $3,696,000, or $.64 per
diluted share, for the comparable period in 2005. Net sales in the second
quarter 2006 were $56,098,000, an increase of 6% from last year's $52,692,000.
Net income for the six months ended June 30, 2006 was
$6,029,000, or $1.04 per diluted share, compared to the prior year's $6,924,000,
or $1.20 per diluted share. Net sales increased 5% to $108,733,000 for the
first six months of 2006, compared to $103,464,000 in 2005.
Rob Ruhlman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said,
"Sales improved for the quarter by 5% and for the first six months by 4%,
excluding the favorable impact of currency. These sales increases were driven
by our foreign operations. Our domestic sales in the first half were lower than
last year due to an exceptionally strong first quarter in 2005. Our costs and expenses
continue at a higher rate due to rising raw material costs, the cost of energy,
higher product testing costs, compliance costs, and our continued investment in
our employees.
Sales were more than 6% higher than the previous quarter
while our costs and expenses remained relatively flat. Our domestic sales
improved 2% over the first quarter due to continued strong sales in the energy
market and improvement in fiber-to-the-premise sales.
We expect to recover a portion of the rising costs through
price increases effective in the third quarter. Our progress on a new
production process and alternative raw materials continues to move forward,
although we do not expect to fully benefit from these improvements until next
year."
Founded in 1947, Preformed Line Products is an international
designer and manufacturer of products and systems employed in the construction
and maintenance of overhead and underground networks for energy, communications
and broadband network companies.
Preformed's world headquarters are in Cleveland, Ohio, and
the Company operates three domestic manufacturing centers located in Rogers,
Arkansas, Albemarle, North Carolina, and Asheville, North Carolina. The Company
serves its worldwide market through international operations in Australia, Brazil,
Canada, China, England,
Mexico, New Zealand, South
Africa, Spain
and Thailand.
This news release contains "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of
1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 regarding the
Company, including those statements regarding the Company's and management's
beliefs and expectations concerning the Company's future performance or
anticipated financial results, among others. Except for historical information,
the matters discussed in this release are forward-looking statements that
involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause results to differ materially
from those set forth in those statements. Among other things, factors that
could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in such
forward-looking statements include the strength of the economy and demand for
the Company's products, increases in raw material prices, the Company's ability
to identify, complete and integrate acquisitions for profitable growth, and
other factors described under the heading "Forward-Looking
Statements" in the Company's Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 15,
2006. The Form 10-K and the Company's other filings with the SEC can be found
on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov.
The Company assumes no obligation to update or supplement forward-looking
statements that become untrue because of subsequent events.
Force10 Networks Chief Security Scientist Explores Changing Requirements For Securing
'high-speed networks at the edge'
To effectively protect the
high-speed WAN edge requires a different type of security appliance that can
provide visibility into traffic as well as filter traffic at 10 Gigabit speeds,
Force10 Networks Chief Security Scientist Livio Ricciulli said today at the
ESCC/Internet2 Joint Techs Workshop.
"With the growth in 10 Gigabit Ethernet adoption, security appliances
designed for Gigabit Ethernet, or even slower networks, can no longer keep up,
leaving the network edge open to security breaches," said Ricciulli.
"To ensure security at the frontline of high speed networks, the
flexibility to set and order rules as demanded by the network or traffic
composition is essential to ensuring security without compromising
performance."
Traditional security appliances have been defined by a rigid rule ordering
logic that has prevented network operators from tailoring them to meet their
needs. According to Force 10, at higher speeds, security appliances must
embrace a greater degree of flexibility that lets network operators choose
between policy control, ordered rules or summed outcomes.
"While flexibility is critical to providing security at 10 Gigabit speeds,
the increasing sophistication of attacks is creating a requirement for greater
transparency at the network edge," Ricciulli said. "A security
appliance in a high-speed network must look and operate almost as if invisible
to the network while providing deep packet inspection from Layer 2 through
Layer 7 to eliminate unwanted, harmful traffic."
ADC Wins 2008 Olympic Venue Renovation Project; Olympic Softball Stadium in Beijing Implements Company's TrueNet Structured Cabling Solutions
ADC (www.adc.com), a leading global
infrastructure equipment and services provider, announced that its TrueNet(R)
Structured Cabling Solutions have been installed at China's Olympic Softball
Stadium, as part of the first venue renovation project in preparation for the
2008 Summer Olympic Games. The cabling solutions provide the infrastructure for
efficient data sharing during softball games that will be viewed across the
world.
The Fengtai Softball Field is
the first of 11 Olympic venues in Beijing
to undergo renovation. The project was completed the end of June 2006 and is
the site for the World Softball Championship in August 2006, as well as the
Olympic softball games in 2008. ADC's TrueNet solutions span the more than
143,000 square foot field and an expanding floor measuring approximately 95,000
square feet. The renovated areas include the stadium, two playing fields and
two practice fields.
"When planning the
network infrastructure design for the Fengtai Softball Field, we considered the
benefits of a variety of solutions and found ADC's TrueNet Unshielded Twisted
Pair cabling to be both economical and easy to install," said Jianying
Yan, general manager of Xi'an Si Lian, main contractor of the Fengtai Softball
Field. "With the completion of this project, we anticipate that ADC's
solutions will meet the high-demand performance requirements of the
network."
The Olympic Softball Stadium
selected ADC's international standardized modular jacks (RJ45) installed on
telecommunication outlets, as well as patch panels and patch cords. All ADC
telecommunications outlets are connected by a high-performance structured
cabling system, creating an information freeway with efficient transmission
capabilities. The system allows for information sharing among various computer
networks within the stadium and also seamlessly connects internal systems to
external high-speed broadband technologies. In addition, the flexibility of the
ADC TrueNet solutions ensures room for future growth and system upgrades,
protecting the current hardware and cabling investment.
"ADC's TrueNet Solutions
are designed to exceed the internationally recognized ISO 11801
specifications," said Jaxon Lang, director of product management,
structured cabling, for ADC. "Our end-to-end solution maximizes data
throughput and provides room for future technologies operating beyond one
Gigabit. We are pleased to partner with the Olympic Games and Xi'an Si Lian to
fit Fengtai field and stadium for optimal data transmission and performance.
This is truly a state-of-the-art venue."
The project was installed and
tested by ADC partner Xi'an Si Lian Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd.
ADC TrueNet Structured
Cabling System
The TrueNet Structured
Cabling System, a highly reliable, end-to-end system, is designed to meet the
unique network infrastructure needs of enterprises, backed by the industries
only true Zero Bit-Error Warranty that guarantees signal integrity and network
throughput. Featuring proven cable, connectivity, and cable management
solutions for Fiber, 10 Gigabit Ethernet over UTP, and Category 6/5e from the
data center to the desktop, TrueNet is installed in high-performance networks
worldwide. Learn more at www.adc.com/truenet.
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 140 countries. Learn more about ADC at www.adc.com
SCTE Board’s Standing
The Society of Cable
Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) proudly announces the names of the
dedicated individuals who will serve as the chairs of the standing committees
of the SCTE Board of Directors during the 2006-’07 term.
SCTE Chairman of the Board
Yvette Gordon-Kanouff, senior vice president and chief strategy officer for
SeaChange International, has appointed the six chairs. The standing committees
and their newly named chairs are:
Engineering Committee—Charlie
Kennamer, Comcast Cable Communications
Finance Committee—Bob
Macioch, Time Warner Cable, SCTE Region 4 Director
Membership Committee—Frank
Eichenlaub, Scientific Atlanta,
A Cisco Company, SCTE Region 2 Director
Operations Committee—Tom Gorman,
Charter Communications, SCTE Director-At-Large
Planning Committee—Dermot
O’Carroll, Rogers
Cable, SCTE Director-At-Large Canada
Professional Development
Committee—Gene White, Bright House Networks, SCTE Region 9 Director
The charters of the standing
committees and the complete lists of standing committee members for the coming
year are listed at www.scte.org
in the About Us section.
Hubbell Premise Wiring And Mitel Join Forces To Address Physical Infrastructure For IP Voice
Hubbell Premise Wiring, a
global provider of 10 Gigabit and Power-over-Ethernet structured cabling
solutions, today announced that it has formed a marketing alliance with MitelÒ to address the physical infrastructure requirements
of enterprise IP communications deployments.
By working closely with
Mitel, Hubbell will be able to offer customers and resellers access to cost
effective and easy to manage infrastructure solutions designed to enhance the
flexibility, accessibility, and physical security of Mitel IP voice
applications.
“A
lot of attention gets focused on mating a voice solution to the switching
network. Hubbell is working with Mitel to go one step further by addressing the
need for integration at the physical, power and asset management level. In
fact, a planned approach to the physical environment is a critical element in
any enterprises’ communications strategy”, said John Szupiany, VP Product
Marketing for Hubbell.
In
an effort to provide resellers and customer’s access to high performance
infrastructure components, the Hubbell Premise Wiring PowerTracâ PoE patch panel has been
tested and verified by Mitel as a mid-span panel solution for use with the
Mitel 3300 IP Communications Platform (ICP). To enable customers to see Hubbell
and Mitel products working together in a live environment, Hubbell is
installing its infrastructure solutions at select Mitel demonstration centers,
including Mitel’s Costa Mesa, CA,
Atlanta and Vancouver, Canada
offices. Hubbell will also offer an extended 25-year warranty on its
connectivity products for Mitel systems that utilize Hubbell solutions.
“This
is yet another example of recognized industry leaders working with Mitel to
bring best-of-breed IP communications solutions to the enterprise,” says Mitel
COO Paul Butcher, “By taking advantage of Hubbell’s Intelligent Infrastructure
approach, customers can maximize the advantages of their Mitel IP voice
solution.”
Hubbell is a member of Mitel
MiSolutions Network (MiSN), a comprehensive global third-party developer
program enabling world-class companies to successfully create products and
services that complement the Mitel portfolio. MiSN is designed to ensure that
third-party products and services can be quickly and easily integrated with
Mitel’s product portfolio. Hubbell’s MiSN membership helps ensure Hubbell
customers a more seamless integration with the Mitel 3300 ICP.
"The MiSolutions Network
is an important resource for Mitel consultants, distributors and resellers who
are searching for ways to improve their solution portfolio," added Bob
DeRosa President of Bridging-The-Gap-Through-Communications consulting firm in Westchester County, New
York.
"Hubbell’s membership in MiSN provides an additional resource for
companies by enhancing the management and integration process of their Mitel
telephone system in an IP environment."
Hubbell Premise Wiring’s
PowerTrac and high performance cabling solutions are available through
Hubbell’s domestic reseller channel. On an ongoing basis Hubbell Premise Wiring will provide end-user
customers, VAR’s, certified installation partners and consultants with the
latest information regarding emerging VoIP and structured cabling technologies
and applications.
About Hubbell Premise Wiring
Hubbell Premise Wiring, a division of Hubbell, Inc. (Delaware),
is a leading manufacturer of structured cabling systems, enclosures and
accessories, providing a comprehensive solution of seamless infrastructure for
the total enterprise. Hubbell’s broad offering includes high-performance jacks,
patch panels, patch cords, racks and cabinets, raceway and delivery, cable,
cable management accessories, and fiber optic products for commercial,
industrial, and residential environments. The division is located in Stonington, Connecticut
and has sales offices worldwide. For more information please visit www.hubbell-premise.com.
About Mitel
Mitel is a leading provider of integrated communications solutions and services
for business customers. Mitel’s voice-centric IP-based communications solutions
consist of a combination of telephony hardware and software that integrate
voice, video and data communications with business applications and processes.
These solutions enable our customers to realize significant cost benefits and
to conduct their business more efficiently and effectively by enabling enhanced
communications, information sharing and collaboration within a business and with
customers, partners and suppliers. Mitel is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada,
with offices, partners and resellers worldwide.
NEMA Names Whitman As Vice President Of Medical Products
The National Electrical
Manufacturers Association (NEMA) announced that it has named Andrew Whitman as
vice president of medical products at NEMA. Whitman will replace Robert
Britain, who is retiring after 21 years of service. Whitman comes to NEMA from
Carmen Group, Inc., a government relations firm in Washington, D.C.,
where he served as the senior associate for healthcare practice representing
healthcare providers on Capitol Hill and the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services.
“Andrew brings an in-depth
knowledge of the healthcare industry and federal regulatory issues that can
affect the electroindustry,” says NEMA President Evan Gaddis. “I am confident
that he will do an outstanding job leading the medical products department and
that his experience will be an asset to NEMA and its members.”
Prior to working at the
Carmen Group, Inc., Whitman served as deputy director, regulatory affairs, and
special counsel for the American Psychiatric Association, where he directed and
managed the federal regulatory and healthcare policy agenda. His work included
contact with high ranking government officials in Congress, the Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Food and Drug Administration. He also
previously worked as senior counsel for the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services in the Office of Counsel to the Inspector General, and served as
senior corporate counsel for Integrated Health Services, Inc. He has practiced
healthcare law at several law firms, including Reed Smith, LLP and Grove, and
Jaskiewicz and Cobert. Whitman holds a Juris Doctor from American
University and a bachelor of arts, cum
laude, from Hamilton
College.
NEMA is the trade association
of choice for the electrical manufacturing industry. Founded in 1926 and
headquartered near Washington,
D.C., its 430 member companies
manufacture products used in the generation, transmission and distribution,
control, and use of electricity. These products are used in utility, medical,
industrial, commercial, institutional, and residential applications. Domestic
production of electrical products sold worldwide exceeds $120 billion. In
addition to its headquarters in Rosslyn, Virginia, NEMA also has offices in Beijing,
Sao Paulo, and Mexico City.
www.nema.org
Area Communications Sets It sights On Fastest Growing Business Partner Award For Avaya
Avaya recently selected 26 of
its 1300+ business partners nationally for it’s prestigious “Partners for
Growth” program. Area Communications is excited to be the only dealer in Florida selected.
Area Communications, a Jacksonville based
communications firm and Avaya Business Partner, has climbed to the number 2
overall Business Partner in the state of Florida
over the past year. Now, Area is aggressively pursuing the top growth
spot nationally among Avaya Business Partners.
“Our focus on Training and
Business Development has put quite a bit of wind in our sails” says Area CEO
Brian Chancey. “Last year, we deployed a Learning Management System and
authored a series of web based training courses that allow our customers to
certify their employees on the use of the Avaya IP Office. Both basic
telephony and advanced communications training programs are available.
Now our clients can certify employees on the use of the communications
technology even before it is deployed.”
This year Area is rolling out
a new program called Savvy Business Development Systems™. It is a
program that uses modern communications technologies (IP Telephony, Recording, Call Center,
Call Accounting, Customer Relationship Management and Multi-Site Networking)
combined with the sales training program that is guaranteed to produce results.
“We have seen increases in client revenue ranging from 10% to over 40%.
It is an awesome program,” says Chancey. “Partnering to help
companies grow their revenues is much more rewarding that simply installing a
phone system, and we have a very unique program to do just that”.
In order to manage this sales
growth, Area has appointed a new Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
Rocky Nightingale assumed this position early in May of this year.
“I have managed as many as 300 Avaya Sales Associates in my years in this
business, but never have I had had such a powerful offering, or opportunity for
that matter. We plan to expand the sales force state wide, recruiting
only top Avaya sales talent,” say Nightingale.
Stand by for liftoff...
www.areacom.com
TIA/EIA Emerging Standards – Let’s Review
By Lee Badman
BIG things are
afoot in the world of standards. There are various working groups shaping cool
and powerful notions into documented standards, at differing stages of
completion. Other groups are recently finished, and basking in the glow of jobs
well done as the industry gets its arms around the latest standards. Sure, this
snapshot of sorts is nothing new – like the sun coming up and the
seasons turning, the steady and reliable progression of technologies and ways
to leverage them is something long-timers in the data world know well. But
every once in a while the planets align just right, and the “what’s in the
pipe” factor gets pretty darn exciting from the perspective of emerging
standards. Fortunately for network environments of all sizes, we all stand
together at just such a juncture. Recently released and soon-to-be ratified
standards form a powerful tapestry of documents that enable, and will enable
further, powerful changes in the networking arena. Here’s another CBM update.
Yesterday’s Pipe Dream
Topping the discussion, who’d
have thought ten years ago that we’d be looking at putting 10 Gb/s
over copper wiring? It’s easy to appreciate the power of optical fiber, but 10
Gig over copper? It is an impressive goal, and is the bread and butter of the
IEEE 802.3 working group, also referred to as the 10GBASE-T
group. And as impressive as 10 Gig seems
as a shear quantity of bandwidth, it makes sense that fiber and now copper
options will be available to support aggregation and backbone connectivity for
enterprises that take Gigabit connectivity for granted. But pushing copper to
these extremes presents challenges, as the working group finishes up a 10GBASE-T
PHY spec and makes it’s case for using nothing less than Category 6 cable.
“While the use of 10 Gig is currently
anticipated in the data center or campus backbones, one of the rules of
networking is that the demand for bandwidth is not going to decline and the
widespread deployment of high-throughput technologies like 10GBASE-T is coming,”
comments Hugo Draye, Fluke
Networks’ marketing manager for certification tools, in
regards to the pending 802.3an standards. “The use of
copper cabling offers a significant cost advantage when the distance or link
length allows it. Copper cabling does not require expensive optoelectronics the
way fiber does. And there are many more
installers who are familiar and comfortable with
installing UTP.” One of the obvious questions is how Fluke Networks is getting
ready for the tentative summer of ’06 release of 802.3an, and it’s biggest
challenge – Alien Crosstalk. According to Draye, “Alien
Crosstalk can be very difficult to test.
It’s a phenomenon where every cable in a bundle can affect every other
cable. This leads to many measurements,
a very large number of calculations and huge data files. Fortunately, Fluke
Networks’ DTX 10 Gig solution offers a simple, standards-compliant test setup,
with the DTX AxTalk Analyzer™ software handling all
the complex calculations.”
But as with all high-speed
data technologies, the onus is still very much on the installer to produce a
quality product as the cabling system is installed. Draye reminds us, “The
workmanship of the installation is going to play a very significant role in
assuring that the cabling installation will support this super fast new network
technology flawlessly. And field
certification of both the in-channel performance and of Alien Crosstalk will be
the only way to assure that the cabling system will support 10 Gig Ethernet.”
Look for more on 802.3an later in the summer. And keep an ear pealed towards
the end of this year for more on Category 6A, or Augmented Cat 6 (terminology
depends on who’s marketing you’re reading), also being formally worked towards
raising the performance bar for the likes of 10GBASE-T. This is truly big
stuff.
And in the home?
Today’s homes are smarter
than ever, with a powerful collection of technologies in the walls and on shelves
enabling multimedia entertainment systems, control, security, networking,
telephony, and all sorts of overlap between these. The TIA-570B Residential
Telecommunications Infrastructure Standard has been with us for two years,
and is doing wonders for elevating system quality in individual residences and
multi-tenant buildings by specifying specific cable types, system design
parameters, and more – resulting in a holistic approach to
home technology. Installers and residents, alike,
are also reaping the benefits of a recent breed of test equipment geared
towards supporting TIA-570B. From Fluke Networks, the CableIQ leads the
small-but-growing pack of “qualification testers” that perform a battery of
performance measurements to “qualify” a given cable, versus “certifying” the
same cable with the more beefy (and costly) full-blown Level
III and IV testers. As more builders and buyers get wise to the importance of
“doing it right the first time,” we’ll continue to see TIA-570-B
make an impact, with further refinements almost guaranteed.
Ah, Wireless…
You simply can’t discuss
emergent standards without getting into wireless. Wireless is popping up
everywhere, it’s evolving, and discussion of standards in development could
fill an entire issue of CBM. Let’s look
at the tip of the wireless standards iceberg… The topic of mesh wireless
networking is becoming a media darling. Philadelphia,
San Diego, New Orleans,
and the whole state of Rhode Island
are just some of the major locations that are looking at
getting in on this thing called “mesh.” But just
like the word “line” in the telephone world, “mesh” is getting a reputation for
being over-applied. But take a look at the goings-on of the 802.11s working
group, and you’ll get to the bottom of “official” efforts towards wireless LAN
mesh networking. Mesh wireless is essentially a dynamic, self-determining
wireless “backhaul” system that takes the wiring of individual access points
out of the middle of the equation– both access and connectivity across
the network is wireless, eventually reaching a connection to the wired network.
But mesh networks play in some pretty polluted spectrum, when you consider all
the competing wireless devices in a given city. The 802.11s group has it’s work
cut out for them, but hopes to have something to offer by 2008.
And what do you know of
TIA/EIA’s TSB-162, which is an add-on to the TIA/EIA-569-B standard? I’m
embarrassed to say that I knew nothing of it until I spoke with Bob Jenson, standards
development and technology manager at Fluke Networks.
Bob clued me in to the Telecommunications Cabling Guidelines for Wireless
Access Points, and as a wireless “pro,” I was
surprised at how this one got by me, After reading over TSB-162, I can
appreciate that the document is trying to help standardize designing wireless
cells from the cabling perspective, but am not sure if it goes too far in
implying that all radio cells are created equal (or close to it). But,
from a planning and budget perspective, TSB-162 is a good addition to today’s
cabling standards, and further reflects the impact that wireless networking is
having on the data world.
But wait – there’s more…
Actually, there’s a lot more.
In the next year or two, look for refinements and modifications to the reigning
Big Daddy of the cabling standards, TIA/EIA-568-B. Watch
for more developments on ISO Class F (marketed in the U.S.
as Category 7). In the world of wireless, pre-standards 802.11n product is
selling big in the residential market, but where it goes in the enterprise
remains to be seen- some of the “big guys” are planning for it in their product
lines, others are saying it will make crowded spectrum worse. But with promised
throughputs better (sometimes much better) than 108 Mb/s, 802.11n
will certainly stay on people’s minds as it meanders through the standards
process. Then there’s WiMax (802.16) that is also shipping early product for
wireless broadband. And the list goes on… as individual standards and proposed
standards gain significance and traction, watch for CBM to keep you posted.
Printed with full permission of Cabling Business
Magazine www.cablingbusiness.com
June Issue 2006
Rexel Set To Nearly Double U.S. Sales With GE Supply Acquisition
Rexel announced that it is in the process of
buying GE Supply for $725 million. It’s not the first acquisition by the
French-based distributor this summer, but it certainly is the largest. In
2005, Rexel reported sales of $2.5 billion; GE Supply’s 2005 sales were given
as $2.2 billion—or combined, the merged entity would have had 2005 sales of
$4.7 billion.
The transaction is set to be complete in August,
at which time Rexel could potentially become the largest seller of electrical
products in the U.S.
Rexel also noted that this acquisition "continues" its leadership
role in consolidation, which could be taken to mean there are even more
acquisitions in store.
After the acquisition, Rexel said it plans to
operate in the U.S.
through a dual-banner strategy, benefiting from GE Supply’s large project
management experience and national footprint, as well as its GE Supply
Logistics and GE Production Services divisions. Dick Waterman, executive
vice president and CEO of Rexel will oversee the group, and Jeff Schaper,
senior vice president of GE Supply will continue to operate that business,
according to Rexel.
In its press release, Rexel estimated the U.S. electrical
products market at $64 billion. With $2.5 billion in U.S. sales,
Rexel commanded a 3.9 percent share of the total market in 2005.
Logically, then, Rexel could command roughly 7.8 percent of total industry
sales in 2006.
According to a report on Bloomberg.com, "GE
decided to sell its electrical-parts distribution unit in November last year,
people briefed on the plans said at the time. The U.S. company aimed to raise as much
as $700 million, said the people, who declined to be identified."
For the record, GE Supply facts were given as
follows: $2.2 billion in annual sales; 2,500 employees; 150 locations; HQ
in Shelton, Conn.; established in 1929. www.rexelusa.com
ACUTA Fall Seminars
October 22-25, 2006
Portland, Oregon
Marriott Downtown Waterfront
The best in professional networking, practical educational sessions, and
one-on-one interaction with vendors in exhibit hall.
Track 1. New and Evolving Technologies
Learn how technology is bringing innovation to campus: VoIP, Unified Messaging,
Wireless thin/hybrid AP
VoWiFi and WiMAX, IM and storage networks.
Track 2. Chargeback and Cost Models
Hear how university information and communications technology units are funding
their services: Fee structures, contract negotiations, tax assessments, debt
financing, billing systems, and cost analysis.
To get more details or to register, visit the website at http://www.acuta.org .
TriNet Named Sales Channel For Hitachi GPON Fiber To The Premises Product Family
Hitachi Telecom
(USA), Inc. announced that TriNet Communications, Inc. of Livermore,
California, has been designated a sales
channel for Hitachi's
AMN1220 Gigabit Passive Optical Networking (GPON) product family. GPON enables
service providers to deliver multiple services, including RF and IP video,
high-speed data, and voice over a single optical fiber connected directly to
the home or business. GPON is an attractive solution for telecommunications
service providers wanting to offer triple play services (video, data, voice),
and for cable TV Multiple System Operators (MSOs) who are facing bandwidth
constraints with the accelerating adoption of high definition TV, or who want
to add new revenue sources by offering business services.
Hitachi's AMN1220 full-rate GPON system operates
at 2.4Gbps downstream and 1.2Gbps upstream, providing plenty of bandwidth to
deliver multiple simultaneous HDTV streams. Service providers also benefit from
the flexibility to provide both RF and IP video services - simultaneously if
needed. For enterprise users, the Hitachi AMN1220 supports DS1 services in
native format through GPON Encapsulation Mode (GEM), allowing businesses to
continue to use customary T1 services and to use existing PBX telephone systems
that are connected by T1 on the trunk side.
According to Rick
Schiavinato, director of technical sales and marketing at Hitachi Telecom,
"TriNet Communications is an award-winning supplier to RBOCs, independent
telcos and MSOs. We are pleased to have their extensive experience and breadth
of market coverage on our side."
"Hitachi is one of the few
companies with the product line and corporate stability to support the wide range
of customer types that we serve," said Jason Skeoch, TriNet vice
president, sales & marketing. "We look forward to offering Hitachi's advanced GPON
solutions throughout our client range."
About Hitachi's AMN1220 Product Family
The AMN1220 FTTP platform is a family of high-performance GPON products that provide ultra high
bandwidth communication services to residential, business and institutional
subscribers using a single optical fiber direct to the subscriber's premises.
Compliant with ITU-T G.984 standards, the AMN1220 provides data rates of
2.488Gbit/s downstream and 1.244Gbit/s upstream. Standards compliance provides
assurance that service providers will have maximum flexibility in implementing
FTTP solutions as applications and services are added in the future. Legacy TDM
services such as T1 are seamlessly handled in their native formats using GPON
Encapsulation Mode (GEM) framing.
The AMN1220
consists of a centrally located Optical Line Terminal (OLT) connected via
single-mode fiber optic cable to Optical Network Terminals (ONT) at the
subscribers' premises. The OLT is equipped with a hybrid Layer 2/3 + TDM switch
fabric for flexible traffic management and consolidation. ONTs include the GST,
a single family / small business unit, and the GMT, a configurable
multi-dwelling/multi-business ONT. All ONTs can provide a Gigabit Ethernet line
rate interface to the subscriber, enabling a wide range of business
applications today and providing future proofing for both residential and
business networks.
About Hitachi Telecom (USA), Inc.
Hitachi Telecom (USA), Inc., a subsidiary of Hitachi America, Ltd., develops, manufactures and
markets telecommunications equipment for the North American market. The company
offers ITU-compliant 'triple play' systems for Fiber-to-the-Premises
applications, and ultra high-speed optical networking equipment such as DWDM
and SONET systems. For more information on Hitachi Telecom (USA), Inc., visit http://www.hitachitelecom.com.
Hitachi America,
Ltd., a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., markets and manufactures a broad range of
electronics and semiconductors, and provides industrial equipment and services
throughout North America. For more information
on Hitachi America, visit http://www.hitachi.us.
Hitachi, Ltd.,
(NYSE: HIT / TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo,
Japan, is a
leading global electronics company with approximately 356,000 employees
worldwide. Fiscal 2005 (ended March 31, 2006) consolidated sales totaled 9,464
billion yen ($80.9 billion). The company offers a wide range of systems,
products and services in market sectors including information systems,
electronic devices, power and industrial systems, consumer products, materials
and financial services. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website
at www.hitachi.com.
Limited Combustible Cable
Don Hall
Corning Cable Systems
don.hall@corning.com
Introduction
National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA) codes and standards are consensus documents issued by a
private organization and not regulatory tools; therefore, they may be adopted
in part or in their entirety by local authorities having jurisdiction (AHJ).
Where NFPA codes and standards or the information in this paper conflict with
local regulations, the local regulations take precedence. This paper discusses
the treatment of limited combustible cable by the relevant codes and standards
of the NFPA.
About the NFPA
The NFPA is a nonprofit
organization, which develops and publishes codes and standards intended to
minimize the possibility and effects of fire. NFPA codes and standards are
developed through an open, consensus-based process that allows for thorough
public review and comment. NFPA codes and standards are developed by technical
committees (called code-making panels in the case of the National Electrical
Code®) whose volunteer members come from a broad cross-section of companies and
industry organizations. The activities of these committees and panels are
overseen by the NFPA Board of Directors through the appointment of a 13-person
Standards Council which is ultimately responsible for the issuance of all such
documents. The NFPA defines the terms as follows:
Code. A standard that is an
extensive compilation of provisions covering broad subject matter or that is
suitable for adoption into law independently of other codes and standards.
Standard. A document, the main
text of which contains only mandatory provisions using the word “shall” to
indicate requirements and which is in a form generally suitable for mandatory
reference by another standard or code or for adoption into law. Nonmandatory
provisions shall be located in an appendix, footnote or fine print note and are
not to be considered a part of the requirements of a standard.
In practice, this means that
codes are documents that a local or state jurisdiction can adopt and make into
regulation. Standards, which give greater detail but have less of a broad view,
are referenced in the codes.
Corning Cable Systems
Whitepaper
Limited Combustible Cable
In 2002, Underwriters
Laboratories (UL) developed testing criteria for the listing of a new cable
type known as “Limited Combustible.” UL Subject 2424, Outline of Investigation
for Cable Marked “Limited Combustible,” requires that these cables meet the
following criteria with respect to their flame and smoke characteristics:
Cables shall have a maximum
potential heat value of 3500 BTU/lb when tested in accordance with the Standard
Test Method for Potential Heat of Building Materials, NFPA 259 (2003)
Cables shall have a maximum
smoke developed index of 50 and a maximum flame spread index of 25 when tested
in accordance with the Standard Test for Surface Burning Characteristics of
Building Materials, UL 723 (NFPA 255)
The surface burning test must
be conducted on slit and unslit cable samples, and the worse performing of the
two sample types must then be burned following prescribed environmental
exposure conditions. Cables listed to this fire hazard classification are
marked as “Limited Combustible FHC 25/50.” The cables must also meet the fire
test requirements for standard plenum cables as defined in NFPA 262.
Relevant NFPA Codes and
Standards
There are three NFPA
documents frequently cited when arguing for of the use of limited combustible
cable. These documents are:
NFPA 70: The National
Electrical Code
NFPA 90A: Standard for the
Installation of Air-Conditioning and Ventilating System
NFPA 13: Standard for the
Installation of Sprinkler Systems
Only NFPA 90A uses the term
“Limited Combustible” as a cable designation, and none of the documents mandate
the use of limited-combustible cables or cables listed to the requirements of
UL 2424.
The following discussion
provides a review of each of these documents, with a focus on the portions
frequently relied upon for promotion of limited combustible cables.
NFPA 90A: Standard for the
Installation of Air-Conditioning and Ventilating System
NFPA 90A was last revised in
2002. This document is responsible, as prescribed by the NFPA Standards
Council, for developing requirements for materials contained in ducts and
plenums associated with the air conditioning and ventilating system. NFPA 90A
only contains explicit requirements for cables installed within ceiling cavity
plenums and raised floor plenums, with these spaces described in section
4.3.10. The requirements for cables installed in ceiling cavity plenums are as
follows:
4.3.10.2.6.1 Electrical wires
and cables and optical fiber cables shall be listed as noncombustible or
limited combustible and have a maximum smoke developed index of 50 or shall be
listed as having a maximum peak optical density of 0.5 or less, an average optical
density of 0.15 or less and a maximum flame spread density of 1.5 m (5 ft) when
tested in accordance with NFPA 262, Standard Method of Test for Flame Travel
and Smoke of Wires and Cables for Use in Air-Handling Spaces.
The requirements for cables installed
in raised floor plenums are identical and are indicated in 4.3.10.6.5.1.
It is important to note that
the language above allows for either of two types of cable, namely traditional
plenum cables, tested to NFPA 262 and “listed noncombustible or limited
combustible cables.” Thus, traditional plenum cables are still permitted, just
as they were in prior editions of NFPA 90A. The 2002 edition of NFPA 90A added
limited combustible cable as a permitted cable type.
As NFPA 90A completed its
2002 revision cycle and entered the 2005 revision cycle, the NFPA Standards
Council issued an important directive to the Technical Committee for Air
Conditioning (TCAC) responsible for NFPA 90A. This directive instructed the
committee to make revisions to address what it perceived to be two alternative
minimum requirements for the same plenum application spaces. This subject
proved to be very controversial, with some arguing that limited combustible
cable should be the new single minimum requirement while others pointed to a
lack of technical substantiation for such a sweeping change. At the 2005
national meeting of the NFPA membership, the TCAC presented its revision of
NFPA 90A with limited combustible cable as the new single minimum; however, a
majority of NFPA members present found the new document unsatisfactory and by
majority vote recommended that the document be returned to committee. The
Standards Council, ultimately responsible for issuing the new document, acted
upon the recommendation of the NFPA membership and declined to issue the new
document. Consequently, the 2002 edition remained in effect and the NFPA 90A
was placed on a new 2008 revision cycle.
During the 2005 revision
cycle, a great deal of promotional publicity was generated based upon
anticipation of a new NFPA 90A requirement establishing limited combustible
cable as the single minimum performance requirement for cables in plenum
spaces. With the failure of the TCAC to produce such a document, much of the
literature which has been circulated on this subject is incorrect or
misleading.
NFPA 70: The National
Electrical Code (NEC)
The National Electrical Code
(NEC) is a code familiar to those in the building industry and widely adopted
by almost all AHJs as a basis for inclusion into their fire and building codes.
The NEC reflects the requirements of other NFPA Standards, which may be
considered to have primacy within specific areas of application. For example,
NFPA 90A provides requirements for cables installed within spaces used for the
handling of environmental air, such as the area above a drop ceiling. If the
NFPA 90A requirements change, the NEC will be expected to appropriately revise
requirements reflecting the NFPA 90A changes in its next revision cycle.
The NEC provides requirements
for the installation of various cable types. Chapters 7 and 8 contain
requirements for several low-voltage or non-current-carrying cable
applications, which are subject to fewer requirements than power distribution
cables.
Among these applications, the
ones related to plenum cables are:
Article 725: Applies to Class
1, Class 2 and Class 3 remote-control, signaling and power-limited circuits
Article 760: Applies to fire
alarm cables
Article 770: Applies to
optical fiber cables
Article 800: Applies to
communications circuits, e.g. telephone circuits
Article 820: Pertains to
coaxial cable employed for CATV service
Article 830: Pertains to
network-powered broadband cables
To date, the various articles
above state that cables installed within plenum spaces (which are actually
called “other space used for environmental air” in section 300.22 of the NEC)
must meet the traditional plenum cable requirements of NFPA 262. No mention is
made of limited combustible cable. During the 2005 NEC revision cycle, which
was completed in 2004, numerous proposals were submitted to the various
code-making panels of the NEC related to limited combustible cable (also called
by various other names such as duct cable, air duct cable and 25/50 cable).
Because the revision cycle of NFPA 90A slightly lags that of the NEC and
because the NFPA 90A is supposed to lead the NEC with respect to cables in
plenum spaces, the Standards Council issued a directive to the NEC code making
panels that it should refrain from considering proposals related to cables in
plenum spaces until NFPA 90A had resolved such matters. Presumably, any new
requirements related to cables in plenum spaces issuing from the 2005 NFPA 90A
would not have appeared in the NEC until 2008, unless the Standards Council
were to allow a mid-cycle “Tentative Interim Amendment” to the NEC. In view of
the failure of the TCAC to produce an acceptable version of the 2005 NFPA 90A,
the directive of the Standards Council appears to have been wise.
Though not apparently obvious
in its relation to the use of cables within plenum spaces, the following fine
print note (FPN) was introduced into the portions of Articles 770, 800 and 820
related to cables in plenums in the 2005 NEC:
FPN: See 8.14.1 of NFPA
13-2002, Installation of Sprinkler Systems, for requirements for sprinklers in
concealed spaces containing exposed combustibles
Fine print notes are
contained throughout the NEC as informational, non-mandatory text, which cannot
be enforced. In the present case, the FPN is strongly suggestive of the possibility
that cables installed in concealed spaces require sprinkler protection, a
suggestion that is actually misleading.
As the NEC entered its 2008
revision cycle, which will be completed in 2007, the issue of two alternative
minimums for cables within plenums is still unresolved. Therefore, the
Standards Council has restated its directive that all proposals for the NEC
2008 related to cables within duct spaces and plenum spaces must be rejected,
i.e. dismissed, without consideration. Proposals for limited combustible cables
have been introduced again, and another new designation was proposed: concealed
space cables. In January 2006, the relevant code-making panels rejected all the
proposals dealing with these cables.
NFPA 13: Standard for the
Installation of Sprinkler Systems
As the title suggests, NFPA
13 is a standard pertaining to the installation of sprinkler systems and has no
relation to electrical circuits or cables. However, proponents of limited
combustible cable have pointed out a portion of text, which seems to provide a
promotional opportunity for limited combustible cable. Section 8.14.1 addresses
sprinkler installation in concealed spaces. This section indicates that
concealed spaces concealed wholly or partly by exposed combustible construction
shall be protected by sprinklers except in concealed spaces where sprinklers
are not required to be installed by 8.14.1.2.1 through 8.14.1.2.15. The
following clauses are relevant to the issue.
8.14.1.2 Concealed Spaces Not
Requiring Sprinkler Protection
8.14.1.2.1 Non-combustible
and limited combustible concealed spaces with no combustible loading having no
access shall not require sprinkler protection. The space shall be considered a
concealed space even with small openings such as those used as return air for a
plenum.
8.14.1.2.2 Noncombustible and
limited combustible concealed spaces with limited access and not permitting
occupancy or storage of combustibles shall not require sprinkler protection.
The space shall be considered a concealed space even with small openings such
as those used as return air for a plenum.
8.14.1.5 Localized protection
of exposed combustible construction or exposed combustibles. In concealed
spaces having exposed combustible construction, or containing exposed
combustibles, in localized areas, the combustibles shall be protected as
follows:
If the exposed combustibles
are in the vertical partitions or walls around all or a portion of the
enclosure, a single row of sprinklers space not over 3.7 m (12 ft) apart nor
more than 1.8 m (6 ft) from the inside of the partition shall be permitted to
protect the surface. The first and last sprinklers in such a row shall not be
over 5 ft from the ends of the partitions.
If the exposed combustibles
are in the horizontal plane, the area of the combustibles shall be protected
with sprinklers on a light hazard spacing. Additionally, sprinklers shall be
installed no more than 1.8 m (6 ft) outside the outline of the area and not
more than 3.7 m (12 ft) on center along the outline. When the outline returns
to a wall or other obstruction, the last sprinkler shall not be more than 1.8 m
(6 ft) from the wall or obstruction.
According to the argument
made by the proponents of limited combustible cable, it follows from these
sections that cables that are not noncombustible or limited combustible
contribute to the combustible loading or fire load when installed within a
concealed space, and therefore the cables must be protected by sprinklers.
Moreover, the rest of the argument states that limited combustible cables do
not contribute to the combustible loading.
This raises the following
questions:
What is a concealed space?
What do the terms
“combustible” and “limited combustible” mean according to NFPA 13?
What does “exposed” mean?
Does NFPA 13 actually require
sprinklers in plenums containing plenum cables?
The following discussion
addresses each of these questions.
What is a Concealed Space?
NFPA 13 refers extensively to
“concealed spaces,” especially in 8.14.1, but it does not define the term, leading
one to rely upon common usage of the word and context of the standard to define
the term. The context of this document leads one to conclude that concealed
spaces include, at a minimum, riser shafts, spaces between wall studs, spaces
between ceiling joists, and at least some attic spaces. The standard also
refers to such spaces as “having no access” or “having limited access.”
“Concealed space” is defined
in neither NFPA 90A nor the NEC, although Article 100 of the NEC provides a
definition for “concealed” as follows:
Concealed. Rendered
inaccessible by the structure or finish of the building. Wires in concealed
raceways are considered concealed, even though they may become accessible by
withdrawing them.
The 2005 NEC Handbook,
published by the NFPA, explains in its commentary to this definition that
cables in accessible underfloor areas or attics, or behind, above, or below
panels designed to allow access and that may be removed without damage to the
building structure or finish, are not considered concealed.
What Does the Term
“Combustible” Mean?
NFPA 13 does not define the
term “combustible” or “combustible material.” It does, however, define the
terms “noncombustible material” and “limited combustible material” as follows:
3.3.16 Noncombustible
Material. A material that, in the form in which it is used and under conditions
anticipated, will not ignite, burn, support combustion, or release flammable
vapors when subjected to fire or heat. Materials that are reported as passing
ASTM E 136, Standard Test Method for Behavior of Materials in a Vertical Tube
Furnace at 750°C, shall be considered noncombustible materials.
3.3.14 Limited Combustible
Material. A building construction material that does not comply with the
definition of noncombustible material that, in the form in which it is used,
has a potential heat value not exceeding 3500 BTU/lb (8141 kJ/kg) (see NFPA
359, Standard Test Method for Potential Heat of Building Materials) and that
complies with either of the following, (a) or (b). Materials subject to
increase in combustibility or flame spread rating beyond the limits herein
established through the effects of age, moisture, or other atmospheric
condition shall be considered combustible. (a) Materials having a structural
base of noncombustible material, with a surfacing not exceeding a thickness of
3.2 mm (1/8 in) that has a flame spread rating of not greater than 50. (b)
Materials, in the form and thickness used, other than as described in (a),
having neither a flame spread rating greater than 25 nor evidence of continued
progressive combustion and of such composition that surfaces that would be
exposed by cutting through the material on any plane would have neither a flame
spread rating greater than 25 nor evidence of continued progressive combustion.
The term “limited combustible
material” is explicitly defined as a building construction material. The NFPA
Standards Council has recently upheld the determination that cables are not
materials of construction and that future references to the fire performance of
cables within NFPA documents shall be expressed in terms of their combustion
characteristics such as flame and smoke propagation, not by terms such as
limited combustible. This does not prohibit commercial use of the term to
describe cables and it does not prohibit listing agencies from authorizing use
of the term in the cable print statement.
Since limited combustible
cables fail to meet either of the NFPA 13 definitions above, they must be
considered combustible. They cannot be a limited combustible material because
they are not a “building construction material” and they are not a noncombustible material because they fail the
ASTM E 136 test. In fact, it is clear that limited combustible cables contribute
up to 3500 BTU/lb toward the combustible loading of any space, including a
concealed space.
What Does “Exposed” Mean?
NFPA 13 does not define the
terms “exposed” or “exposed combustible,” which leads one to the common usages
of the terms. It is reasonable to assume that cables which are enclosed in a
manner that prevents them from coming into contact with water from an
appropriately positioned sprinkler during a fire would certainly not be
considered exposed. It is pointed out by proponents of limited combustible
cable that combustible cables installed in metal conduit are not considered to
be exposed; however, cables placed in any of the less expensive metallic
raceways indicated in 300.22 of the NEC would also prevent the cables from
being exposed.
Does NFPA 13 Actually Require
Sprinklers in Plenums Containing Plenum Cables?
This is perhaps the most
important question. Until recently, there was no discussion of providing
sprinkler protection to cables which were installed in accordance with NEC
requirements and were listed as being “low smoke producing” and “fire
resistant” by a Nationally Recognized Test Laboratory such as UL or ETL. As of
the 2002 Edition, NFPA 13 does not make any specific mention of cables within
concealed spaces. At the time of this writing, a new edition of NFPA 13 was
nearing publication. Based upon the Sprinkler Installation Committee’s Report
on Comments, the new edition will provide the following information within the
Annex portion of the document regarding treatment of minor amounts of
combustible materials within concealed spaces:
A.8.14.1.2.1 Minor quantities
of combustible materials such as but not limited to: cabling, nonmetallic
plumbing piping, non-structural wood, etc. can be present in concealed spaces
constructed of limited or noncombustible materials but should not typically be
viewed as requiring sprinklers (see 8.14.1.1). For example, it is not the
intent of this section to require sprinklers, which would not otherwise be
required, in the interstitial space of a typical office building solely due to
the presence of the usual amount of cabling within the space. The threshold
value at which sprinklers become necessary in the concealed space is not
defined. Annex language, while part of the NFPA 13 document, is also considered
to be informational and non-mandatory but may give some insight into the
intended application of the document.
Conclusion
At the date of this writing,
there are no NFPA documents which mandate the use of limited combustible cable
in any application space, concealed or unconcealed. NFPA 13 calls for the
localized protection of combustible materials within concealed spaces, but does
not identify a minimum threshold for combustible loading. Cables commercially
offered as “limited combustible” do not meet the NFPA 13 definition of “limited
combustible materials” because they are not building materials and may
contribute up to 3500 BTU/lb to the combustible loading of the concealed space.
It has been the traditional view of most practitioners and building inspectors
that a minor amount of combustibles in concealed spaces, such as communications
wiring and nonmetallic plumbing, do not require sprinkler protection. The fact
that communications wiring installed within plenums are required to be
installed in accordance with NEC requirements and must be listed as being “low
smoke producing” and “fire resistant” by a nationally recognized test
laboratory has traditionally satisfied most building inspectors.
Belden® Introduces A New Corporate Identity And A Significantly Expanded Master Catalog
Belden (NYSE: BDC - News) announces the launch of an
initiative that unifies its corporate identity with its flagship brand: Belden.
To reflect the company's expanded product position as a supplier of signal
transmission solutions, Belden also introduces a new brandline: Belden --
Sending All the Right Signals(TM).
The company is
also issuing the 2006 edition of the Belden Master Catalog (in print and at http://www.belden.com ), the industry's most
valued resource for wire and cable information worldwide. Besides offering
broad and diverse lines of copper and optical fiber electronic cables, the 2006
Master Catalog incorporates new product/system solutions, including data
network connectivity, structured cabling systems and services, enclosures and
racks, surface raceway systems, cable management accessories, and Power over
Ethernet (PoE) systems.
John Stroup,
President and CEO of Belden, said, "Extensive market research confirms
that the Belden brand is one of our most powerful assets. 'Belden' is
synonymous with customer care, application expertise and high quality, reliable
products for every market we serve -- from broadcast and entertainment to data
networking, industrial networks, security applications and home automation. Our
goal is to build on this foundation by bringing a whole new array of signal
transmission solutions and services to our global customers."
Peter Sheehan,
President of Belden -- Americas, commenting on Belden's ongoing evolution from
a wire and cable company to a single-source provider of signal transmission
solutions, said, "Belden has a rich, century-long history of customer
care, which has spurred the development of innovative products that meet our
customers' evolving cabling/connectivity needs. Our new Master Catalog reflects
this strong service position, while also revealing that we have significantly
expanded our product and service offerings and are now poised to provide
solutions to a whole new level of signal transmission needs."
To obtain
additional information, please contact Dee Johnson, Belden Investor Relations,
at 314.854.8045, or Frank Stone, Marketing Communication Manager, at 765.983.5354.
Or visit our web site at http://www.belden.com
.
Indicators Of Current And Expected North American Business Conditions Slide In July
NEMA’s Electroindustry
Business Confidence Index for current North American conditions declined for
the third month in a row in July, but nonetheless remained above the 50-point
growth threshold for a 40th consecutive month. The current conditions index fell
to 51.8 in July from the previous month’s reading of 53.6. Meanwhile, the index
for future North American conditions slumped to 23.2, the lowest mark in its
five-year history, from a value of 27.8 in June.
Current conditions indices
for Latin America, Europe, and the
Asia/Pacific region again, as in June, posted healthy readings in the high 50s
to mid-60s. The future conditions measure was close to unchanged from June for
Latin America at 56.3, while readings for Europe and the Asia/Pacific region
dropped sharply, with the value for Europe
dipping to the low 40s and Asia/Pacific coming to rest at 50.
For a complete summary of the
July 2006 index, including charts and a list of participating companies, visit http://www.nema.org/econ/ebci/upload/07_2006_EBCI.pdf.
The Electroindustry Business
Confidence Index gauges the business confidence of the electroindustry in Asia,
Europe, North America, and Latin America, and
is based on the results of a monthly survey of senior managers at NEMA member
companies. Those companies represent more than 80 percent of the
electroindustry.
NEMA is the trade association
of choice for the electrical manufacturing industry. Founded in 1926 and headquartered near Washington, D.C.,
its 430 member companies manufacture products used in the generation,
transmission and distribution, control, and end-use of electricity. These products are used in utility, medical
imaging, industrial, commercial, institutional, and residential
applications. Domestic production of
electrical products sold worldwide exceeds $120 billion. In addition to its headquarters in Rosslyn, Virginia, NEMA
also has offices in Beijing, Sao Paulo, and Mexico City.www.nema.org
FiberOptic Infrastructure Spurring City Economic Development
Carlini’s
Comments, MidwestBusiness.com’s
oldest column, runs every Wednesday. Its mission is to offer the common man’s
view on business and technology issues while questioning the leadership and
visions of “pseudo” experts.
CHICAGO – There are some cities quietly revamping their
network infrastructures and attracting businesses to locate in them, writes
James Carlini.
While some municipalities are
fighting AT&T about Project Lightspeed and others are looking at Wi-Fi
applications, others are looking at major fiber-optic investments. While these
fiber investments have paid off in Utah as we
mentioned in last week’s column, there are others that we don’t hear
much about in the | 
