BISBEE’s BUZZ

Which States recognize BICSI for CEUs to renew licenses for LOW VOLTAGE CABLING?.

http://www.wireville.com/hots/hotsjune09.html#_Toc232052865

Cabling without a license is risky and costly

In Florida and Georgia statewide, you must have at least a low voltage or Limited Energy Electrical license to install or maintain telephone or data cabling. NO EXCEPTIONS except for the operating telephone and cable television companies. We hear “I didn’t know” all the time… or they want to argue with me and say they don’t need to have a low voltage license for what they do. But ignorance is not an excuse for unlawful activity.

We clipped this information from a website of low-voltage resources. I thought it may help with understanding the “rules of the road” for communication cabling.

Did you also know that if you are caught installing cabling without a license you can be fined and or have a cease and desist put on your activities.

Did you also know hiring a person with a license does not qualify your business and is still unlicensed activity.

You must have your own license and the business must be qualified by the state.

You also cannot sub contract a licensed person to do a job on another persons property. Per the State of Florida and Georgia.

Licensed person must perform the work and bill the customer that owns the site directly.

Now 38 of 50 states require low-voltage licensing for voice/data.

For more information, please visit MyFloridaLicense.com.

IBS and low-voltage licensing State by State

From The Electrical Contractor Magazine www.ecmag.com – the official publication of NECA (National Electrical Contractors Association) www.necanet.org

State by State

by Edward Brown
Published: July 2008

IBS and low-voltage licensing

Licensing for integrated building systems (IBS) work is a pretty confusing subject—not too surprising for a field experiencing rapid expansion and change. In fact, the very idea of something called integrated building systems is new. It encompasses fields of work that have, until recently, been considered separate. On the other hand, licensing for electricians has been around for a long time, and even though there continue to be changes in power wiring technology, the basic structure remains fairly constant.

The first question that needs to be asked regarding IBS work is, “Which areas of work are to be covered by the license?” A review of licensing requirements quickly reveals this question is far from settled. For power wiring, it’s generally understood that the National Electrical Code (NEC) is the accepted code that is the basis for licensing. But for low-voltage work, the laws vary from state to state and can even vary within states from county to county and city to city. So rule No. 1 is you must check the state and the specific locality where you’re planning a project that includes any kind of low-voltage work to make sure you meet the requirements well in advance.

Before going into the details of licensing, it’s important to understand the difference between “licensed” and “certified.” A government agency issues a license according to the laws of a specific locality. A certification is issued by an independent organization that specializes in a particular area of work.

A look at the state-by-state listing on www.neca-neis.org makes very clear the level of variation. One pattern that can be seen from reading through these requirements, however, is the most common requirements are for fire and security systems.

There are some exceptions. Starting with the easiest, there are no statewide low-voltage licensing requirements in Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio and Wisconsin. While Colorado, Indiana, Missouri and Pennsylvania have no statewide requirements, localities in these states do have them.

Simple?

South Carolina, for example, has pretty straightforward requirements. They also are typical, in that the license requirements are for fire alarms and burglar alarms.

A contractor can apply to the state for a burglar alarm license, fire alarm license or both. According to the instructions posted on South Carolina’s Web site, www.llr.state.sc.us, Document #130, all applicants must pass a technical exam plus an exam on the South Carolina Code of Laws that regulate alarm businesses. In addition to the specific exams required by the state, burglar contractors must be certified to NTS Level I by the National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association National Training School (www.alarm.org). NTS Level I requires that the applicant take a three-day Certified Alarm Technician course followed by a two-hour, multiple-choice examination. And “[a]ny owner, partner, officer or employee of a licensed burglar alarm business who accesses a client’s property or burglar alarm records must be registered with the department and must submit a criminal background report for each employee.”

Fire alarm contractors need National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) Level II certification (www.nicet.org). That level of NICET certification requires two years of supervised work in the field in addition to an extensive exam. The exam to achieve Level II includes 30 different subject areas, including basic metric units and conversions and such topics as National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards, system acceptance and periodic tests, detector spacing and signal processing.

A few other clauses of note:

“All licensees must designate a primary qualifying party who • has passed the required examinations and is a full-time employee holding a managerial or supervisory position.”

“The alarm business must conduct business in the name in which • the license was obtained. The license belongs to the alarm business, not the qualifier.”

“The applicant must submit with the application a current • insurance Certificate of Comprehensive General Liability Insurance providing for a minimum coverage of $100,000 …”

California

Getting licensed for low-voltage work in California is more than a little different from South Carolina. In South Carolina, the only two low-voltage categories are fire and burglar alarm systems. In California, however, those are the only two low-voltage categories that don’t require a special license. According to its contractors’ licensing Web site (www.cslb.ca.gov), all you need is a general electrical contractor’s license—C10—to do fire alarm system work. But if you dig a little further, you discover that in order to pass the C10 exam, you need to study, among other resources, the National Fire Alarm Code (NFPA 72). Take a look at that code, and you’ll find that Section 4.3.3 requires using “qualified” fire alarm installation personnel.

It states: “Installation personnel shall be qualified or shall be supervised by persons who are qualified in the installation, inspection, and testing of fire alarm systems. Evidence of qualifications or certification shall be provided when requested by the authority having jurisdiction. Qualified personnel shall include, but not be limited to, one or more of the following:

1) “Personnel who are factory trained and certified for fire alarm system installation of the specific type and brand of system being installed

2) “Personnel who are certified by a nationally recognized fire alarm certification organization acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction

3) “Personnel who are registered, licensed, or certified by a state or local authority.”

So by requiring the electrical contractor license for fire alarm work, the state is calling out these specific qualifications—not so very different from South Carolina after all. But it takes probing to figure it out. Fortunately, California maintains a very useful helpline (800.321.CSLB) to answer all your California state licensing questions.

For security, in California “Individuals who install, maintain, monitor, sell, alter or service burglar alarm systems are exempt from licensure under the Contractors License Law … provided they are licensed by BSIS [Bureau of Security and Investigative Services].” The BSIS requirements include that there is a qualified manager who passes a criminal background check, has two years of experience in burglar alarm work and passes a two-hour, multiple-choice exam.

In addition, California requires a C-7 license for low-voltage system contractors. According to the requirements for this category, a “communication and low voltage contractor installs, services and maintains all types of communication and low voltage systems which are energy limited and do not exceed 91 volts. These systems include, but are not limited to telephone systems, sound systems, cable television systems, closed-circuit video systems, satellite dish antennas, instrumentation and temperature controls, and low voltage landscape lighting.”

In order to get the license, you must have at least five years of experience in your field working at the journeyman level; submit an application; and pass two 2½-hour, multiple-choice exams. The first exam, required for every category of work, is the law and business exam, which has questions relating to business management and construction law. The second exam covers low-voltage systems.

You can obtain study guides and also check out the list of suggested reference books. The C-7 study guide outlines five major sections in the exam:

1) “Job Planning and Estimating

Interpretation and application of plans for low voltage • systems

Compliance with codes •

Coordination with owner, architect and other trades •

2) Cable Installation

Pre-wiring •

Termination and labeling •

Testing methods and testing equipment •

3) End Use Equipment Installation

Installation of data/voice equipment •

Installation of audio/video equipment •

Installation of other low voltage equipment •

4) System Performance Testing, Troubleshooting And Repair

Troubleshooting •

Repair/Replacement of low-voltage systems and • components

5) Worker and Job Site Safety

Identification of work site hazards •

Safe work practices” •

National codes

Regardless of legal licensing requirements, each political jurisdiction imposes regulations on the work done and who may do it. I’ve already mentioned certification requirements that may form a part of the licensing procedure. Even more certain, regardless of the legal licensing requirements, is that every locality will have codes to regulate the building trades. So for example, in Iowa, where there are no statewide low-voltage licensing regulations, a contractor who wants to install fire alarm systems would be bound by NFPA 72, which, as I outlined under the California requirements, calls for specific levels of “qualified” workers.

Summing up

If an electrical contractor wants to take on low-voltage work for the first time, he or she will have to sort through some often confusing regulations.

A good first step would be to check out the listing of state • licensing regulations at www.neca-neis.org. This listing gives a state-by-state summary of low-voltage licensing requirements and, even more importantly, contact information for the relevant state offices.

Go to the appropriate authority where you intend to work, and • research exactly what is needed, including “licensed,” “certified” and “qualified” personnel. Make sure you are clear about whether the actual installer needs to be licensed, or just supervised by a licensed person.

One important item to watch out for is that in a number of • states, such as Minnesota, the electrical contractor license also covers low-voltage work, so an electrical contractor doesn’t need any further special low-voltage licensing.

Be certain to find out how long the licensing process takes. • It usually involves an application, which may be time consuming, and studying for and passing an exam.

Licensing also will usually require personnel who have a • specified number of years of experience.

Licensing also may require certifications by national • associations in the particular low-voltage specialty for which the license is being sought.

Many licenses also call for regular renewals every so many • years and require that the license holder take a number of continuing education classes during each renewal period.

Some regulations are very general, and some are very specific with regard to particular subspecialties, which may be many. For example, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma subspecialties, which may be too many.

For example, Louisiana, Tennessee and Arizona require different licenses for residential and commercial work. Minnesota distinguishes between contractors and technicians. In other states, e.g., South Dakota and Virginia, low-voltage work is covered by the regular electrical contractor license, but the contractor is responsible for meeting the applicable low-voltage standards.

As IBS technology expands, it is becoming increasingly crucial that the quality of workmanship in this area be ensured. It is, therefore, likely that as time goes on, low-voltage licensing requirements will become more widespread and stringent.

Researching requirements requires sorting through often confusing regulations, which can be quite different from locality to locality. It will pay off in the long run to spend the time early on to make sure that you learn exactly what has to be done.

BROWN is an electrical engineer, technical writer and editor. He has served as managing editor for SECURITY + LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS magazine. For many years, he designed high-power electronics systems for industry, research laboratories and government. Reach him at ebeditor@gmail.com.

http://www.ecmag.com/?fa=article&articleID=9134

Reprinted with permission from Electrical Contractor Magazine www.ecmag.com

At this time we found BICSI courses NOT RECOGNIZED by State of Florida for CEU’s for Limited Energy (low voltage) License renewal requirements (Electrical Contractor Specialty License – Limited Energy)

http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/pro/elboard/index.html

Information for Licensees

Biennial License Renewal Fee
Electrical Contractors – Certified = $300
Electrical Contractors – Registered = $125
The fees above include a $5 unlicensed activity fee and a $4 fee, which is transferred to the Florida Building Commission to fund projects relating to the building construction industry or continuing education programs offered to persons engaged in the building construction industry in Florida.

Continuing Education Requirement
14 hours of board approved continuing education is required each biennium prior to the renewal period for both certified and registered contractors; at least 7 hours of which are on technical subjects; 1 hour on workers’ compensation; 1 hour on workplace safety; 1 hour on business practices and 1 hour of advanced course. Multiple license holders are required to complete the continuing education requirements only once each biennium. Contractors who are engaged in alarm system contracting must take a 2 hour false alarm prevention course as a part of their continuing education.

Continuing Education Information
The Bureau of Education and Testing is responsible for the management of continuing education providers and courses. Below are shortcuts to their continuing education pages.
Continuing education main page
Continuing education policy
List of continuing education providers and courses, and hours required
Alarm System Agent provider and course list
Fire Alarm System Agent provider and course list

Reporting requirement for criminal convictions
As of October 1, 2009, Section 455.227(1)(t), Florida Statutes requires all professional licensees to report to the department within 30 days of being convicted or found guilty of, or having plead nolo contendere or guilty to a crime in any jurisdiction.  The statute also requires the reporting of any convictions that occurred prior to October 1, 2009.  A licensee who fails to report that information may be subject to disciplinary action, including fines, suspension or license revocation.  To report this information, complete the criminal self-reporting document and mail it to the department.

Information for Continuing Education Providers

The Bureau of Education and Testing is responsible for the management of continuing education providers and courses. Here is a shortcut to their education provider/instructor page.

Applications:
Electrical Course Provider
Continuing Education Course
Alarm System Agent Course
Fire Alarm System Agent Course

Please be careful on the roads, especially during the holidays. Never drive while texting.

But that’s just my opinion,

Frank Bisbee - Editor

"HOTS - Heard On The Street" Monthly Column

www.wireville.com

4949 Sunbeam Rd, Suite 16

Jacksonville, FL  32257

(904) 442-2741 DIRECT

frank@cablingnewswire.com

Visit www.communicationplanning.com - our home website

When The Service Is Critical -- Fiber Optic Connectors With HLC Technology Keeps Placing Network Managers On The Winning Podium

Megladon's HLC (Hardened Lens Contact) technology is what sets this products apart from others on the market today. Their patented technology produces the only durable, high performance patch cord in the industry. Today's high speed networks demand the highest quality connections to ensure reliable performance. Contamination, scratches, and poor geometry degrade network performance and cause failures during peak traffic. The industry needs a reference quality connection with durable mating surfaces to improve network performance and reduce system failures. Their customers demand it. Megladon's HLC SCRATCHGUARD Patch Cords prevent maintenance issues and traffic failures, improve customer satisfaction and reduce costs in several areas.

Features:

• Low Maintenance matings
•  Reference cable quality
•  Dust and scratch resistant
•  Extended lifespan
•  Withstands multiple matings
•  Minimal & Easy Cleaning
•  Compatible with all existing  connectors
•  Lowest signal loss in the marketplace
•  High quality components
• Repeatable network performance

Fiber optic cables can be easily damaged when they're misaligned while being inserted into test equipment or a hardware port. A side by side comparison of Megladon's HLC patch cords and a standard UPC cable. Each was given an identical amount of error when inserted into a port. The standard UPC cable showed significant scratching. The HLC cable is undamaged.

HLC SCRATCHGUARD Patch Cords Specifications

Don’t put your network or your job at risk. Get ScratchGuard®. www.megladonmfg.com

But that’s just my opinion,

Frank Bisbee - Editor

"HOTS - Heard On The Street" Monthly Column

www.wireville.com

MILLENNIALS: A TREASURE CHEST OF OPPORTUNITIES – ARTICLE BY JAMES CARLINI

How many Millennials do you know who are uncertain of their future? How many of them have any type of blueprint to success?  How many of them have more than a part-time job? (Some have two, just to make more money, but few have a full-time, benefits-paying job.)

With so many changes and challenges in society today, old rules-of-thumb cannot be applied to develop careers or determine a direction to take with developing skill sets and seeking jobs. The same career advice cannot be regurgitated year-after-year because it is just not applicable anymore.

FRAMEWORKS FOR THE FUTURE

When I wrote my book, LOCATION LOCATION CONNECTIVITY, I wrote it to leave behind a legacy of broad-based knowledge and experience on high-tech issues covering next-generation real estate, infrastructure, and technology. These areas are converging and impacting regional Economic Development.

The book offers more than that.  It offers some “frameworks for the future” discussing the ways of looking at things which can provide opportunities for people in the beginnings of their careers as well as those in the middle or end of their careers.

One of my friends who was reading the book, called me up to discuss what he thought about the book.  He said, “I can’t believe how much stuff you have in this book.”  He said this is a book that could easily become a classic.

His summary, “The book is a veritable Treasure Chest of Opportunities.”

I am humbled by his assessment and hope others get as much out of the book. I really would like to see Millennials pick up the book because they are the ones who seem disenfranchised with “traditional business cultures” in many organizations.

Those who already have a degree and are in debt from college loans must take a second look at what they can fit into and what will get them more than a minimum wage job. The promise “a college degree will unlock the doors to better opportunities” rings very hollow with many of them.

There are still opportunities out there, but the doors and locks have changed.

What worked before in positioning oneself for a good job doesn’t necessarily guarantee success today.  You must have skills focused on Flexibility, Adaptability, Creativity, and Technology in order to be marketable in today’s economy. (FACT-based skills)

It’s all in the book. FACT-based education is much more critical than learning the Three R’s: The skill sets for Industrial Age jobs.  The Three R’s? Rote, Repetition and Routine which add up to Regimentation.

The Three R’s may have been excellent skills for Industrial Age jobs, but they are not going to get you far in today’s and tomorrow’s challenging jobs where nothing is routine and there is no such thing as “a routine day.”

Public school systems are not teaching for today’s jobs and there is a disconnect when people graduate.  If they go on to college, there is no guarantee those FACT-based skills will be part of their curriculum.

SPEND $40 BEFORE SPENDING $40,000
Before deciding to get into a college curriculum that is probably 20 years old and will cost about $40,000 for the first year, buy the book for $40 and get a better picture of where things are going and where the opportunities of the future will be.

You may not need a degree. If you do, choose wisely.  It is not about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) as much as it is about FACT (Flexibility, Adaptability, Creativity, and Technology) skills.

Remember, 21^h century challenges may not be solved by 20th century solutions.

CARLINI-ISM :  College degrees are not the universal solution anymore to obtaining a good career in the 21^st century.

BOOK AVAILABLE AT AMAZON –

http://www.amazon.com/LOCATION-CONNECTIVITY-JAMES-CARLINI/dp/0990646041/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417203910&sr=1-1&keywords=location+location+connectivity 

BARNES & NOBLE

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/location-location-connectivity-james-carlini/1120585793?ean=9780990646044

Follow daily Carlini-isms at www.TWITTER.com/JAMESCARLINI

Copyright 2014 – James Carlini – Reprinted with permission from James Carlini

Shoretel Rejects Mitel's Revised Bid

Nov. 12, 2014 - U.S. telecommunications provider ShoreTel Inc rejected Canadian peer Mitel Networks Corp's higher bid, saying it "significantly undervalued" the company.

The new proposal was highly inadequate and "is again an opportunistic attempt to acquire ShoreTel", ShoreTel board's chairman Charles Kissner said in a statement.

Mitel on Monday raised its offer to $8.50 per share in cash and stock, from $8.10 per share in cash.

The revised offer valued ShoreTel at about $574 million, $34 million more than Mitel's earlier bid.

ShoreTel is the only provider of brilliantly simple unified business communications solutions that consistently leads the industry in customer satisfaction and lowest total cost of ownership.

In addition to an award-winning, premise-based, all-in-one IP phone system with unified communications and contact center capabilities, ShoreTel offers cloud-based communications. ShoreTel Sky delivers businesses of all sizes proven and secure hosted VoIP, hosted unified communications (UC) and hosted contact center services.

With ShoreTel, organizations enjoy freedom of choice: to own and manage their brilliantly simple system in-house, or to let our expert telephony teams handle it off-site. Either way, ShoreTel’s solutions are built to scale, grow, and evolve as needed. So companies can buy, or subscribe to, the business communication solution they need today, with no risk to their original investment should their needs change tomorrow.

ShoreTel’s purpose-built solutions remove the barriers and complexity that other providers throw in the way, whether an organization is seeking to replace an old phone system, bring up new office sites or branches, upgrade to unified communications, or modernize its contact center. With fewer resources tied up in a phone system, an organization's resources are cut loose, across the board, to work on the real task: moving business forward.

Organizations worldwide consistently give ShoreTel the highest ratings for customer satisfaction. ShoreTel is based in Sunnyvale, California, and has regional offices in Austin, Texas; New York; Maidenhead, United Kingdom; Sydney, Australia; and Singapore.www.shoretel.com

Communication Planning Corporation is North Florida’s leading ShoreTel dealer.

Since 1980, CPC has provided quality service for their communications and cabling needs. CPC and ShoreTel can deliver unified communications. www.communicationplanning.com

Contact Michael Shannahan, Vice President – Communication Planning Corporation (Jacksonville, FL) Tel. 904-645-9077 or michael@communicationplanning.com

Cool Tools: Qualification Testers -- What Do You Want To Know? Article by Jeff Griffin from Oct. 2014 issue - ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR magazine

Published::October 2014

By Jeff Griffin

For commercial structures, certification tests document that a building’s voice/data/video network complies with industry standards.


Qualification or performance testing can also confirm that local area network (LAN) installations meet component manufacturers’ install standards and should perform as specified. This testing had been considered optional for LANs in homes and apartments.

“Qualification” is a general term used to describe such testing, and it sometimes is used interchangeably with verification testing and, incorrectly, residential certification.


“Our company now is using the term ‘performance testing’ to more accurately describe this process,” said Dan Payerle, business unit manager for network test products at Ideal Networks, a division of Ideal Industries.

While qualification tests typically have been thought of in terms of a building’s datacom system, today’s integrated systems include fire and security alarms, video surveillance, and control components. Each piece of the system must communicate with its host. Payerle said performance testing of cabling in homes and multiunit residential dwellings should not be considered optional anymore.

IP integration is here

“That means that all systems, including security, access control, home automation and voice/­data, are Ethernet-based,” Payerle said. “Ethernet allows every device in the systems to operate effectively on the same network so that an event on one system can trigger a series of actions by other systems.”

A solid cabling infrastructure is crucial to system operation, and it makes troubleshooting much easier when proof of performance tests eliminate cabling as a potential problem, according to Payerle. Because the systems are becoming more complicated and interconnected, ruling out communication errors from cabling should be the first step during installation.

When testing cabling, two types of standards can be used: one to determine pass/fail performance of cable, the other to meet signaling or transmission standards.

Payerle said cable testing standards, such as the ANSI/TIA-568 series, specify the electrical performance requirements of the cabling and do not necessarily consider the intended use or application.

“Today, other than analog voice, there is practically nothing other than Ethernet that is going to be sent over the cabling, including residential networks,” Payerle said. “Transmission requirements of Ethernet are defined by the IEEE 802.3 series of standards, the IEEE 802.3ab standard defining gigabit Ethernet. Most wired devices these days are equipped with gigabit Ethernet [GbE] ports versus 100 megabits-per-second [Mbps] fast Ethernet ports, and it is not uncommon to find gigabit Ethernet (1,000 Mbps) in residences.

“In residential buildings, whether single-­family or multidwelling, ‘prewiring’ was an upgrade option only a few years ago; now it’s standard practice. However, residential buildings are often wired on razor-thin margins, and the cabling systems that go into them may not support GbE, considered ‘minimum spec.’ Category 5e cabling is designed to support GbE transmission at up to 100 meters. Unfortunately, there are cable and connectors sold as Cat 5e-compliant, which are not. The result is that cable performance may not support error-free gigabit transmission, even when a link has been successfully tested with a wire map tester,” Payerle said. Ultimately, data transmission matters most to customers.

“Network devices don’t care about the cabling,” Payerle said. “They will try to operate over whatever physical path is supplied. Therefore, testing the data as well as cabling makes the most sense in Ethernet networks.

“A data transmission tester behaves like a network device, except it reports errors and network limitations. Ethernet is designed to recover from errors without users knowing anything went wrong. A transmission tester provides a clear answer as to whether the network is capable of supplying the desired performance, regardless of cable category.”

Transmission testers are new to LAN installers. They have been in the WAN/telco environment for years as the standard way to test networks and can be complicated to configure and operate.

Ethernet transmission testers come in two categories: one category tests only passive cabling, and the other tests cabling sending data through switches.

“The ability to perform transmission testing through live Ethernet networks with easy-to-operate testers is new and gives integrators a tool to stress-test an existing network before upgrading or adding new IP [Internet protocol] systems,” Payerle said. “High-bandwidth systems—like IP CCTV—that are added to a network can negatively affect network performance. One IP camera isn’t going to generate enough data to cause problems, but a dozen high-resolution IP cameras can tax the switch that is handling the combined traffic of multiple cameras. The cameras will sense when the switch starts dropping frames and react by lowering their frame rate or increasing video compression, resulting in poor video quality.”

A transmission tester that features options to specify resolution, number of cameras and type of compression enables integrators to test the network before installation. The tester will be able to calculate a data rate based on the information entered and test the impact on the network before installers place a single camera. The results show whether the network infrastructure needs to be upgraded before adding a new IP CCTV system. The same applies for voice over IP and IP TV data.

Power over Ethernet (PoE) load testing is important because the voltage available at the end of a network drop depends on the gauge of the wire and the length of the run, Payerle said. A PoE load tester will apply a load to the PoE supply and tell the operator how much voltage, current and wattage is available at the outlet.

“PoE vastly simplifies the installation of Ethernet devices, eliminating the need to install separate electrical circuits for low power devices,” he said. “PoE supplies [direct current], making it susceptible to excess voltage drop from long drops or copper-clad aluminum twisted-pair cable that is sometimes unknowingly installed. Integrators who are installing and supporting the Ethernet devices attached to a network need to be able to test PoE.”

There are two types of PoE testing: one type checks for PoE availability, and the other type puts a load on the line, measuring true power available to the attached PoE device.

“Load tests eliminate a lot of troubleshooting time,” Payerle said. “If the specifications of a powered device require 12 watts of power and the circuit is capable of supplying just 10 watts, malfunction of the [powered device] is ruled out, and attention can be focused on the cabling or PoE supply devices.”


Ultimately, installers need to decide if they need a cable-only or cable and network tester.


“There are times when they may need both: equipping cable installation crews with a simple-to-use, cable-only transmission tester and equipping network setup and troubleshooting technicians with one that tests both cable and live networks,” Payerle said. “Network transmission testers usually have additional features like PoE load testing and Ethernet diagnostic tests.”


Ideal Networks has long produced wireless area network transmission testers and now has several options for LAN installers. The Ideal SignalTEK CT provides IEEE 802.3ab-compliant gigabit transmission testing over twisted-pair cable, and its SignalTEK II FO tests both cabling and live networks over copper or fiber.

Reprinted with permission from ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR magazine - www.ecmag.com

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR magazine serves the field of electrical construction, including inside, line work, lighting, maintenance, control, electrical work, voice/data systems, security, fire and life safety, fiber optics, home and building automation systems, integrated building systems applications and others applicable to the field. The magazine is part of the National Electrical Contractors Association, but serves the entire electrical construction industry. The 85,000+ readers include business owners, partners, presidents, engineers, estimators, purchasing agents, project managers, supervisors, foremen, electricians and others. ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR Magazine is the Official Publication of the National Electrical Contractors Association. (NECA) www.necanet.org

ECmag.com is the fastest growing and most visited site by electrical contractors in the industry and offers the broadest array of digital information available, all of which is fully searchable with archives going back to 2000. ECmag.com contains videos, webinars, white papers and a whole lot more.

Four Dupont Workers Gassed In Texas Facility – Forced To Work Without Protective Equipment? Feds Begin Overdue Investigation Into These Preventable Deaths

Lawsuit filed against DuPont over deaths at Texas plant – a pattern of reckless management and failed safety programs?

LA PORTE, Texas, Nov 17, 2014 (Reuters) - A prominent Texas trial lawyer said he filed a lawsuit against DuPont and Co on Monday on behalf of a woman whose mother was one of four people killed in an accident on Saturday at the company's La Porte, Texas chemical plant.

The lawyer, Brent Coon, also filed a temporary restraining order to preserve evidence at the scene of the accident, which involved a leak of methyl mercaptan, a chemical used to give natural gas its rotten-egg smell and for making insecticides and plastics.

"Texas has the highest workplace injury levels in the country, and this industry needs much greater oversight of their safety and health programs," Coon, who sued BP Plc over 15 deaths from an explosion at its Texas City refinery in 2005, said in a statement.

Coon is representing Jasmine Rae Wise, whose mother Crystle Wise died from the chemical leak in La Porte. The Harris County Medical Examiner identified the other victims as Wade Baker and brothers Robert and Gilbert Tisnado.

It is not clear if the victims had access to, or were wearing, personal protective equipment at the plant. Coveralls were the only clothing mentioned in autopsy reports, though the medical examiner cautioned that other agencies were the first on the scene.

It is also not clear if workers went to contain the leak or if it caught them by surprise while inside what the U.S. Chemical Safety Board described as an enclosed structure nearly five stories high.

DuPont said on Monday medical personnel had to wait hours to retrieve the four dead bodies because they were not trained to use proper safety equipment.

"Unfortunately, we were dealing with a contaminated unit that no qualified medical personnel could enter until deemed safe, because they were not trained in the use of the personal protective equipment (PPE)," DuPont said in a statement.

The leak started around 4 a.m. (CST). Workers with proper equipment checked on the other group before 7 a.m. (CST) and reported that the laborers were likely dead. The contaminated unit was barricaded for investigation around 8 a.m (CST), DuPont said.

Around noon, the scene was determined safe to enter and the fatalities were confirmed.

DuPont said it is working with state and federal authorities as they probe the incident. The plant, about 24 miles southeast from Houston, has been cited previously by the Environmental Protection Agency for environmental violations.

Harger Lightning & Grounding – NEW DRONE!

Making exothermic connections just became easier with Harger’s new hand-held Drone! Utilizing a Milwaukee® REDLITHIUM™ XC 4.0 18 volt battery featuring a built-in fuel gauge, the Drone makes over 1,300 connections on a single charge! Borrowing from our previous model, the dual trigger ignition designs adds additional safety - no accidental bumping or misfires. The UltraBright LED indicates instantaneous ignition. Drone - Safe, Lightweight, Hand Held, Instantaneous Exothermic Connections, Extended Battery Life! www.harger.com

Harger Lightning & Grounding Installation Training

Lightning Protection Installation Course - Register at www.harger.com

Do You Have Questions About Lightning Protection or the UL Certification Process? Sign Up Today - Classes Available Monthly!

Harger’s Lightning Protection Installation Course at Harger University provides the basic requirements of how to properly install a complete lightning protection system which meets the requirements of nationally recognized lightning protection standards NFPA 780 and UL 96A.

Our instructor-lead class provides all materials, covers all areas of lightning installation including: Proper Grounding Practices, Surge Protection, Ground Work, Down Conductors, Bonding, Rooftops, Zone of Protection, Proper Component Usage, Concealed Systems, Bonding Requirements, Potential Equalization, Project Management, UL Listing and Master Label Certification.

The course content is presented by Mark S. Harger, an industry expert with over 20 years experience, through interactive class discussion and participation, the use of videos, and multi-media presentations. A tour of an actual installed lightning protection system is conducted along with product samples available to view and touch for a true hands-on learning experience.

Participation in the class gives the electrical specialist an additional skill set that provides a well rounded solution for their customer. The experience also builds and strengthens further business partnerships as Harger provides continuous support after the class ends with design, project and engineering services for a total system solution.

·         Covers all installation practices

·         Review NFPA 780 requirements

·         Hands-on learning

·         Monthly classes available

o        Class is held in Grayslake, Illinois

·         Earn CEC hours*

o        Certain states apply

For the 2015 schedule and to register please visit www.harger.com

NECA Chicago Conference is in the history books – Download the Post Show Report

Get the FACTS on what really happened at the NECA Show in Chicago. It's amazing!

Download the 2014 NECA Post Show Report Here

PLAN AHEAD

Ground Breaking Solutions Found Here

Plan Now to participate in NECA 2015 San Francisco
October 3-6, 2015 at San Francisco's Moscone South
The Show for Those Who Power the World

www.necanet.org

Quick Links:

2015 San Francisco Floorplan

Current Exhibitor List
2015 Exhibitor Prospectus

Booth Space Rates

Sign Up Now

Contact:

Julie Duda

770-632-0044

julduda@necanet.org

www.necashow.org

Google Fiber readies 1-Gig attack on Kansas City SMBs

After more than two years in the area, Google Fiber appears to be ready to let Kansas City businesses have access to its gigabit service.

Google Inc. is asking small businesses whether they want to be among the first in the metro area to snag Google Fiber's business offering, according to a mailer obtained by the Kansas City Business Journal. The gigabit service, now open for early access, will cost $100 a month, the mailer reads.

"Small businesses want super-fast Internet speeds, and we've been working hard to make it happen," Google spokeswoman Kelly Mason said in a statement. "After our pilot earlier this year, we're closer than ever to bringing Google Fiber to small businesses in Kansas City."

FLASHBACK: Google picks Kansas City for ultra-fast Internet project

In addition to product details, Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) declined to specify which areas of Kansas City will first receive the service because the company still is preparing for its implementation. A link shared in the flier states that "super fast Internet for your business is coming soon to Kansas City," and its sign-up page asks for basic information such as the business name, address and contact information.

In April, Google launched a pilot of its business service for a limited but unspecified number of area small businesses. The program was available to any small business in Kansas City and wasn't restricted to Google Fiber customers.

Google has asked eager Kansas City companies to wait patiently for a business product since a July 2012 news conference during which it announced its TV product and network construction strategy.

RELATED: Google Fiber expansion to biz won't hurt KC Startup Village, leaders say

The limited rollout of Google Fiber gave rise to such groups as Kansas City Startup Village, a group of companies that moved to the first neighborhood to receive the service. The village, which now has more than 20 startups, is in the Hanover Heights and Spring Valley neighborhoods near 45th Avenue and State Line Road in Kansas City, Kan. Google Fiber's residential rollout also spurred a similar — albeit unsuccessful — village-like business effort in the River Market area.

BOMA International Celebrates Launch of New International Property Measurement Standard (IPMS) for Office Buildings

(WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 24, 2014) A new standard that will bring transparency and consistency to global real estate markets has been launched today.  The International Property Measurement Standard for Office Buildings (IPMS for Office Buildings) is the result of a global effort to create a uniform method for measuring property and is set to replace dozens of existing standards currently in use around the world.

In 2013, commercial property market transactions were estimated to be more than $1 trillion worldwide according to Real Capital Analytics, with investors and corporate occupiers increasingly operating across international borders.  Despite this, many of the standards used within the industry are local market specific, making consistency and comparability a significant challenge.

IPMS for Office Buildings will lead to increased transparency and consistency across real estate markets that will benefit the way property assets are managed and, ultimately, how financial decisions are made by investors, corporate occupiers, buyers and sellers. 

Historically, property has been measured differently throughout the world.  According to research by global property firm JLL, depending on the standard used the area quoted in different markets for an equivalent building could vary by as much as 24 percent.

These inconsistencies have led to confusion in markets, and even led businesses to develop their own costly processes for measuring and benchmarking property assets.  Investors too, including pension funds, have had to factor in variation in quoted property size when making decisions about acquiring new property.

The work to create this new global measurement standard has been spearheaded by a Coalition of more than 50 professional organizations, including BOMA International, and has been produced following global consultation by a team of 18 independent industry experts.  The new standard will define which areas are included when measuring a property and which are not.

The response from industry has been overwhelmingly supportive and governments too are expected to support the adoption of IPMS as means of promoting transparency and international best practice.  The Dubai Government has already announced plans to make IPMS mandatory in response to a growing international investor base moving into Dubai’s commercial property sector.  More than 100 businesses have already signaled their intention to request or use IPMS measurements within their organizations by signing up as partners of the IPMS initiative.

“With investors, corporate occupiers and third-party management firms expanding their businesses globally, there is an increasing need for consistency in the methodology to measure and compare real property,” said BOMA International Chair-Elect Kent Gibson, CPM, BOMA Fellow, president of Capstone Property Management, LC, and member of the IPMSC Standard Setting Committee.  “This is why BOMA International, as a founding member of the IPMS Coalition, is pleased to have been a part of the creation of the new International Property Measurement Standard for Office Buildings.  The IPMS for Office Buildings allows the measurement of office buildings to be consistently applied anywhere in the world, creating cross-border transparency and the ability to accurately benchmark operations.”

The International Property Measurement Standard Coalition (IPMSC) was formed at a meeting hosted by the World Bank in May of 2013.  IPMS for Office Buildings is the first in a series of international property measurement standards to be created by the Coalition that will include IPMS for Residential property, IPMS for Industrial property and IPMS for Retail property.  All Coalition organizations have committed to implementing the new standards through their own guidance to professional practitioners.

***

About BOMA International

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International is a federation of 92 BOMA U.S. associations and 17 international affiliates. Founded in 1907, BOMA represents the owners and managers of all commercial property types including 10.4 billion square feet of U.S. office space that supports 1.8 million jobs and contributes $226.7 billion to the U.S. GDP. Its mission is to advance a vibrant commercial real estate industry through advocacy, influence and knowledge. Learn more at www.boma.org.

What’s new at BRADY -- Brady Announces Free 20-Minute Printer Demo

In a live demo, see the full capabilities of the BBP®31 industrial sign and label printer for yourself

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (October 30, 2014) — Brady (NYSE:BRC), a global leader in industrial and safety printing systems and solutions, today announced the BBP®31 printer demo, the first in a series of free, 20-minute demos showcasing its line of reliable and user-friendly printers.

Brady’s BBP31 industrial sign and label printer features a wide range of ultra-durable sign and label materials for any application. It offers hundreds of color, size and material options to easily create workplace visuals, including pipe markers, GHS labels, equipment identification, warning signs, 5S visuals and much more.

“We talk about how simple, fast and powerfully versatile our BBP31 printer is – and now you don’t just have to take our word for it, you can see it yourself,” says Lori Aeschbacher, global product manager for benchtop printers at Brady. “The printer demo series is our way to show you exactly how our products work. With a webinar format, you simply sign up for one of the six available sessions, then watch the live demonstration to learn the ins and outs of the printer and have any questions answered right there and then.” 

The printer demo will include an application overview, label creation tutorial, printer features and support, available label supplies and a question and answer session.

Sign up for a BBP31 printer demo today!

For more information:

For Brady’s complete product offering, visit BradyID.com. In Canada, visit BradyCanada.ca.

Brady Releases New Brady Workstation Label Creation Platform

Easily design and print labels and safety identification with application-specific apps

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (November 4, 2014) — Brady (NYSE:BRC), a global leader in industrial and safety printing systems and solutions, today released Brady Workstation, an app-based program for  creating and printing labeling and safety identification materials.

“Brady has revolutionized its label-creation software,” says Candace Spears, global product manager for safety and facility ID software at Brady. “As consumers, we’ve come to expect consistency across our technology, and this is exactly what we’re bringing to our customers. Brady Workstation allows you to create labels that meet your labeling needs within the all-too-familiar world of apps. For example, if a customer is creating a sign, we have the Express Signs app. And for a pipe marker, we have the Pipe Marker app.”

There are five apps currently available to download, including the Custom Designer app, Pipe Marker app, Arrow Tape app, Lockout Writer app and Express Signs app. Each app walks users through the necessary steps to quickly and easily make the label of their choice. Additional apps will be released throughout the year to align with common industrial labeling needs. Some apps are free, while others are paid with the option of a 14-day free trial.

The Lockout Writer app is the latest addition to Brady Workstation, allowing users to create compliant lockout/tagout labels, tags and procedures. This app includes procedure printing templates, simple translation between set languages, easy-to-use image editing for callouts, and import capabilities from Lockout-Pro™ software. It also features drop-down menus for easy navigation between hazards, energy sources and devices.

“We understand labeling may not always be a top priority, so it's important to get the job done quickly, but also get it done right. To help you achieve this, we've built in regulations and standards that allow you to design labels in just 1-2 screens at most. With this simplified label creation approach, you can get your labeling done effectively and efficiently,” adds Spears.

Once created, the labels can be printed on Brady’s BBP®31, BBP®33, BBP®85 and GlobalMark®2 printers. If you don’t have a printer, you can send it to bradyintl@bradycorp.com for printing.

Brady Releases New Brady Workstation Label Creation Platform

Easily design and print labels and safety identification with application-specific apps

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (November 4, 2014) — Brady (NYSE:BRC), a global leader in industrial and safety printing systems and solutions, today released Brady Workstation, an app-based program for  creating and printing labeling and safety identification materials.

“Brady has revolutionized its label-creation software,” says Candace Spears, global product manager for safety and facility ID software at Brady. “As consumers, we’ve come to expect consistency across our technology, and this is exactly what we’re bringing to our customers. Brady Workstation allows you to create labels that meet your labeling needs within the all-too-familiar world of apps. For example, if a customer is creating a sign, we have the Express Signs app. And for a pipe marker, we have the Pipe Marker app.”

There are five apps currently available to download, including the Custom Designer app, Pipe Marker app, Arrow Tape app, Lockout Writer app and Express Signs app. Each app walks users through the necessary steps to quickly and easily make the label of their choice. Additional apps will be released throughout the year to align with common industrial labeling needs. Some apps are free, while others are paid with the option of a 14-day free trial.

The Lockout Writer app is the latest addition to Brady Workstation, allowing users to create compliant lockout/tagout labels, tags and procedures. This app includes procedure printing templates, simple translation between set languages, easy-to-use image editing for callouts, and import capabilities from Lockout-Pro™ software. It also features drop-down menus for easy navigation between hazards, energy sources and devices.

“We understand labeling may not always be a top priority, so it's important to get the job done quickly, but also get it done right. To help you achieve this, we've built in regulations and standards that allow you to design labels in just 1-2 screens at most. With this simplified label creation approach, you can get your labeling done effectively and efficiently,” adds Spears.

Once created, the labels can be printed on Brady’s BBP®31, BBP®33, BBP®85 and GlobalMark®2 printers. If you don’t have a printer, you can send it to bradyintl@bradycorp.com for printing.

Download Brady Workstation and try it for free today at Workstation.BradyID.com

For more information:

For Brady’s complete product offering, visit BradyID.com.

Brady Corporation is an international manufacturer and marketer of complete solutions that identify and protect people, products and places. Brady’s products help customers increase safety, security, productivity and performance and include high-performance labels, signs, safety devices, printing systems and software. Founded in 1914, the company has a diverse customer base in electronics, telecommunications, manufacturing, electrical, construction, education, medical, aerospace and a variety of other industries. Brady is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and as of August 1, 2014, employed approximately 6,400 people in its worldwide businesses. Brady’s fiscal 2014 sales were approximately $1.23 billion. Brady stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BRC. More information is available on the Internet at www.bradycorp.com.

California Research and Education Network Gets 100-Gigabit Backbone

The Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC) has upgraded the core backbone of the California Research and Education Network (CalREN) to 100 gigabits per second (Gbps).

CalREN is a 3,800-mile advanced fiber optic network serving the California K-12 system, California Community Colleges, California State University, University of California, Caltech, Stanford, University of Southern California and other institutions. The network has three tiers: CalREN-DC for daily network use such as e-mail and Web browsing, CalREN-HPR for high performance research and CalREN-DX for network-based experimentation and development.

The CalREN-DC and CalREN-HPR tiers have been subject to growing demand from "researchers in data-intensive disciplines, ongoing connectivity upgrades for CENIC members, and connectivity for new members such as public libraries and arts and cultural institutions," according to a news release from CENIC. The new 100-gigabit Layer 2 backbone will ensure that the institutions using CalREN-DC and CalREN-HPR will have sufficient bandwidth to support research and education in the state.

"As with many advanced networks, CalREN backbone traffic is in a constant state of accelerating growth, and we're always heartened by this since it means that the network is doing the job it was designed to do: encourage innovation of all kinds," said Louis Fox, president and CEO of CENIC, in a prepared statement. "This makes ongoing network upgrades like this absolutely critical to the continued health of California's spirit of innovation."

Nearly 10,000 sites and eleven million Californians use CalREN on a daily basis. According to CENIC, the upgrade will enable them to use more innovative teaching and learning methods and conduct cutting-edge research in a growing number of network-dependent disciplines, particularly at institutions that have their own 100-gigabit campus networks, including the ten campuses of the University of California, the University of Southern California, the California Institute of Technology and Stanford University.

"With the CENIC backbone upgrade, we now have an end-to-end high-speed path from our researchers to their partners elsewhere in California and beyond," said Bill Clebsch, board chair or CENIC and associate vice president of IT at Stanford, in a prepared statement.

Brice W. Harris, chancellor of California Community Colleges said the 100-gigabit backbone will help the college system "offer more online courses and readily accessible academic planning services to increase success rates."  Further information about the CalREN network upgrade can be found on CENIC's site.

Leila Meyer is a technology writer based in British Columbia. She can be reached at leilameyer@gmail.com.

News Update from Campus Technology is a weekly electronic complement to Campus Technology, the only monthly publication focusing exclusively on the use of technology across all areas of higher education. Campus Technology serves as a complete resource for administrative and academic IT leaders and provides in-depth, aggressive coverage of specific technologies, their uses and implementations on campus. Featured topics include advanced networking, administrative systems, portals, security, electronic publishing, communication solutions, presentation technologies, course management systems, technology infrastructure, and strategic IT planning -- all the important issues and trends for campus IT decision-makers.

Are you enjoying the online newsletters, but missing the magazine? Sign up for a free subscription to Campus Technology and receive news, opinions, and feature articles about technology in higher education. For complete details and to subscribe online, click here

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM 1105 MEDIA INC.

Copper Takes a Big Hit Thanksgiving Week

December 02, 2014

By Jim Williams

Investors are probably thankful Thanksgiving week is behind us. Copper took a big hit in the aftermath of an OPEC meeting on Thanksgiving Thursday that saw crude oil drop 10 percent. Copper fell right along with it – dropping 3.1 percent on Friday, the fifth straight day of losses for the red metal, which is down 13 percent this year.

Copper bounced back slightly on Monday from its lowest since mid-2010 as investors bought back positions after recent losses based on weak economic data and a government report showed manufacturing in November expanded faster than analysts expected in the US, the world's second-biggest consumer of copper.

On the Comex in New York, copper futures for March delivery jumped 1.8 percent to $2.898 a pound. That is the biggest gain for a most-active contract since the middle of September. The rebound comes after the price of copper dipped to $2.775 on Friday, the lowest since June 9, 2010.

Demand Is Weak
"On the demand side, things aren't looking great," says National Australia Bank in Melbourne analyst James Glenn. "People's read on the Chinese stimulus has been a bit mixed. It doesn't seem like there's a lot to support copper prices at the moment."

The Chinese government may be concerned about the current trend commodity prices. The state-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission in China ordered companies under its regulation to manage any expected losses in their commodity trading businesses. This may be a signal that China will not be an aggressive buyer of commodities for the short term. If this is the case, the price of copper could fall much further.

Manufacturing activity growth in China was almost non-existent in November, according to data by the National Bureau of Statistics. The Chinese manufacturing PMI fell to 50.3 last month from 50.8 in October, trailing projections for a drop to 50.5.

There was a moderate increase in total new business but new export growth slowed for a second consecutive month.

In addition to sluggish growth in China, the European economies continue to weaken, while only the US economy is chugging along. Goldman Sachs expects the supply gap to reach 2 million tons in 2018.

FXStreet.com's Morning Market Watch posted expectations for copper prices in 2015 to range from Southern Copper predicting $3.00 per pound, UBS at $2.90 and Morningstar at $2.67.

As usual, we will keep our ear to the ground to see if we can keep track of the every changing copper landscape.

Is There A Doctor in the House?
You may have heard people say they can forecast the weather based on pain in their knee. But, have you ever heard the theory that copper can predict which way the stock market will go?

Alex Rosenberg from CNBC talks about "Doctor Copper" in his article on CNBC.com. Click here to read the entire story.

Additional Reading
Is Copper the Next Commodity Shoe to Drop?

UPCOMING EVENTS
Western Region Conference
January 19-21, 2015
Hilton San Diego Bayfront
San Diego, Calif.
Register

South Central Region Conference
February 17-19, 2015
JW Marriott Hill Country
San Antonio, Texas

www.naed.org features:

A monthly textbook for the electrical distribution channel.

tED Magazine is the voice for the top distributors in North America. From national chains to successful independents, tED is read by the top distribution companies in the industry. While targeted to the distributor salesperson, tED is also read by key executives. The publication is known for addressing the tough issues within the channel. If you have a message or product to get in front of the electrical channel, tED’s readers are the top performers and decision makers you need to reach.

Published every month, tED provides:

·                 Green initiatives and alternative markets

·                 Market trend data

·                 New product information

·                 Manufacturer marketing program roll-outs

·                 Best practices of electrical distributors

·                 Voice-data-video features

·                 Lighting features

·                 Economic outlooks

·                 News of both electrical distributors and suppliers

tEDmag.com

As a complimentary product, tED magazine offers tEDmag.com to disseminate information immediately. With seven news sections and a weekly special report, tEDmag.com covers industry news as it breaks.

tEDTV

The new tEDTV website at tedtv.tedmag.com will bring you the latest videos from our member companies, NAED and tED magazine. Member companies can even submit their own videos.

 www.tedmag.com

Putting the PUBLIC back into PUBLIC SAFETY

Fire Safety Resources

Each year more than 2,500 people die and 12,600 are injured in home fires in the United States, with direct property loss due to home fires estimated at $7.3 billion annually (1). In 2011, 325 children ages 19 and under died from fires or burns, 47% of whom were ages 4 and under (2). We hope the following resources will provide the information needed to prevent unnecessary deaths, injuries and turmoil:

NFPA: Smoke Alarm Central

http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/for-consumers/fire-and-safety-equipment/smoke-alarms

Home Improvements to Prevent Kitchen Fires http://www.homeadvisor.com/article.show.Home-Improvements-to-Prevent-Kitchen-Fires.17324.html

Home Fire Sprinkler Safety Tips

http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/for-consumers/fire-and-safety-equipment/home-fire-sprinklers/home-fire-sprinkler-safety-tips

Fire Prevention and Safety Checklist

http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m4340073_FireSafety.pdf

Home Safety Resources: An Online Guide

http://www.mortgagecalculator.org/helpful-advice/home-safety-checklist.php

Fire Safety for Kids

http://www.safekids.org/fire

Fire Safety for Older Adults

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/older_adults.html

Fire Safety & Disabilities Guide

http://www.improvenet.com/a/fire-safety-and-disabilities-guide

1) http://www.ready.gov/home-fires

2) http://www.safekids.org/sites/default/files/documents/skw_burns_fact_sheet_june_2014.pdf

FTTH CONNECTION – Council News

Council and Member News

New Survey Shows Future-proof Fiber Networks Picked Up Steam in 2014

FTTH Council Americas - 10.31.2014

The FTTH Council Americas released results from its latest study by RVA LLC showing that deployment is expected to accelerate considerably in the next few years, lead by a wide variety of providers. For details, listen to Mike Render present his findings during today’s webinar at 2pm eastern by going to this registration link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6237363800212448001

Council President Applauds Members Who are Working to File for FCC’s Rural Broadband Experiments

FTTH Council Americas - 10.30.2014

On November 7th, the Federal Communications Commission will close its filing window for applications for the $100M Rural Broadband Experiments program. These experiments not only will provide support for higher-speed broadband service in rural areas but will help the Commission shape its efforts to bring the best broadband networks available to rural areas — networks that are scalable, future proof and will ensure their communities are part of the global economy. Accordingly, we applaud our members who are participating in this opportunity. You are serving both your needs and those of the larger FTTH community. If you need any assistance in this effort, please reach out to the Council or visit the FCC’s website at http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/rural-broadband-experiments

Mayor of Starkville to Present at FTTH Community Tool Kit Conference

FTTH Council Americas - 10.31.2014

Mayor Parker Wiseman will speak at the Council's Community Tool Kit Conference, Dec 10-11 in Raleigh, NC. It was announced earlier this week that four areas of the city qualify for C Spire's 1 Gig FTTH service. See News for the full story.

Call for Papers Now Open

FTTH Council Americas - 10.17.2014

Interested in presenting at the annual conference in Anaheim next June? The Call for Papers is now open. Visit the Council website for details on deadlines and guidelines!

RURAL BROADBAND EXPERIMENT APPLICATION DEADLINE

- 10.24.2014

The filing window for Rural Broadband Experiment applications opened October 23, 2014 and the filing deadline is Friday, November 7th, at 6 pm EST. The application form (Form 5610) is available at http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/rural-broadband-experiments. You also can review other material relevant to the program at this link.

Join the Council

FTTH Council Americas - 10.02.2014

Support the deployment of fiber in North America by becoming a member of the Council. Benefits include invaluable information direct from the Council, networking opportunities, member-only webinars and more. Please click the Become a Member button in this newsletter, or contact Laurie Poole or Carol Brunner at membership@ftthcouncil.org.

Halogen-Free Jacketing Compounds Provide Exceptionally High Flame Retardance Without Compromise Of Other Properties from Teknor Apex

Halguard® 58300 Series HFFR Compounds from Teknor Apex Exhibit Very High Oxygen Indices, Enabling Compliance with UL1685 FT-4 Vertical Tray Test 

PAWTUCKET, RI, U.S.A., October 31, 2014: New halogen-free flame retardant jacketing compounds for data center cables, control cables, energy cables, and other demanding applications exhibit a higher level of flame retardance than other high-performance HFFR materials without compromising physical or electrical properties, it was announced today by Teknor Apex Company, which will introduce these products at the IWCS conference and exhibition (Booth 213).

Halguard® 58300 Series HFFR compounds with limiting oxygen indices in the 53-56% range enable cables to pass the stringent UL1685 vertical tray test (CSA FT4 / IEEE 1202) and achieve a UL94 rating of V-0 with test specimens as thin as 1/40 in. (0.635 mm). The compounds provide this outstanding flame performance while exhibiting the same physical and electrical properties of other high-performance HFFR materials (see accompanying table). Available grades are in the 48-52 Shore D hardness range.

Teknor Apex recommends Halguard 58300 Series compounds for data centers and other applications requiring exceptional flame retardance. One example is the extensive “server farms” operated by Internet companies.

“We believe that Halguard 58300 Series compounds are the most flame-retardant HFFR products on the market,” said Michael Roberts, industry manager for the Vinyl Division of Teknor Apex. “While modifying HFFR compounds to enhance their flame performance often involves sacrificing other properties, Teknor Apex has developed formulating and compounding innovations that avoid this tradeoff.”

For more information on the Halguard 58300 Series, please visit: http://www2.teknorapex.com/l/26112/2014-08-18/cl8mr 

About Teknor Apex. Teknor Apex Company, a privately held firm , is one of the world’s leading custom compounders of plastics.  Teknor Apex produces flexible and rigid vinyl, thermoplastic elastomers, nylons, toll and specialty compounds, color masterbatches, specialty chemicals, bioplastics and hoses. The company is headquartered in Pawtucket, RI, U.S.A. and operates thirteen facilities worldwide in the United States, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, China and Singapore. To learn more visit: www.teknorapex.com.

The Vinyl Division of Teknor Apex Company is a leading manufacturer of compounds based on PVC, including ApexÒ flexible and rigid vinyl, FlexalloyÒ vinyl elastomers, FireguardÒ low-flame, low-smoke compounds for wire and cable, and BioVinyl™ compounds with bio-based plasticizer. The Division is an international supplier to the appliance, automotive, construction, medical device, wire and cable, and other industries.

 READER INQUIRY INFORMATION:  Address all mail inquiries to Teknor Apex, 505 Central Avenue, Pawtucket, RI  02861 U.S.A. Tel: 1-401-725-8000.  Tel. from U.S. only: 1-800-554-9892. Fax: 1-401-729-0166. E-mail: vinyl@teknorapex.com.

Hitachi Cable America Inc., Presents Plenum NanoCore™ Armored Cable

Hitachi Cable America Inc., (HCA), is pleased to present the Plenum NanoCore™ Armored cable. The indoor armored fiber optic cable is RoHs and REACH compliant, flexible and easy to handle, provides aluminum interlock armor and removes the need for an inner duct or conduit. Ideal for MOP (MTP) style connectors. All multimode and single mode cables (except OM1) utilize bend-intensive optical fibers and each fiber is color coded to make identification easy. Armored NanoCore™ is the smallest 144 cable on the market and riser/LSZH cables are also available. Based on the design, the NanoCore™ Armored cable is best suited for high-density installations such as central offices, data centers and general premise applications. For more information on this NanoCore™ Armored cable, please visit our website at www.hca.hitachi-cable.com.

About Hitachi Cable America, Manchester Facility:

The Manchester facility belongs to the Performance Cable Systems & Materials Division) of Hitachi Cable America Inc. Located in Manchester, New Hampshire, the facility manufactures a complete line of high-performance copper and fiber optic cables for the communication industry. Over 4,000 different cable products are manufactured at this facility. Products include category copper communication cables, indoor, indoor/outdoor and outside plant fiber optic cables, industrial Ethernet cables, as well as round and flat electronic cables. 

To learn more about Hitachi Cable America, Inc. and the Performance Cables Systems & Materials Division, please visit our website at www.hca.hitachi-cable.com.  Hitachi Cable America, Inc. is a unit of Hitachi Metals, Ltd. which is held by Hitachi, Ltd., Japan.

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, delivers innovations that answer society’s challenges with our talented team and proven experience in global markets. The company’s consolidated revenues for fiscal 2013 (ended March 31, 2014) totaled 9,616 billion yen ($93.4 billion). Hitachi is focusing more than ever on the Social Innovation Business, which includes infrastructure systems, information & telecommunication systems, power systems, construction machinery, high functional material & components, automotive systems, health care and others. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company’s website at http://www.hitachi.com.

Hitachi Cable America Inc. website:  http://www.hca.hitachi-cable.com.

IDEA Announces New Leadership Appointment = Board Names Paul Molitor, formerly of NEMA, as CEO and President of IDEA

ST. LOUIS – Earlier today, the Industry Data Exchange Association (IDEA) announced Paul Molitor as Chief Executive Officer and President effective December 15, 2014.

“We are extremely excited about IDEA’s new direction in leadership and the fresh approach Paul will bring to the organization,” said National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED) President/CEO Tom Naber. “IDEA is important to the future of distribution and we will do what’s necessary to help this project be successful.”

Molitor has held several positions with National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), including his most recent role as assistant vice president, Strategy and Policy. During his tenure with NEMA, Molitor’s leadership has been highlighted by establishing technical standards for the Smart Grid. Molitor also has a rich history of technology and business experience in both large and small company settings.

The IDEA Board has also promoted Mike Wentz, of IDEA, to the role of Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, effective immediately. Wentz has been with IDEA for nearly five years, serving most recently as Vice President, Operations. He has a deep history in the information services space, and in working with distribution, offering more than 30 years of electrical industry and technology provider experience.

NAED is the trade association for the $70+ billion electrical distribution industry. Through networking, education, research, and benchmarking, NAED helps electrical distributors increase profitability and improve the channel. NAED’s membership operates in approximately 5,100 locations internationally. www.naed.org

Klein® Tools Introduces Chicago® Grip - Coated Guy Wire

Unique jaw profile provides extra gripping power

November 24, 2014 (Lincolnshire, IL) – Klein Tools (http://www.kleintools.com), for professionals since 1857, is the first to introduce a wire grip designed specifically for use with both coated and galvanized guy wire.

The Chicago^® Grip - Coated Guy Wire (1684-5C) features a unique sawtooth jaw profile that won’t slip when used on coated or galvanized guy strand.  The longer 5” jaw also increases the surface area in contact with the cable which minimizes cable damage.  The Chicago^® Grip - Coated Guy Wire is meant for use with cable sizes 0.16” (4.06 mm) to 0.55” (13.97 mm).

“Over time, the coating or galvanization can cause build-up on a typical grip jaw causing it to slip,” says product manager Jocelyn Aguero.  “The sawtooth jaw profile on Klein’s new coated guy wire grip prevents that build-up from happening thus reducing the risk of slippage.”

Klein is a registered trademark of Klein Tools, Inc.

Since 1857 Klein Tools, a family-owned and operated company, has been designing, developing and manufacturing premium-quality, professional-grade hand tools. The majority of Klein tools are manufactured in plants throughout the United States and are the number one choice among professional electricians and other tradespeople. For more information, visit www.kleintools.com

IDEAL Kit Helps Installers Cut, Strip and Crimp Telecom Cables plus Cost-Effective Telephone/ Data Splice & Repair Kit Comes with 25 IDC Connectors

SYCAMORE, IL, NOVEMBER 6, 2014 -- IDEAL Electrical, a trusted leader in professional-grade tools and supplies for electricians and data communications contractors, is offering a handy kit that allows telecom installers to forego the cost of purchasing several different hand tools to cut, strip and crimp low voltage cables, plus have a ready supply of IDC connectors on-hand for their next job.

The Telephone/Data Splice & Repair Kit (Catalog #33-719) from IDEAL features the multi-purpose Kinetic Super wire stripper that lets the installer alternate between stripping, cutting and crimping 22-24 AWG twisted-pair cables to prepare IDC splices -- including IDEAL and industry standard UR-I, UY-I, UB-I IDC connectors  or "jellybeans" -- all with a single tool that never needs to leave their hands. In addition to the tool, the kit also has a bonus 25 IDC connectors (UR-I, 3 wire butt splice).

The IDEAL IDC Kinetic Super IDC has a molded, ergonomic Santoprene handle and Thumb-Valley™ Finger Guide for comfort, along with a cushioned, textured grip that naturally cradles the user's hand, reducing muscle fatigue while also wicking away perspiration. The grip is wider than those found on other strippers so there is noticeably less impact on the palm. This design helps concentrate kinetic energy where it is needed most - the push zone. IDEAL engineers designed the handle to be comfortable regardless of which hand (right or left) the user prefers. Its ergonomic soft-grip helps to maximize comfort and minimize fatigue during prolonged use. The result is improved stripping accuracy and reduced hand fatigue. 

Also contributing to the uniqueness of this stripper is its Pocket-Locket™ Locking Hasp. This feature, found only on IDEAL tools, promotes safe handling and storage. The Pocket-Locket automatically slides to lock the stripper into the engagement position when placed into a pocket or pouch.

IDEAL Electrical's trusted, innovative products are proudly manufactured in America. Best known for its wire connectors, a go-to standard for electrical connections around the world, IDEAL Electrical innovations also touch the sky, as nearly every commercial jet flying today was made using IDEAL INDUSTRIES wire strippers. IDEAL Electrical is proud to produce these innovative products for skilled tradesmen around the world, keeping them ahead of the challenges and changes of their respective industries.

Although IDEAL Electrical is where the IDEAL journey first began, it has grown into its own entity and our family of companies has become much more than just a manufacturer of electrical components. Known mostly for its iconic wire strippers and wire connectors, IDEAL Electrical has been an industry leader for nearly 100 years. Since starting out in a small, family kitchen in 1916, IDEAL Electric has become a global leader in electrical connection and manufacturing, continuing to innovate for the electrical industries of tomorrow. Learn more at www.idealind.com   

The Three Key Factors that Determine Business and Sales Success – Article by John Chapin

The following three factors are critical to success in business and sales and if you have these in place, your success is virtually guaranteed.

The three key business and sales success factors

Factor #1: Mindset

Mindset is the most important element because with it, the other two will naturally follow. The most important aspect of mindset is having an expectant, positive attitude. Attitude will determine how far you get in life, how happy you will be, and even how long you’ll live. No one with a negative, defeatist attitude ever achieved anything great. Also, people want to be around and do business with positive, upbeat people and they will run from negative ones.

With the right attitude you’ll get up early, stay up late, and naturally do the right things at the right time, whether you feel like it or not. With the right attitude you’ll take initiative and run with the ball once you catch it without needing someone to tell you to. With the right attitude you’ll go into that cave you’re afraid to go into, because you know that’s where the treasure lies. With the right attitude you’ll do the hard work and stay away from the busy work and escape activities that unsuccessful people do to get to the weekend.

In addition to attitude, other key aspects of mindset are: motivation, conviction, confidence, commitment, and persistence. All of these really come do to knowing why you’re out there helping people. They require that you have a passion and absolute certainty about what you’re doing. You need to be completely sold on you, your company, and your product and know that people are far better off with you and could be in serious trouble without you.

Another important element of mindset is focus. If you’re going to be successful in business or sales, your focus must be on over serving people and always doing what’s best for them. You go above and beyond, do much more than is expected, and you do everything possible to ensure an outstanding, second-to-none customer experience. It’s not about you or your company, it’s about the customer. The customer always comes first, and while they may not always be right, you’d better go into that conversation determined to do everything in your power to make them right.

Factor #2: Skillset

Skillset is your ability to ply your trade. As a business owner, entrepreneur, or salesperson, it’s your ability to get out into the world, interact with people, close deals, and then deliver the goods.

If you’ve been in your business for any amount of time, you know what situations you’re going to run into during the day and what people are going to say to you. You have to have well thought out, effective, scripted responses for anything and everything that will come your way during the day. Your responses should be well rehearsed and flow naturally and automatically. In addition to effective responses, you need to know how to open a conversation, build trust and rapport, fact find, present, listen, close, and do all the other things necessary to connect, communicate, and get the business. Most business and salespeople I run into continue to struggle with the same objections and situations over and over again. They respond the same ineffectual way time and time again, and then complain and get frustrated while blaming the economy, customers, and anything else other than the real cause, themselves. What’s the definition of insanity? Right. You need to do the hard work necessary to find effective ways to engage people, present your product, and handle any situation you run into. Also, as there will always be new and better ways of handling various situations, this is a continuous learning process.

Finally, skillset requires that you take 100% responsibility for your professional development. Even if you do work for a company, it is still your responsibility to sign up for classes, go to seminars, and read and listen to educational resources in order to advance your professional career.

Factor #3: Activity Level

The right mindset coupled with the proper skillset will all be for naught if you’re not taking tons of action and talking to tons of people about how you can help them. If you’re struggling, you have one of three issues: not enough people know you, not enough people are thinking of you when they’re ready to buy your product, or not enough people believe you can solve their problem. Your objective is to make sure as many people as possible know who you are, have confidence in you, and are thinking of you at the right time. This will take a massive amount of work. It has been my experience that people drastically underestimate the amount of work that’s necessary for success. As a general rule, it will take two to five times as much time, effort, and energy as you think it will. There are no magic bullets or shortcuts here, you need to put in lots of hours on the right activities.

Speaking of the right activities, the top people are always focused on what’s most important. In sales and business, the most important things you do are: prospect, present, close business, and build current customer relationships. Without those, nothing else matters. You’ve heard me say it before: sales and business are numbers games. In order to get the number of quality customer relationships you need, you have to be talking to tons of people. Ultimately your success will come down to the size and loyalty of your network.

John Chapin is a sales and motivational speaker and trainer. For his free newsletter, or if you would like him to speak at your next event, go to: www.completeselling.com John has over 26 years of sales experience as a number one sales rep and is the author of the 2010 sales book of the year: Sales Encyclopedia. For permission to reprint, e-mail: johnchapin@completeselling.com.

John Chapin

# 1 Sales Rep w 26+ years experience, Author of the 2010 sales book of the year: SALES ENCYCLOPEDIA - The most comprehensive "how-to" guide on selling.

508-243-7359  -  24/7
johnchapin@completeselling.com
www.completeselling.com

LINKEDIN: once logged in find me under: johnchapin1
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/johnjchapin
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/johnjchapin

PowerNews: November and Storm Season, from Hurricanes to Blizzards from MinuteMan

Ah, November, the time for sweater weather and the holiday spirit. Time to get out the winter coats and boots and time to light fires and get under cozy blankets to relax for the holidays. Sounds nice, right?

Another very unique thing about this lovely month of November, is that it exists in both hurricane season and winter storm season. With hurricane season ending November 30th and temperatures dropping across the country, the possibility of storms is incredibly high. Both homes and businesses need to stay protected and keep things up and running, regardless of what the weather might through at them.

If we look back a couple of years to 2012 in the fall, the Northeast was being pounded by Hurricane Sandy, leaving thousands without power or resources. With that reminder of hurricane season still present, much of Buffalo and upstate New York is getting the reminder that winter weather is very much upon us this season. In the past 48 hours, Buffalo, NY and surrounding areas have been hit with as much as 5 feet of snow, leaving individuals stuck in homes and businesses shut down.

This kind of severe weather, be it thunderstorms or snowstorms, can have a huge impact on businesses. With a higher probability for power outages caused by lightning or downed power lines from snow and ice, businesses are at more risk for downtime. Particularly with the holiday season just around the corner, businesses cannot afford any sort of downtime, which is where Minuteman comes to the rescue.

With a wide range of UPS options, including both single- and 3-phase solutions, Minuteman is versatile enough to fit any application. To further this point, Minuteman has recently added a new UPS to it’s product line, the ERS1500RTNC, for use in extreme environments.

Find out more about the ERS1500RTNC on our website or get a more in-depth look on the PowerBlog.

Also, check out our full product line of UPSs here. 

Read more at http://www.minutemanups.com/blog/2014/11/powernews-november-from-hurricanes-to-blizzards/#ycTHOIC8x5gxvmCL.99

Molex Highlights iPass+™HD Portfolio for SAS 3.0 Architecture at Supercomputing 2014

Connectors, optical and copper cables with multi-plugging capability support end-to-end SAS 3.0 signaling requirements

LISLE, IL – November xx, 2014 – Molex Incorporated will showcase iPass+™ HD high density copper and optical connectors and active optical cable (AOC) solutions for SAS 3.0 at Supercomputing (SC14), November 17 – 20, New Orleans, LA.

“Data storage systems are becoming larger and more distributed with the unprecedented growth of new technologies providing on-demand entertainment and information, in-depth data analytics and increased information retention,” said Jay Neer, strategic project manager.  “Molex is a leading supplier in the market, offering end-to-end connectivity solutions supplying four lanes of data at 12 Gbps per lane for a total of 48 Gbps total bandwidth using copper and optical cabling components for SAS 3.0 architectures.”

Molex offers a complete line of connector and cable assembly products for SAS 3.0 (12 Gbps) applications that meet both external SFF-8644 and internal SFF-8643 standards.

Molex iPass+HD interconnects support signaling up to 100 m with low power consumption, while reducing cable management challenges.  The newest addition to the portfolio nearly doubles the density of the current QSFP+ AOCs, making iPass+HD AOCs ideal for larger scale multi-rack designs.  Capable of delivering 48 Gbps data rates over four lanes of 12 Gbps with reaches up to 100 m, iPass+HD AOC assemblies complement Molex copper iPass+HD connectors and cable offerings for storage-to-controller, server-to-server, server-to-switch and switch-to-switch applications in large scale enterprise and data center storage designs.

Molex iPass+ HD AOCs feature a small 3.00mm cable outer diameter, decreasing cable management and routing challenges by reducing bulk cable size and increasing flexibility.  The smaller size also provides additional board space to implement more I/O ports.  The system enables four 4x ports on low-profile PCIe cards, doubling the port density, while providing easier routing through the cable management system.  The HD AOCs also offer a low power consumption of 0.9W per cable for improved overall data-center power consumption and thermal efficiency.  The cables are compliant with SAS 3.0 (12 Gbps) systems with optical-mode capability, InfiniBand (10 Gbps), Ethernet (10 Gbps) and are backward compatible with SAS 2.1 (6 Gbps) optical-mode capable systems.

In addition to iPass connectors, copper cable assemblies and optic cable assemblies, Molex offers the storage industry’s smallest next generation high-speed serial I/O solution.  Molex compact Micro SAS interconnects provide server and storage drive makers the speed and reliability needed for mission-critical enterprise storage using the SAS architecture.

“Molex leads the industry in meeting SAS 3.0 signaling requirements – and is working on developing SAS 4.0 / 24 Gbps products to meet the demands of tomorrow’s data centers,” adds Neer.

Visit Molex Booth 1141 at SC14 or online www.molex.com/link/ipass+hd.html for more information about iPass+ HD end-to-end solutions.  To receive information on other Molex products and industry solutions, please sign up for our e-nouncement newsletter at http://www.molex.com/link/register.

About Molex Incorporated

Providing more than connectors, Molex delivers complete interconnect solutions for a number of markets included: data communications, telecommunications, consumer electronics, industrial, automotive, commercial vehicle, aerospace and defense, medical and lighting.  Established in 1938, the company operates 45 manufacturing locations in 17 countries.  The Molex website is www.molex.com.  Follow us at www.twitter.com/molexconnectors, watch our videos at www.youtube.com/molexconnectors, connect with us at www.facebook.com/molexconnectors and read our blog at www.connector.com.

The Latest Issue Of The  FOA Newsletter Is Now Online

Another FOA Milestone - 1 Million YouTube Views - Have you visited the FOA's YouTube Channel recently?
FOA Newsletter
Measure A Book And Explain Metrology
How Do You Maintain A Fiber Optic Network?
DAS Specialist Certification
Fiber Optics In Antarctica
OTDRs - APC Connector
What Is "THE COST OF CONNECTIVITY"
How Fast Can A PON Go? At Least 100G
Tellabs OLANs Chosen For 13 College Campuses
Safety On The Job

Read all these articles and more in the FOA Newsletter. WWW.THEFOA.ORG

The Fiber Optic Association has been organized as a international non-profit professional society for the fiber optic industry. Its charter is to develop educational programs, approve training courses, certify fiber optic and premises cabling technicians, participate in standards-making processes and generally promote fiber optics. The FOA has certified over 43,000 CFOTs (Certified Fiber Optic Technicians) through over 250 approved training organizations worldwide. Join us!

The Fiber Optic Association

1119 S Mission Road, # 355

Fallbrook, California 92028 USA

Office Hours 10AM-5 PM Pacific Time, Monday-Friday

Telephone: 1-760-451-3655

Fax: 1-781-207-2421

info@thefoa.org

Minuteman Launches Ruggedized UPS for Extreme Environments

Provides cost-effective protection for traffic, IT, and other systems in harsh locations

Dallas, TX – November 6, 2014 – Para Systems, Inc., a leading provider of comprehensive power protection solutions, today announced the release of the Minuteman™ ERS1500RTNC, a ruggedized uninterruptible power supply (UPS) designed to provide protection to support traffic control and monitoring equipment,  servers, telecom equipment, VoIP systems, security systems and a variety of other applications.

The ERS1500RTNC is a line-interactive unit with a capacity 1500VA and 1050W. With versatile rack/tower/wallmount options and its ability to withstand extreme temperature environments, the ERS1500RTNC is optimal for a wide range of installation spaces.

The new ERS1500RTNC is designed to efficiently operate in extreme temperature environments. The ERS1500RTNC’s expanded temperature range is perfectly suited for use in extreme temperature and humidity installations where a standard UPS would be unable to function. High Temperature batteries and temperature-compensated charging combine to provide an operating temperature range from +5 to +122°F (-15 to +50°C), making the ERS1500RTNC an economical and rugged choice for backing up equipment with extreme installation parameters. Additionally, each unit has conformal coating on all electronic components that resists corrosion in high humidity installations.

As with other UPSs, the ERS1500RTNC serves as an “electrical firewall”, preventing catastrophic damage from blackouts, brownouts, surges and spikes. Power problems can wreak havoc for both business owners and consumers, particularly in the traffic and transportation industry, where the environments are often harsher but still demand reliability when it comes to power. ERS1500RTNC UPS provides a low-cost protection solution that withstands harsh conditions that make it ideal for high-humidity and high-temperature environments, such as coastal zones and other harsh areas.

“When business owners and managers purchase expensive security, telephone or networking systems and put them in environments that are not ideal for a standard UPS, these electronic devices are obviously at high risk,” stated Bill Allen, Director of Marketing. “When you compare the price tag associated with downtime, along with the expense of replacing equipment, the ERS1500RTNC is an extremely cost-effective way to preserve and protect these investments in a ruggedized package.”

A rugged LED display that shows power status and operational mode is a standard feature. As an additional bonus, each unit is installed with an SNMP management card for remote management and monitoring over a LAN. Minuteman’s SentryPlus™ monitoring and management software is also included. All ERS1500RTNC units are covered by a 1-year parts and labor warranty and $100,000 Minuteman Platinum Protection Plan.

“The new ERS1500RTNC UPS raises the bar by offering an extreme environment capable product at a substantially lower price than competitive products. When you combine the extensive features, its ability to be placed in a wider variety of spaces and environments, plus flexible mounting options, the ERS1500RTNC represents an excellent value,” added Mr. Allen.

The ERS1500RTNC UPS is currently available for purchase through Minuteman’s extensive distribution network, systems integrators and on-line resellers. For more information, visit www.minutemanups.com/environmental.

About Para Systems, Inc.

Para Systems, Inc., based in Carrollton, TX, is a leading provider of power protection products. The company’s Minuteman brand of comprehensive power protection solutions include small to large-scale uninterruptible power supply (UPS) products, along with a full line of surge protectors, power distribution units, and remote power management systems. Minuteman products protect telephone/VOIP systems, computers, network servers and peripherals, security systems, and industrial applications. The Minuteman brand of products is sold through a network of distributors and resellers throughout the United States, Canada, Central, and South America. Para Systems is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Components Corporation of America, headquartered in Dallas, TX, whose roots date back to 1916. For more information, visit www.minutemanups.com.

ShoreTel News

Articles

Is Your Customer Service Ready for the Holidays?

Resolving customer issues quickly during this busy season is critical to meet customers' unyielding expectations for superior service. Follow these eight guidelines for great customer service. Read the article.

Note to Businesses: Don't Ditch the Landline Just Yet

Mobile communications, including the latest and greatest devices, make the news on a daily basis, but tried-and-true landlines still rule the roost in the corporate world. Read the article.

 

SOLUTION

ShoreTel Connect Combines the Best of On-site and Cloud Phone Systems

The growing popularity of SaaS reflects the convenience, scalability and security of cloud-based applications like email, business process apps and storage. Learn why virtual phone systems delivered completely via the cloud, like ShoreTel Sky, are growing rapidly as businesses recognize the time and money saved when application upgrades, maintenance and end-user support are handled by the service provider, not by internal IT staff. Learn more.

RESOURCES

Webinars: Explore Cloud Collaboration and UCaaS Solutions

Whether you are considering a unified-communication-as-a-service solution or a cloud phone system, dive into our webinars and learn more. Check out our cloud collaboration webinars, where you can see the cloud-based features and functions of cloud-based business VoIP. Learn more.

Blogs

Evaluating Microsoft Lync? Be Sure to Consider ShoreTel

Hybrid Cloud Solution Delivers Applications to ShoreTel Users

It's All About Productivity with ShoreTel Sky Dialers

Generations, Technology and BYOD in the Workplace

Events

CETPA
November 18 – 21, 2014
Sacramento Convention Center
Sacramento, CA

IT Expo
November 18 – 19, 2014
Paris Porte de Versailles
Paris, France

Success Story

Singapore Travel Icon Jets Ahead of the Competition with ShoreTel

To improve operational efficiencies, reduce complexity and increase responsiveness, Chan Brothers Travel deployed ShoreTel's unified communications and contact center solution. The agency is now enjoying improved employee productivity, enhanced customer service, and lower IT costs. Read the case study.

ShoreTel is the only provider of brilliantly simple unified business communications solutions that consistently leads the industry in customer satisfaction and lowest total cost of ownership.

In addition to an award-winning, premise-based, all-in-one IP phone system with unified communications and contact center capabilities, ShoreTel offers cloud-based communications. ShoreTel Sky delivers businesses of all sizes proven and secure hosted VoIP, hosted unified communications (UC) and hosted contact center services.

With ShoreTel, organizations enjoy freedom of choice: to own and manage their brilliantly simple system in-house, or to let our expert telephony teams handle it off-site. Either way, ShoreTel’s solutions are built to scale, grow, and evolve as needed. So companies can buy, or subscribe to, the business communication solution they need today, with no risk to their original investment should their needs change tomorrow.

ShoreTel’s purpose-built solutions remove the barriers and complexity that other providers throw in the way, whether an organization is seeking to replace an old phone system, bring up new office sites or branches, upgrade to unified communications, or modernize its contact center. With fewer resources tied up in a phone system, an organization's resources are cut loose, across the board, to work on the real task: moving business forward.

Organizations worldwide consistently give ShoreTel the highest ratings for customer satisfaction. ShoreTel is based in Sunnyvale, California, and has regional offices in Austin, Texas; New York; Maidenhead, United Kingdom; Sydney, Australia; and Singapore.www.shoretel.com

Communication Planning Corporation is North Florida’s leading ShoreTel dealer.

Since 1980, CPC has provided quality service for their communications and cabling needs. CPC and ShoreTel can deliver unified communications. www.communicationplanning.com

Contact Michael Shannahan, Vice President – Communication Planning Corporation (Jacksonville, FL) Tel. 904-645-9077 or michael@communicationplanning.com

Global Network Innovators Set to Deliver Keynote Talks at OFC 2015

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2014—OFC 2015, the world’s leading conference for optical communications and networking professionals, today announced its line-up of keynote speakers for the 2015 plenary session. On Tuesday, March 24, TE Connectivity Subcom’s Neal S. Bergano, MIT’s Kevin Slavin, and Juniper’s Paradeep Sindhu are scheduled to discuss the latest developments in optical communications including undersea fiber optic cables and algorithms’ impact on networking culture. OFC will take place at the Los Angeles Convention Center, in Los Angeles, California, USA, March 22-26.

“OFC benefits greatly from this year’s distinguished panel of keynote speakers,” said OFC general chair, Kathleen Tse. “The three speakers will bring a well-rounded view of our networked and connected world, which is certain to be a draw for all conference attendees.”

Neal S. Bergano, vice president, research and development and chief technology officer, TE Connectivity Subcom 
 
Bergano is the vice president of research and development and the chief technology officer of TE Subsea Communications LLC (TE SubCom) in Eatontown, New Jersey, USA. He was named a distinguished member of the technical staff of AT&T Bell Labs, where he became an AT&T technology leader in 1997. From 1998 until 2013 he was the managing director of system research and network development at TE SubCom. Bergano is the recipient of the 2013 TE Connectivity Life-Time Achievement Award and the 2002 John Tyndall Award.

Kevin Slavin, assistant professor of media arts and sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab
 
As co-founder of Area/Code in 2005, Kevin Slavin has been a consistent pioneer in rethinking game design and development around new technologies and new platforms. Slavin spent 10 years as a creative director and planner at some of the largest agencies in the U.S., and has been awarded the industries top recognitions, including Creativity Magazine’s Creativity 50. As a professor and teacher, he’s taught at New York University’s Interactive Telecommunications Program, Fabrica, MIT, and Cooper Union, where he is also an alumni trustee.
 
Paradeep Sindhu, vice chairman and chief technology officer, Juniper Networks
 
Paradeep Sindhu was the founding CEO and chairman of Juniper Networks and is now the vice chairman and chief technology officer. Prior to founding Juniper Networks, Sindhu worked as a principal scientist and distinguished engineer at the computer science laboratory at Xerox’s Palo Alto Research Center.

About OFC
OFC is the largest global conference and exposition for optical communications and networking professionals. For more than 40 years, The Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exposition (OFC) has drawn attendees from all corners of the globe to meet and greet, teach and learn, make connections and move business forward.

OFC includes dynamic business programming, an exposition of more than 550 companies, and high impact peer-reviewed research that, combined, showcase the trends and pulse of the entire optical networking and communications industry. OFC is managed by The Optical Society (OSA) and co-sponsored by OSA, the IEEE Communications Society (IEEE/ComSoc), and the IEEE Photonics Society.  OFC 2015 takes place March 22-26 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Preparing your Organization for NFPA 70E 2015

Please join: Salisbury by Honeywell & Occupational Health & Safety

Date: Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Time: 2 PM (ET) 11 AM (PT)

Register Today at:

http://click.1105info.com/?qs=6b858583cd689f5c27bd0a4dbf6e07f2cabab757a685f091d80f6d247dc0dfbab22b7f30c4eab3fd

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Overview:

There are many changes and updates in NFPA 70E’s latest 2015 edition as it relates to electrical safety.  Are you and your organization prepared for these latest changes?  Do you know what risks your organization may have?

Electrical safety is essential for ALL businesses and understanding NFPA 70E is essential for keeping your employees and your site safe and in compliance.  Join us for a FREE, one-hour webinar regarding the latest changes in NFPA 70E.

This webinar is geared towards all businesses regardless of industry and will focus on the NFPA 70E updates for 2015 as well as some useful tips on how to best implement these updates into your organization. 

In addition, the webinar will include:

* Review of statistics related to injuries and fatalities

* NFPA 70E terminology updates

* NFPA 70E updates to the boundaries around electrical equipment

* Applicable updates to electrical personal protective equipment (PPE)

* NFPA 70E updates on contractors, work permits, training, and more!

Speaker:

Brian McCauley

VP/Business Leader -  Salisbury Assessment Solutions Honeywell Safety Products Salisbury by Honeywell (Electrical Safety)

Brian McCauley is the Business Leader Electrical Safety for Salisbury Assessment Solutions, which is a division of Honeywell Safety Products.  In this role, Brian oversees an emerging business in an emerging market as more and more customers seek solutions to NFPA 70E compliance for their electrical safety needs.  Salisbury was acquired by Honeywell in 2008 and has continued to flourish ever since.  Salisbury by Honeywell is the industry leader in electrical safety equipment and consists of about 450 total employees and 2 factories in the US. 

A Q&A session will be held during the last 15 minutes of the Webinar.

Date: Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Time: 2 PM (ET) 11 AM (PT)

Register Today at:

http://click.1105info.com/?qs=6b858583cd689f5c27bd0a4dbf6e07f2cabab757a685f091d80f6d247dc0dfbab22b7f30c4eab3fd

James (Jim) Huber is appointed the 2015 NEBB President

Gaithersburg, MD – The Board of Directors of NEBB has named James (Jim) Huber, NEBB CP, as 2015 NEBB President during the NEBB Board of Directors Meeting, October 17-18, 2014, held in Hollywood, Florida.  Jim succeeds Bob Linder, who served as the 2014 NEBB President.

Jim Huber is the President of Complete Commissioning, Inc. in Annapolis and Baltimore, MD.  He has more than 30 years of industry experience, and is a NEBB Certified Professional in BSC, RCX, S&V, and TAB.  Jim serves on the NEBB Board of Directors, Executive/Finance Committee, and is a former chairman of NEBB’s Sound & Vibration Committee.  He is a Certified Energy Manager and also holds certifications in Measurement & Verification and Demand Side Management. 

Bob Linder, outgoing President of NEBB remarked that, “Jim’s industry experience as a NEBB Certified Professional and the respect he commands from his peers make him the ideal President to lead NEBB. I could not be more certain that we have found the perfect person in Jim Huber. He has a true passion for our industry and programs; has been very active in his chapter and on NEBB national committees; and has driven many new programs at NEBB.”  www.nebb.org

Jim Huber commented on his appointment, “This is a very exciting time for NEBB, and I am honored and humbled to receive this appointment.  2015 will bring the conclusion of many long-running NEBB initiatives as well as the beginning of several new ones.  It gives me great pride to build upon the work of my predecessors, Bob Linder and Stan Fleischer, as well as our Board of Directors.  In doing so, I hope to highlight the significant role that NEBB Certified Professionals and NEBB Certified Firms provide as we strive to promote the highest standards in the built environment.” 

NEBB is the premier international association of certified firms that perform testing, adjusting and balancing of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems in addition to building enclosure testing, building systems commissioning, building systems retro-commissioning, fume hood testing, sound and vibration testing, and cleanroom certification. NEBB is the leading source of industry information through its standards, procedures, publications, specifications, text books, study courses and newsletters. Additional information on NEBB is available at www.nebb.org.

U.S. Green Building Council Announces 2015 Board Members

Board of Directors supports the mission, vision and values of USGBC, advances green building movement and sustainable future

Washington, D.C. -- (Nov. 25, 2014) -- The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced today the newly elected and appointed officers and directors to its 2015 Board of Directors.

“USGBC’s Board of Directors provides invaluable direction and perspective, collectively bringing decades of experience to the table and using their individual expertise to shape the future of the organization, the community and the green building movement as a whole,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. “Delivering on the promise of developing buildings that sustain and enhance the vitality of life within a generation is no small undertaking. Our Board of Directors is comprised of representatives from many different segments of the building industry and will undoubtedly make great strides in the coming year.”

USGBC’s membership elected the following individuals to serve as directors, for a term of three years each, effective Jan. 1, 2015: 

Stephen Bushnell, Stephen Bushnell + Associates: Insurance seat (incumbent)

Linda Chipperfield, Green Seal, Inc.: Environmental Nonprofit Advocate seat (newly elected)

Amy Costello, Armstrong World Industries: Product Manufacturer seat (newly elected)

Denise Grabowski, Symbioscity: Urban/Regional Planner seat (newly elected)

Christopher Schaffner, The Green Engineer, Inc.: Sustainable Practice Leader: Engineer seat (newly elected)

In addition, at its recent meeting in New York, the Board named the following directors to fill appointed positions, each for a term of two years:
 
Mark James, Urban Green LLC:  Sustainable Community Leader seat (formerly in the Green Affordable Housing seat)
 
Vance Voss, Principal Real Estate Investors: Commercial Real Estate Executive Leadership seat (newly appointed)

The Board elected Fiona Cousins, Arup, as chair-elect and Lisa Matthiessen, Integral Group, as secretary. Marge Anderson, Energy Center of Wisconsin, will serve as chair, and George Bandy, Interface, will serve as immediate past chair. Stuart Carron, ENERGIZE RE LLC, will continue as treasurer. New terms will begin Jan. 1, 2015.

“Both the promise and challenge of the future of green building are significant and I have no doubt this board is equal to the task of advancing the movement,” said Marge Anderson, USGBC Board chair. “With so many individual and yet complementary perspectives coming to the table, we are prepared to champion the inclusion of sustainable design and construction across industries, on large and small scales, in public and private spaces.”

USGBC’s Board includes elected and appointed directors who serve terms of three years and two years, respectively. The complete 2015 USGBC Board roster includes:

Officers:

Marge Anderson, Energy Center of Wisconsin, Chair

George Bandy, Interface, Immediate Past Chair

Fiona Cousins, Arup, Chair-Elect

Stuart Carron, ENERGIZE RE LLC, Treasurer: Facility Management and Operations seat

Lisa Matthiessen, Integral Group, Secretary: Sustainable Practice Leader: Architecture and Design seat

Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chairman (ex officio)

Directors:

Jeff Baer, Deutsche Bank: Real Estate Finance and Capital Markets seat

Dan Burgoyne, State of California, Department of General Services: State and Local Government Agency Employee seat

Stephen Bushnell, Stephen Bushnell + Associates: Insurance seat 

Linda Chipperfield, Green Seal, Inc.: Environmental Nonprofit Advocate seat

Amy Costello, Armstrong World Industries: Product Manufacturer seat

Duygu Erten, TURKECO: International seat

Mark Frankel, New Buildings Institute: Energy seat

Denise Grabowksi, Symbioscity: Urban/Regional Planner seat

Davor Grgic, Kohler: Business to Consumer Leader seat

Mark James, Urban Green LLC: Sustainable Community Leader seat

Sara O’Mara, Choate Construction Company: Constructor of Buildings seat

Kenneth Potts, McGough Companies: Developer/Real Estate Services seat

John Quale, University of Virginia: Educator (Post-Secondary) seat

Gerrit Reinders, Telkonet: Technology seat

Christopher Schaffner, The Green Engineer, Inc.: Sustainable Practice Leader: Engineer seat

Kevin Stack, Northeast Natural Homes: Residential Construction seat

Vance Voss, Principal Real Estate Investors: Commercial Real Estate Executive Leader seat 

To learn more about the Board, visit https://new.usgbc.org/about/board-of-directors

About the U.S. Green Building Council
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. USGBC works toward its mission of market transformation through its LEED green building program, robust educational offerings, a nationwide network of chapters and affiliates, the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, the Center for Green Schools and advocacy in support of public policy that encourages and enables green buildings and communities. For more information, visit usgbc.org, explore the Green Building Information Gateway (GBIG) and connect on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

More USGBC NEWS:

U.S. Green Building Council Announces Extension of LEED 2009

Extension offers the green building industry additional time to prepare for the newest version of LEED

WASHINGTON, DC (Oct. 29, 2014) – The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced today that it will allow LEED users to register projects under the LEED 2009 rating system until Oct. 31, 2016. The original date for LEED 2009 registration to close was June 15, 2015. Extending to October 2016 gives LEED users and members of the green building industry additional time to prepare for LEED v4, the latest version of LEED, which features increased rigor and multiple updates. 
 
“When USGBC launched LEED v4 last year, we set out with one goal in mind – to raise the bar in a way that challenges the building industry to reach higher than ever before. This is our nature and USGBC and its members’ collective mission,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO & founding chair, USGBC. “However, the market has requested additional time to prepare for LEED v4, so we are responding.”
 
In a survey conducted at last week’s Greenbuild conference, 61 percent of respondents said they are “not ready” or “unsure” if they are ready to pursue LEED v4 and require additional time to prepare. Extending LEED 2009’s availability enables USGBC to work with the broader industry within a longer time frame to drive meaningful and comprehensive change.
 
“Our international LEED users, which account for some 50 percent of new LEED registrations, have also indicated they would like to have more time to move onto the new rating system,” Fedrizzi noted.  “This extension will be especially helpful to them.”
 
LEED v4 has been in the market for nearly one year and will remain available for those market leaders who are ready.
 
“LEED v4 wasn’t designed to be easy. It is the next generation of green building, and we are confident the market will meet us there as they have in years past,” added Fedrizzi. “When USGBC first pilot tested LEED in 1998, there weren’t many buildings that could qualify for LEED certification at the Platinum level. Now, more than 1,000 buildings have achieved it. With LEED, we have a responsibility to set a high bar and we know that many leaders are capable of reaching it, presently or in the very near future. We want to support our LEED users as they move the market forward with us, and allowing them to utilize the LEED 2009 rating system for a little longer will help facilitate that.”
 
“USGBC continues to develop new resources that support the market’s adoption of LEED,” added Fedrizzi. “The LEED Dynamic Plaque provides a vivid, real-time visualization of building performance data spanning water, energy, occupant satisfaction and more, giving building owners critical insight into how their building is performing. Every day, LEED is contributing to scores of new, innovative building technologies in the design, manufacturing and construction process, and has brought new, healthier building materials to market."
 
LEED has facilitated spectacular advances in building technologies, integrated design and operating practices. LEED is also largely responsible for the explosive growth of the green building sector, which supports or creates 7.9 million jobs across all 50 states and contributes $554 billion to the U.S. economy annually.

USGBC Announces the Addition of Six New Members to the LEED International Roundtable

WASHINGTON, DC–(Nov. 6, 2014) – The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced today the addition of six new member organizations to its LEED International Roundtable, a team of practitioners, green building experts and organizations from around the world working toward increasing the global application and adoption of LEED. 
 
The newest members include The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in India, the Costa Rica Green Building Council, the Trinidad and Tobago Green Building Council, the Kazakhstan Green Building Council, the Hungary Green Building Council and SUMe in Mexico. The new additions bring the total number of Roundtable members up to 37.
 
“The earth knows no boundaries and LEED continues to break regional barriers so we can share best practices in buildings in order to expand the transformative influence of green building,” said Scot Horst, chief product officer, USGBC. “We continue to see increasing levels of engagement from the international community as we focus on the sustainability impact of LEED. The LEED International Roundtable is a forum for advancing our goal of transforming the global built environment, and these new members will help us ensure that LEED remains both relevant and innovative in key locations across the world.”
 
The LEED International Roundtable’s most recent meeting was held at the 2014 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, which took place in New Orleans from Oct. 22-24, 2014. Member organizations discussed the positive impact that the LEED Dynamic Plaque (a new platform developed to provide real-time, on-going building performance information) will have in their countries, while also applauding the new Alternative Compliance Paths (ACPs) for LEED that were recently launched for both Europe and South America.

www.usgbc.org

Ruckus Wireless Reports Third Quarter 2014 Financial Results

- Revenue of $85.0 million, an increase of 23.3% year-over-year
- Non-GAAP gross margin grew 29.8% year-over-year to 69.9%
- Non-GAAP operating income grew 154.4% year-over-year to 15.4%

RUCKUS WIRELESS

Headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA, Ruckus Wireless, Inc. (NYSE: RKUS) is a global supplier of advanced wireless systems for the rapidly expanding mobile Internet infrastructure market. The Company offers a wide range of indoor and outdoor “Smart Wi-Fi” products to mobile carriers, broadband service providers, and corporate enterprises, and has over 44,000 end-customers worldwide. Ruckus technology addresses Wi-Fi capacity and coverage challenges caused by the ever-increasing amount of traffic on wireless networks due to accelerated adoption of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Ruckus invented and has patented state-of-the-art wireless voice, video, and data technology innovations, such as adaptive antenna arrays that extend signal range, increase client data rates, and avoid interference, providing consistent and reliable distribution of delay-sensitive multimedia content and services over standard 802.11 Wi-Fi. For more information, visit http://www.ruckuswireless.com. Ruckus, Ruckus Wireless and SmartCell are trademarks of Ruckus Wireless, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

SUNNYVALE, CA - November 3, 2014 - Ruckus Wireless, Inc. (NYSE: RKUS) today announced financial results for its third quarter of 2014 ended September 30, 2014.

Financial Summary

Revenue for the third quarter of 2014 was $85.0 million, an increase of 23.3% from the third quarter of 2013. GAAP net income was $3.6 million for the third quarter of 2014, compared with $0.1 million for the third quarter of 2013. GAAP operating income was $6.1 million for the third quarter of 2014, compared with an operating loss of $0.5 million for the third quarter of 2013.

Non-GAAP net income for the third quarter of 2014 was $12.6 million, compared with $4.8 million for the third quarter of 2013. Non-GAAP operating income for the third quarter of 2014 was $13.1 million, compared with $5.2 million for the third quarter of 2013.

GAAP diluted net income per share was $0.04 for the third quarter of 2014, compared with $0.00 for the third quarter of 2013. Non-GAAP diluted net income per share was $0.13 for the third quarter of 2014, compared with $0.05 for the third quarter of 2013.

"Our enterprise and service provider business remained strong, fueled by rising demand for public Wi-Fi access in consumer facing enterprises and public venues. To drive long-term growth, corresponding with our long history of innovation, we introduced a new product line that expands our addressable market,” said Selina Lo, president and chief executive officer, Ruckus Wireless. “We are also pleased with the progress we made in operating leverage, reporting record operating margins for the quarter.”

Business Highlights

•        Unveiled Xclaim, a new kind of Wi-Fi system targeted for the very small business market that redefines the model for offering enterprise-grade Wi-Fi capability to organizations that have little to no IT expertise.  

•        Added 20 new service provider end-customers, bringing the total service provider end-customer base to approximately 190. The company also added approximately 4,000 new enterprise end-customers bringing the total enterprise end-customer base to over 44,000.  

•        Rounded out the company's 802.11ac product portfolio with the introduction of four new unique models of indoor and outdoor AC products.  

•        For the second year in a row, named the winner of the SMB hardware category in CRN’s Annual Report Card (ARC) survey of thousands of value-added resellers across the United States, taking the top honors over competitors in areas including product quality, reliability and technology innovation.

Guidance

For the fourth quarter of 2014 ending December 31, 2014, the Company expects:

•        Total revenue in the range of $87 million to $90 million; and

•        Non-GAAP diluted net income per share between $0.11 and $0.13 using approximately 98 million shares. 

Conference Call Information

Ruckus Wireless is hosting a conference call for analysts and investors to discuss its third quarter 2014 results and outlook for its fourth quarter of 2014 at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time today, November 3, 2014. A live audio webcast of the conference call along with supplemental financial information will also be accessible from the “Investors” section of the Company’s website at http://investors.ruckuswireless.com. A replay will be available following the call on the Ruckus Wireless Investor Relations website or for one week at the following numbers: (855) 859-2056 (domestic), (404) 537-3406 (international) using ID# 9876306. An archived version of the audio from the call will be available for at least thirty days on the Company’s website at http://investors.ruckuswireless.com.

ABOUT RUCKUS WIRELESS

Headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA, Ruckus Wireless, Inc. (NYSE: RKUS) is a global supplier of advanced wireless systems for the rapidly expanding mobile Internet infrastructure market. The Company offers a wide range of indoor and outdoor “Smart Wi-Fi” products to mobile carriers, broadband service providers, and corporate enterprises, and has over 44,000 end-customers worldwide. Ruckus technology addresses Wi-Fi capacity and coverage challenges caused by the ever-increasing amount of traffic on wireless networks due to accelerated adoption of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Ruckus invented and has patented state-of-the-art wireless voice, video, and data technology innovations, such as adaptive antenna arrays that extend signal range, increase client data rates, and avoid interference, providing consistent and reliable distribution of delay-sensitive multimedia content and services over standard 802.11 Wi-Fi. For more information, visit http://www.ruckuswireless.com. Ruckus, Ruckus Wireless and SmartCell are trademarks of Ruckus Wireless, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

Do Distributor Websites Have What Customers Really Need? --  Article By Scott Costa From tED Magazine

October 30, 2014

By Scott Costa, Publisher, tED magazine

New research by NAED shines a brighter light than ever before on electrical distributors' websites and how contractors use them.

The "2014 Electrical Contractors' Technology Benchmarking Survey" was completed in the summer of 2014.  It looked at how contractors search for products and areas where contractors would like to see improvement in distributors' websites.

More than half of the contractors who responded say they use a search engine like Google or Yahoo to find out information about electrical products. Only 10% use distributors' websites.  "It comes up with what I need," was a response from one of the contractors who took the survey. "If I am trying to get a quick ballpark price, the manufacturer or distributor website does not have that information."

With so many contractors using search engines, it brings up an opportunity for distributors to enhance their Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for their website.  When a contractor searches for an electrical product using Google, it would be in a distributors' best interest to be one of the top websites to come up for that search.

On a plus side, 91% of the respondents say they have visited a distributor's website in the last month.  26% report visiting daily, 33% visit weekly, and 32% visit at least once a month.  Most of the visitors review general information, download product specification sheets, research products or look for pictures of specific products.

But, when asked about the top 5 things distributors can improve on their websites, contractors listed:

·                 Get technical drawings;

·                 Download application and installation guides;

·                 Search an online catalog for products by description, product category brand name or part number;

·                 Document shipping damage;

·                 Schedule, track and verify receipt of shipments.

"Distributors have to be more innovative in the way in which they connect with their customers," DataGility President Denise Keating told me. "The web is no longer just a tool that allows distributors to offer their customers a different way to place orders.  It is also a relationship-building tool.  Your website/mobile app is an alternate way to connect to your customers in a way in which they prefer to communicate with you. Amazon has learned to combine powerful easy to use systems, with robust content, and an interactive experience that not only engages the customer the first time but keeps them coming back. Again and Again."

tED magazine will be looking deeper into this survey in the coming months.  Make sure you follow each month's edition of tED magazine to get further analysis of the findings from this research project.

REPRINTED with Permission from tED Magazine www.tedmag.com

Thousands of Daily Commuters Can Now Enjoy Reliable, Fast and High Capacity Wi-Fi Throughout Eight Train Stations in Shanghai

SUNNYVALE, CA and SHANGHAI, CN – November 10, 2014 – Ruckus Wireless, Inc. (NYSE: RKUS) announced today that the Shanghai (China) Railway Bureau has selected and deployed Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi products and technology across eight railway stations throughout Shanghai, the largest Chinese city and largest city (by population) in the world.

Over 110,000 registered users of the Railway’s new i-station information system are now leveraging this new Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi infrastructure to obtain up-to-date, real-time arriving and departing train schedules of Shanghai railway stations, and other useful Shanghai Railway information.

The eight stations total a coverage area of 400,000 square meters, including Shanghai station, Shanghai South station, Shanghai Hongqiao station, Hangzhou station, Hangzhou East station, Nanjing station, Nanjing South station, and Hefei station. The Bureau’s i-station system is part of the emerging global trend to create Smart cities using state-of-the-art communications technology that improves municipal operations and services to enhance the way of life for visitors and city residents.

Shanghai Railway Bureau’s new, free, public Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi network consists of over 600 Ruckus ZoneFlex™ indoor access points (APs), each of which can easily handle up to 500 concurrent users, while delivering pervasive, reliable and high-performance wireless connectivity in these kinds of high-density environments, including the station waiting halls, commercial zones and outdoor squares.

The APs are centrally managed via Ruckus ZoneDirector™ Smart Wireless LAN (WLAN) controllers. Shanghai Railway Bureau chose Ruckus Wireless Smart Wi-Fi technology over products from other vendors because of the company’s patented technology that delivers reliable, consistent signal coverage and avoids RF interference.

The Shanghai Railway Bureau, founded in 1949, is a regional railway bureau affiliated with the Ministry of Railways of the People’s Republic of China, and owns and operates the longest railway lines in China. The Bureau is in charge of nearly 11,000 kilometers of railways throughout China, overseeing 503 stations, and manages the railways along with a total of 17 stations in Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui and Zhejiang Provinces, including over 1,500 kilometers of inter-city railways.

i-station and more Powered by Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi

Thousands of passengers travel daily through the Bureau’s Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing and Hefei stations. During peak times, over 15,000 travelers gather in the railway stations’ waiting halls, occupying from ten to 60,000 square meters. The new Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi network infrastructure now helps to ensure these passengers, increasingly armed with mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, have a better Wi-Fi user experience.

As part of the Shanghai Railway Bureau’s Smart city-oriented project, the Shanghai station, Shanghai South station and Shanghai Hongqiao station all use Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi with the railway’s new i-station system. The i-station system delivers real-time messages like train schedules, real-time updates including delay notifications and actual arrival and departure times, plus lost and found information, travel tips, and the ability for passengers to submit comments/feedback. Railway passengers simply log on to and register on the system from any of these stations via the Railway’s Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi network. According to recent statistics, the i-station system enjoys 11,000 visits daily.

“With i-station and Ruckus, we’re delivering a great package of user-friendly travel services,” said Wang Bo, system architect of the Beijing Jianfei Science Company, who deployed the Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi network for the Shanghai Railway Bureau. “We really needed the kind of reliable, high-performance wireless network infrastructure that Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi provides, not only to provide passengers with convenient Internet access station-wide, it also empowers them to travel more confidently, since they can now more easily keep up-to-date on changing train status using their mobile devices from anywhere in the station.”   

Statistics from the Shanghai Railway Bureau show that all eight stations deliver up to 100 Mbps download speeds, with anywhere from 4,000 to 9,000 passengers accessing the network in the stations at any given time. Wang Bo concludes, “Passengers have quickly embraced i-station, empowered with the Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi network infrastructure, which, combined, has met their and the Railway’s demands for reliable, Wi-Fi access to provide real-time information that improves everyone’s travel experience.”

ABOUT RUCKUS WIRELESS

Headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA, Ruckus Wireless, Inc.(NYSE: RKUS) is a global supplier of advanced wireless systems for the rapidly expanding mobile Internet infrastructure market. The company offers a wide range of indoor and outdoor “Smart Wi-Fi” products to mobile carriers, broadband service providers, and corporate enterprises, and has over 44,000 end-customers worldwide. Ruckus technology addresses Wi-Fi capacity and coverage challenges caused by the ever-increasing amount of traffic on wireless networks due to accelerated adoption of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Ruckus invented and has patented state-of-the-art wireless voice, video, and data technology innovations, such as adaptive antenna arrays that extend signal range, increase client data rates, and avoid interference, providing consistent and reliable distribution of delay-sensitive multimedia content and services over standard 802.11 Wi-Fi. For more information, visit http://www.ruckuswireless.com.

Ruckus, Ruckus Wireless, ZoneDirector, and ZoneFlex are trademarks of Ruckus Wireless, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other product or company names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

OFS TeraWave Single mode Fiber is an Advanced Design For The Long Haul

 Network operators in long-distance terrestrial applications are nearing the capacity limit of standard single-mode optical fiber, and are seeking new types of fiber to support cost-effective solutions at higher data rates. What’s needed is a fiber design that improves 400 Gb/s and higher speed system performance in long haul overbuilds and greenfield networks.

TeraWave Single-Mode Optical Fiber from OFS is designed to overcome the limits of standard single-mode fiber in these critical applications. Because it supports greater distances between costly regeneration and amplification sites, the fiber can help to lower the overall cost of deploying 100 Gb/s and 400 Gb/s coherent systems as well future high spectral efficiency formats that may be developed. TeraWave Fiber features an optimized large area ITU-T G.654.B design for terrestrial 400 Gb/s transmission and beyond in the C- and L-bands (1530 nm – 1625 nm). It also offers an effective area 50 percent greater than G.652.D single-mode fiber to suppress nonlinear effects that limit the reach of G.652.D single-mode fiber. Its macrobend performance, equivalent to that of conventional G.652.D single-mode fiber, simplifies installation in terrestrial networks.

More from OFS:
Optical Fiber Optimized for Long Haul Transmission at 400 Gb/s and Beyond (white paper) >>>

OFS, 2000 Northeast Expressway, Norcross, GA 30071, USA   www.ofsoptics.com

TIA Urges CMMI to Prioritize Telehealth & Remote Patient Monitoring

Arlington, Va. (Nov. 4, 2014) – The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the leading association representing the manufacturers and suppliers of high-tech communications networks, filed comments in response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services’ (CMS) request for information on the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation’s (CMMI) Health Plan Innovation Model Concepts. CMMI is responsible for testing innovative payment and delivery system models that show important promise for maintaining or improving the quality of care in Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

In its comments, TIA urged CMMI to:

·         Examine remote patient monitoring for congestive heart failure (CHF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and diabetes, building towards the further expansion for eligible chronic conditions identified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services based on an annual review of the evidence;

·         Recognize that remote patient monitoring of patient‐generated health data (PGHD) is increasingly being proven as an important aspect of any healthcare system, and to issue grants that build upon the growing body of evidence; and

·         Use every opportunity to utilize these advanced technologies and work towards a more connected health care system, prioritizing technology‐ and platform‐neutrality in CMMI program examinations.

Read TIA’s comments to CMMI in its entirety here- http://www.tiaonline.org/sites/default/files/pages/TIA_Comment-CMMI_Home_Plan_Innovation_Initiative_RFI_Final.pdf

About TIA

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) represents manufacturers and suppliers of global communications networks through standards development, policy and advocacy, business opportunities, market intelligence, and events and networking. TIA enhances the business environment for broadband, mobile wireless, information technology, networks, cable, satellite and unified communications. Members' products and services empower communications in every industry and market, including healthcare, education, security, public safety, transportation, government, the military, the environment, and entertainment. Visit tiaonline.org for more details.

TIA is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and is a proud sponsor of ANSI’s Standards Boost Business campaign. Visit www.standardsboostbusiness.org  for details. www.tiaonline.org

COPPER IS NOT DEAD ...OR IS IT?  COMING BREAKTHROUGHS IN CONNECTIVITY = GRAPHENE

New process isolates promising material: Molybdenum disulfide has emerged as a leading successor to graphene

Date:

November 13, 2014

Source:

Northwestern University

Summary:

Scientists are working to isolate atomically thin layers of molybdenum disulfide, a material with applications in electronics, optoelectronics, solar cells, and catalysis.

After graphene was first produced in the lab in 2004, thousands of laboratories began developing graphene products worldwide. Researchers were amazed by its lightweight and ultra-strong properties. Ten years later, scientists now search for other materials that have the same level of potential.

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"We continue to work with graphene, and there are some applications where it works very well," said Mark Hersam, the Bette and Neison Harris Chair in Teaching Excellence at McCormick, who is a graphene expert. "But it's not the answer to all the world's problems."

Part of a family of materials called transition metal dichalcogenides, molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) has emerged as a frontrunner material for exploration in Hersam's lab. Like graphene, it can be exfoliated into atomically thin sheets. As it thins to the atomic limit, it becomes fluorescent, making it useful for optoelectronics, such as light-emitting diodes, or light-absorbing devices, such as solar cells. MoS₂ is also a true semiconductor, making it an excellent candidate for electronics, and it historically has been used in catalysis to remove sulfur from crude oil, which prevents acid rain.

Hersam's challenge was to find a way to isolate atomically thin sheets of this promising material at a larger scale. For the past six years, his lab has developed methods for exfoliating thin layers of graphene from graphite, using solution-based methods.

"You would think it would be easy to do the same thing for molybdenum disulfide," he said. "But the problem is that while the exfoliation is similar to graphene, the separation is considerably more challenging."

Hersam's research is described in the paper "Thickness sorting of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides via copolymer-assisted gradient ultracentrifugation," which was published in the Nov. 13 issue of Nature Communications.

To sort graphene layers, Hersam used centrifugal force to separate materials by density. To do this, he and his group added the material to a centrifuge tube along with a gradient of water-based solution. Upon centrifugation, the denser species move toward the bottom, creating layers of densities within the centrifuge tube. Graphene sorts into single layer sheets toward the top, then bilayer sheets, trilayer, and so on. Because graphene has a relatively low density, it easily sorts compared to higher density materials.

"If I use the exact same process with molybdenum disulfide, its higher density will cause it to crash out," Hersam said. "It exceeds the maximum density of the gradient, which required an innovative solution."

Hersam needed to take the inherently dense material and effectively reduce its density without changing the material itself. He realized that this goal could be achieved by tuning the density of the molecules used to disperse MoS₂. In particular, the use of bulkier polymer dispersants allowed the effective density of MoS₂ to be reduced into the range of the density gradient. In this manner, the sheets of MoS₂ floated at layered positions instead of collecting as the bottom of the centrifuge tube. This technique works not just for MoS₂, but for other materials in the transition metal dichalcogenides family.

"Now we can isolate single layer, bilayer, or trilayer transition metal dichalcogenides in a scalable manner," Hersam said. "This process will allow us to explore their utility in large-scale applications, such as electronics, optoelectronics, catalysis, and solar cells."

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by Northwestern University. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:

1.                   Joohoon Kang, Jung-Woo T. Seo, Diego Alducin, Arturo Ponce, Miguel Jose Yacaman, Mark C. Hersam. Thickness sorting of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides via copolymer-assisted density gradient ultracentrifugation. Nature Communications, 2014; 5: 5478 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6478

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141113123211.htm

Northwestern University. "New process isolates promising material: Molybdenum disulfide has emerged as a leading successor to graphene." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 13 November 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141113123211.htm>.

Please watch this brief film clip to get a summary on GRAPHENE. This is a hint of the next chapter in connectivity:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=WFacA6OwCjA

FCIA Creates Firestop Containment Worker Education Program & Manual

The Firestop Contractors International Association (FCIA - Hillside, IL), the worldwide professional trade association dedicated to the installation and maintenance of life safety firestop systems, has announced its release of a proprietary 'Firestop Containment Worker Edition' of its Firestop Manual of Practice, as well as a full education program including PowerPoint presentations, step-by-step videos, quizzes and instructor guides.

In an effort to remain the leading authority in the firestopping and effective compartmentation industry, the FCIA says it developed its Firestop Containment Worker Education program to elevate the quality of workmanship provided for this specialized trade. With the release of the new comprehensive education program, members will have access to an extensive training program and manual for their workforce that results in a thorough working knowledge of the skill and precision required for the specialized trade of firestopping and effective compartmentation.

FCIA says its Firestop Containment Worker Education Program (FSCW-EP) is comprised of two parts: the FCIA Firestop Manual of Practice, Firestop Containment Worker Edition (FSCW-M) and the Firestop Containment Worker Instructor Edition, which is the complete Education Program (FSCW-IE). The FCIA Manual of Practice, Firestop Containment Worker Edition is the handbook for the firestop field worker. The practices and procedures that the firestop field worker must know are outlined in the body of the manual.  Both FCIA Members and Non-Members may purchase a copy of the FSCW-M by visiting http://www.fcia.org/articles/mop.htm.

The Firestop Containment Worker Instructor Program (FSCW-IE) is the complete curriculum necessary for an all-inclusive education and training program. The program includes a DVD with numerous PowerPoint presentations, instructional guides and quizzes, as well as hours of instructional video meant to provide education for the firestop field workforce. The FSCW-IE also contains a copy of the FCIA Firestop Manual of Practice, Firestop Containment Worker Edition. This educational curriculum is only available to FCIA Members and may be purchased by visiting http://www.fcia.org/articles/mop.htm.

For more information on how to become a FCIA Member visit http://www.fcia.org/membership.htm or call the FCIA office at +1-708-202-1108.

The Firestop Contractors International Association FCIA Mission Statement

The FCIA's mission is for member organizations to be recognized throughout the construction industry as preferred quality contractors of life safety firestop systems.

FCIA Member Contractors are committed to providing consistent, high quality firestop systems as a critical part of Effective Compartmentation. Through active participation in the FCIA and related forums, members contribute to the advancement of the firestop and compartmentation industry and maintain exceptional knowledge of this specialized service.

Through this professional commitment to fire and life safety, member contractors bring considerable value to their customers by enhancing public safety and property protection.

FCIA 1999-2014 & Beyond - Vision

FCIA's goals have been and continue to be focused on building reliability of Firestop Systems through the DIIM of Firestopping.  Proper Design, Installation, Inspection, Maintenance and Management of Firestop Systems means reliability.  Here's the details:

• D - Design - Better firestop testing to Standards that reflects conditions reasonably foreseeable to occur in the field. Help designers with a detailed 07-84-00 Specification.
• Build an 'Industry Body of Firestop Knowledge', which became the FCIA Firestop Manual of Practice.
• I - Installation - Better installations for firestop materials that become firestop systems when installed by a contractor that has a culture of 'Zero Tolerance' in their company. 
• FM 4991 Standard for the Approval of Firestop Contractors UL / ULC Firestop Contractor Qualification Programs were built for this purpose.
• FCIA worked closely with FM and UL to develop the FM 4991 Standard for the Approval of Firestop Contractors and UL / ULC Firestop Contractor Qualification Programs which provide accreditation directly to firestop contractor companies that have a person who has passed an Examination and the company that has passed a rigorous quality management system Audit of their policies and procedures at the office and in the field.
• This third-party accreditation program allows the process to be objective. A third party provides the audits rather than FCIA.  FCIA does not accredit Members, but does provide education for the FM & UL/ULC firestop exams.
• FCIA Apprenticeship Education Program - This generic, step by step education program, will be available for purchase by contractor and non member organizations in several forms.
• I - Independent Inspection - 3rd Party Independent Inspection of Installed Firestop Systems
• Inspection Agencies need to understand the 'Zero Tolerance' firestop systems installation protocol. 
• Special Inspection Agencies can be Accredited to International Accreditation Services, IAS Accreditation Criteria AC-291
• M - Maintenance - Existing buildings need to conform to the International Fire Code, 703.1...with an annual inspection or survey of the installed 'compartmentation features', including firestopping.
• M - Barrier Management - FCIA members provide fire and smoke barrier management services worldwide to maintain fire resistance rated assembles for both compartmentation and structural reasons.
• Spread the word - Internationally
• Specifications - All these programs are referenced in Master Specifications worldwide.
• Building and Fire Codes -
• FM 4991 Approved Firestop Contractors & UL/ULC Qualified Firestop Contractor Programs - FCIA has submitted, but not yet been successful, adding the FM 4991 Approved Contractor Program or the UL/ULC Qualified Contractor Program to the International and NFPA Codes.
• ASTM E 2174 & ASTM E 2393 have been added to 2012 International Building Code in Chapter 17, Special Inspections for buildings 75' and higher.
• Contractors Available FM 4991 Approved & UL/ULC Qualified Contractors - Our worldwide membership of FM & UL/ULC contractors is growing.  Check out FCIA.org Member Lists.
• FCIA Members in Good Standing - Specified by name in North America and beyond. FCIA Contractor Members in Good Standing include FCIA Members that have fully paid membership for 24 consecutive months and meet the qualifications of a Voting Contractor Member.
• Educational Seminars, Conferences - FCIA continues to have conferences in North America, and has travelled to the United Arab Emirates to spread the word about building the reliability of Firestopping, worldwide.

FCIA 2014 & Beyond

FCIA still has work to do!  Adding the FM 4991 Approved Firestop Contractor Program and UL / ULC Qualified Firestop Contractor programs to more standards, specs, codes, convincing purchasers of the value of the Specialty FCIA Member Firestop Contractor concept, making 'Firestopping a Trade' in the construction industry vocabulary, and much more is still to be done.

Visit the many areas on this website to see how involved FCIA's Committees are around the world at working towards making these goals visions from 1999-2014 become reality.

We need your help to get this done. If you are not a member, Join FCIA and get involved.  If you are a member, stay involved through committee participation and leadership.

Firestop Contractors International Association
4415 W. Harrison St., #436 ~ Hillside, IL 60162
Phone: (708) 202-1108 ~ Fax: (708) 449-0837

Email: info@fcia.org

ShoreTel Ranked Highest Vendor in Customer Loyalty, Service and Value, Finds Nemertes Study

500 IT Professionals Also Rate ShoreTel the Top Provider for Enterprise IP Telephony

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Nov. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- ShoreTel® (NASDAQ: SHOR), the leading provider of brilliantly simple phone systems and unified communications (UC) solutions, rates best among leading IP Telephony vendors in customer loyalty, service and value by IT professionals, according to a recent Nemertes Research report.

For Nemertes' 2014 Unified Communications and Collaboration PilotHouse program, 500 IT decision-makers and influencers (of U.S.-based companies, some with global presence) were asked to identify, rate and weight their primary providers in various areas including IP Telephony and integrated Unified Communications. Weightings and ratings were combined with Nemertes' assessment scores for provider strategy and financial viability. Results were segmented into Midmarket (consisting of businesses with fewer than 2,500 employees) and Enterprise (consisting of businesses with more than 2,500 employees) to provide the Nemertes Lighthouse rankings, which are part of the PilotHouse program.

In the Nemertes Lighthouse ranking, ShoreTel was named the top provider overall for Enterprise IP Telephony, beating all other vendors included in this study, and also ranked highest in value and customer service.

In addition, ShoreTel ranked best in customer loyalty in more technology segments than any other vendor in the study, specifically outscoring others in Midmarket and Enterprise Unified Communications suites and in Enterprise IP Telephony. In these segments, ShoreTel had the highest percentage of customers who plan to stay with their provider for the next two years.

"The key thing to remember with the PilotHouse program is that the results come from IT professionals' ratings of their providers. It's based on real-world experience," says Robin Gareiss, president of Nemertes. "ShoreTel performed extremely well in customer loyalty overall in the research, and specifically better than Avaya, Cisco, IBM, and Microsoft in both enterprise and midmarket UC."

High customer loyalty goes hand-in-hand with ShoreTel's consistently top marks for value and customer service. IT professionals who use ShoreTel for Unified Communications suites ranked it highest in customer service, and ShoreTel also received the highest customer service score among all providers in the study in both Enterprise IP Telephony and Midmarket Unified Communications.

As for value, the Nemertes study found it to be the most important criteria to customers in Enterprise IP Telephony, and ShoreTel received the highest value score among all competitors in the study.

"We work hard to consistently align ourselves with our customers' priorities and these top rankings confirm we are doing things right," says David Petts, senior vice president of worldwide sales at ShoreTel. "This third-party validation matches what we hear from channel partners and customers alike - that our price structure, our solutions' ease of use, and our world-class customer service make our solutions financially viable and highly attractive for companies of all sizes."

A full summary of ShoreTel's results in the Nemertes 2014 Unified Communications and Collaboration PilotHouse program is available for download.

About ShoreTel
ShoreTel, Inc. (NASDAQ: SHOR) is a leading provider of brilliantly simple IP phone systems and unified communications solutions. Its award-winning on-premises IP-PBX solution and cloud-based hosted phone system eliminate complexity and improve productivity. Recognized for its industry-leading customer experience and support, ShoreTel's innovative business phones, application integration, collaboration tools, mobility, and contact center applications enable users to communicate and collaborate no matter the time, place or device, with minimal demand on IT resources. ShoreTel is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., and has regional offices and partners worldwide. For more information, visit www.shoretel.com.

Communication Planning Corporation is North Florida’s leading ShoreTel dealer.

Since 1980, CPC has provided quality service for their communications and cabling needs. CPC and ShoreTel can deliver unified communications. www.communicationplanning.com

Contact Michael Shannahan, Vice President – Communication Planning Corporation (Jacksonville, FL) Tel. 904-645-9077 or michael@communicationplanning.com

Sprint to trim 2,000 jobs

Sprint (NYSE: S) reported a wider loss and slightly less revenue than analysts had expected, and the carrier said it plans to cut another 2,000 jobs. However, the carrier said that its recent pricing overhaul has generated interest, and that its results during September indicate it is beginning to reverse years of subscriber losses.

Sprint reported net operating revenues of $8.5 billion and an operating loss of $192 million, both of which came in below Wall Street expectations. In order to address the situation, Sprint said it is embarking on a cost-cutting plan that it hopes will result in $1.5 billion in cost reductions--that effort will include cutting around 2,000 additional positions. Those cuts are in addition to the 5,000 jobs Sprint cut from January through mid-September.

And the job cuts will stretch across the company, CEO Marcelo Claure promised: "We've decided to make some leadership changes," Claure told Reuters, pointing to the recent appointment of SoftBank executive Junichi Miyakawa as Sprint's new technical chief operating officer. "More changes are coming," Claure added.

But Sprint said it continues to hire in select areas. For example, the company said it will open a customer care center in its Kansas City headquarters to target its high-value customers, and is hiring 200 call center works to staff the facility.

As for its subscriber performance in the third quarter, Sprint said it lost 336,000 total retail postpaid subscribers during the period, the company's 11th straight quarter of postpaid subscriber declines. However, Sprint reported adding a total of 484,000 net subscribers in the quarter, thanks to the addition of fully 840,000 wholesale and affiliate subscribers. Sprint CFO Joe Euteneuer said that the impressive performance of Sprint's wholesale group was due to a mix of M2M and MVNO customer additions, but declined to provide details.

Although Sprint continues to post subscriber losses, the company said its recent pricing changes have helped. Since Claure took the Sprint helm from Dan Hesse on Aug. 11, he has introduced shared data plans that offer double the data allotments of similar plans from Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ) and AT&T Mobility (NYSE: T). He has also introduced individual unlimited data plans at prices far below what rival T-Mobile US (NYSE:TMUS) charges.

As a result of the new plans, Sprint said its postpaid phone gross additions grew 37 percent month-over-month in September, and its postpaid phone net losses slowed by nearly 60 percent in September. Sprint also said its postpaid upgrade rate was 8 percent in the third quarter, and that figure will grow to as much as 12 percent in the fourth quarter.

During the carrier's quarterly conference call with investors, Claure acknowledged that Sprint is facing "significant challenges." But he said that "we're taking the right steps to address these challenges."

Here are some key statistics from Sprint's third quarter earnings report:

Subscribers: Sprint reported 590,000 net additions to its "Sprint platform," which includes its CDMA and LTE networks. That figure includes the loss of 272,000 postpaid customers and the addition of 35,000 prepaid customers (which Sprint said was due to successes at its Boost Mobile brand) and 827,000 wholesale and affiliate customers. The carrier reported postpaid tablet net additions of 261,000 in the quarter.

In the same quarter a year ago, Sprint lost 360,000 Sprint platform postpaid customers, which was offset by the addition of 84,000 prepaid customers and 181,000 wholesale and affiliate customers.

Sprint ended the third quarter with 55 million connections.

Handset financing and leasing: Sprint said around 27 percent of its customers elected to sign up for its handset leasing and financing programs during the full quarter. Sprint launched a handset leasing program with the introduction of the new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in September--customers' monthly payments under the leasing option are lower than under Sprint's Easy Pay financing program. The carrier said the rate of customers choosing the programs picked up significantly toward the end of the third quarter after it introduced its leasing program; Sprint said just 20 percent of its customers choose to use its handset financing program during the month of August.

Interestingly, CEO Claure said Sprint next year might choose to eliminate its phone subsidies, like T-Mobile has done, and only offer phone leasing and financing plans. Euteneuer said Sprint is considering the move but has made no concrete decision.

Network: Sprint said its 4G LTE network now covers a total of 260 million people across 500 U.S. cities. The company also said it is nearing its goal of covering 100 million people with its 2.5 GHz LTE network; the carrier said it currently covers 92 million people with its 2.5 GHz LTE network.

As for Sprint's 800 MHz LTE buildout, the carrier said it now covers 50 percent of its total LTE footprint with 800 MHz LTE and will complete its 800 MHz LTE buildout next year.

Capex: Sprint said it lowered its capital expense forecast for the year to just below $6 billion from its previous forecast of $8 billion that it made at the beginning of this year.

Euteneuer explained that Sprint lowered its network capex forecast for this year because its LTE network buildout eliminated its need to invest in CDMA 3G network capacity. Further, he said Sprint's parent SoftBank has helped reduce the cost of its network equipment due to economies of scale.

Financials: Sprint's operating loss in the third quarter was $192 million, lower than the $398 million it posted in the year-ago quarter. Overall, Sprint said its revenue increased 9.5 percent to $8.49 billion.

The results were such that Sprint parent SoftBank reduced its operating profit forecast to $7.9 billion (900 billion yen) for the fiscal year ending in March 2015, down from a previous forecast of $8.8 billion.

"Sprint's battle will be long and tough, and it's not something that can be fixed in a short time," SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son said, according to Reuters.

As Bloomberg pointed out, Sprint reduced its adjusted profit forecast for year by $1 billion to no more than $5.9 billion. Sprint executives said the carrier's primary goal is to increase the number of its postpaid net customer additions, and that its financials could be lower in the coming quarters as it works to reach that goal.

Analysts at New Street Research noted that "Sprint's turn-around will clearly come at a higher cost than investors realized." They added: "Sprint needs to do something transformative, in order to be the cost leader given their scale disadvantage in a scale driven industry. This isn't enough, but Claure is only 85 days in."

ARPU: Sprint said its average revenue per postpaid connection on its Sprint platform declined to $60.58 in the quarter, from $64.28 in the same quarter a year ago.

Churn: Sprint said postpaid churn on its Sprint platform rose to 2.18 percent, from 1.99 percent in the year-ago quarter.

For more:
- see this release
- see these two Reuters articles
- see this Bloomberg article
- see this WSJ article (sub. req.)
- see this GigaOM article

Special Report: Wireless in the third quarter of 2014

Related Articles:
All eyes on CEO Claure's vision ahead of Sprint's Q3 earnings
T-Mobile's Legere: If customers try Sprint and don't like it, they'll leave and never come back
Sprint names SoftBank executive Miyakawa as its new network chief
Sprint slashes another 452 jobs at company headquarters, more to come
Analysts: Verizon likely to lead in Q3 subscriber additions while Sprint struggles to regain momentum
Sprint tweaks 2.5 GHz LTE deployment strategy to target congested parts of network

IN MEMORY OF GRACE (SHIMP) KATICH

Grace Theresa Katich, age 40, died on Thursday, November 27, 2014 at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. Grace grew up in both Jacksonville, Florida and San Antonio, Texas. She graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio and Florida Community College Jacksonville. Known to many friends as Lola Ivesly, Grace organized many activities and events that benefited the larger Jacksonville community such as Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Bored in Jacksonville, and Jacksonville Zombie Walk, among others. Grace was an intelligent, vibrant, and intense woman whose love of her children, nature, books, poetry, music, coffee, and gardening were obvious to all around her.

Grace was recently preceded in death by her beloved grandmother, Antonia Escamilla Ramirez. She is survived by her parents, Norine Daniel Katich and Paul Katich; sister, Kristina Katich; four children, Antonia Crowley (Travis)20, Michelle Shimp17, Neil Shimp13, and Nicholas Shimp13; one granddaughter, Bonnie Rose Crowley; two grandparents, Reynaldo Ramirez and Barbara Koger, in addition to many aunts, uncles, and cousins. She will be dearly missed by all friends and family.

The memorial will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, December 13, 2014 at The Garden Club of Jacksonville, 1005 Riverside Avenue, Jacksonville, Florida 32204. It will be a celebration of her life, so we encourage you to wear color, respectfully. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations to benefit her children. If you would like to contribute to the Grace Katich Memorial Fund, please contact Kristina Katich at grace.katich.memorial.fund@gmail.com for methods of payment, condolences, or other inquiries.