For: www.wireville.com
"Heard On The Street" Column
Issue: March 2001
By: Frank Bisbee

THE INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY begins in WIREVILLE, and there are major changes in WIREVILLE. Steve Paulov announced his retirement from Cabling Business Magazine and passed the reins to his eldest son, Scott www.pressaccess.com We expect to see many changes in that organization. Effective: March 1, 2001, the HEARD ON THE STREET column by Frank Bisbee will be moved to the Internet at www.wireville.com. H.O.T.S. has become a very popular item for many readers and the need to issue the column in a more timely fashion has prompted this change. Henceforth changes and additions to the column may be posted up to the last two days of the month. If important news breaks during the month it may be posted as an addendum to the regular monthly H.O.T.S. column. You may e-mail your news items to fbisbee@jax-inter.net or frank@wireville.com. If you prefer traditional methods:

Telephone: (904) 645-9077, Facsimile: (904) 645-9058

Beginning next month, the Heard On The Street column will address some new safety issues. We will take a look at hazardous materials, life and fire safety information, environmental concerns, health issues, and the perils of corrosivity caused by cable in the data center environment. What you don't know can kill you or your information systems. To steal a phrase from Ralph Nader, "Unsafe At Any Speed" also applies to communication (copper & fiber) cabling.

Don't miss these upcoming segments. Even the most experienced veteran in the cabling business will be enlightened and even shocked by some of these revelations. These segments will be supplemented by information from: OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration), NSC (National Safety Council), EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency), CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), AAFP (American Academy of Family Physicians, NIEHS (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences), NIH (National Institutes of Health), CCOHS (Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety), and numerous university, hospital, and government organizations.

Avaya has a new application that should bring a smile of security to the managers of DATA centers and tech centers throughout entire market. Now we can get a cable for these special applications that meets today's requirements and tomorrows need for speed. The cable is permanently safe and not subject to degradation (physically and/or electrically). Cost studies have already shown that the front-end costs are erased by the savings. But the added protection for the data systems and the staff are a super bonus to the product.

Introduced in August of 2000, the Avaya SYSTIMAX® PowerSum 4061 cable is a high-performance Local Area Network (LAN) UTP cable that is the first of its kind to be listed with the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) as meeting the new limited combustible cable standards. The 4061 cable is used for voice and data communications and has transmission performance that far exceeds the Category 5e industry standard.

This new cable is available now. If you haven't been told about it, be careful... very careful. Finding a better idea after the fact is called a boo-boo. You don't want a BOO-BOO!!!!

You can sell the right solution to a customer who does not even know they have a real problem. The first challenge is the education of the buyer to the real problems facing them and then showing them a BETTER IDEA in Avaya Cable. www.avaya.com

New best available perfluoropolymer technologies for Authorities Having Jurisdiction, worldwide:

• Class A, Limited Combustible fire performance (1).
  
  
• Very low flame spread, and up to 20-times lower smoke generation (1).
  
  
• Lowest-In-Class fuel load and fire load, up to 8-times lower.
  
  
• 200°C Temperature Rating for fire safety engineering (New York Port Authority).
  
  
• 100% recyclable, environmentally friendly.
  
  
• Foamable for higher performance and lower cost.
  
  
• Outstanding electronic transmissions properties.
  
  
• Craft-friendly installation characteristics.
  
  

And compared to alternative plenum materials...

• Hydrogen Free™ - no explosive hydrogenated decomposition products.
  
  
• No lead and other heavy metal stabilizers & fugitive additives.
  
  
• No hydrated alumina (Al3+) eco-toxins.
  
  
• No antimony additives or related Category 3 carcinogens.
  
  
• No phthalate-type plasticizers with associated health concerns.
  
  
• Combustion toxicity comparable to vinyls and polyolefins (2).
  
  
• No bromo or chloro dioxin and furan eco-toxic generation (3).
  
  

(1) Reference: NFPA 90A and NFPA 255

(2) Reference: National Electrical Manufacturers Association. NYS Data Base

(3) Reference: Weber et al

http://roproc.nfpa.org

Cable Design Technologies (CDT) (Pittsburgh, PA), a leading worldwide provider of high-speed network connectivity products, stated that net income for its second fiscal quarter ended January 31, 2001 was $13.5 million, a 29% increase in net income before a one-time bad debt charge of $0.04 for Anicom, a distributor that recently filed for bankruptcy. This compares to last year's second quarter net income of $10.4 million.

Sales for the second fiscal quarter 2001 were $202.6 million versus $178.2 million last year, an increase of 14%. Excluding the impact of unfavorable foreign currency translation, sales would have increased approximately 17% over last year.

When NASDQ was flying high, everyone wanted to be viewed as "high-tech". When the market corrected and the NASDQ backed down more than 50%, no one wanted to be packaged as high-tech. The basic fact is that CDT is an infrastructure manufacturer. They make the "information superhighway" highways and lots of the terminal connector hardware. Their products are a real barrier to obsolescence and one of the best values on the market today. CDT's products allow the buyer to connect to several generations of computer technology without having to replace the highway (or cabling system). We don't call CDT "high-tech"; CDT is "foundation-tech" and solid as a rock. Look for CDT on the NYSE. www.cdtc.com

CommScope, Inc. (Hickory, NC) a leader in the design and manufacture of high-performance, broadband communication cables and The Siemon Company, a global leader in the design and manufacture of high performance cabling system components, announce a variety of new initiatives that are expected to enhance each company's LAN cabling sales, marketing and new product development. Under terms of these new initiatives, CommScope and Siemon have recently made key changes to closely align their sales resources and marketing efforts in the U.S. to support sales of their structured cabling solutions.

CommScope and Siemon started their strategic partnership in 1994 with the introduction of their Ultralink(SM) cabling system, which exceeds today's industry standard specifications for category 5e. In 1998, both companies achieved a major milestone with the introduction of one of the world's first category 6 products.

"Siemon and CommScope have always shared a commitment to innovation and high performance," said Carl Siemon, president of The Siemon Company. "A stronger strategic partnership will allow us to better leverage our capabilities and resources and effectively deliver world-class network cabling infrastructures to enterprises throughout the United States."

Last year CommScope and Siemon launched a suite of cabling solutions marketed under the CommScope/Siemon Vision(SM) brand name. "Vision category 5e, 6 and fiber cabling systems provide outstanding performance and value to customers," said Randy Crenshaw, executive vice president and general manager of CommScope's Network Products Group. "The alignment of our sales force and marketing efforts will significantly increase market awareness of the advantages the Siemon/CommScope solution provides. We expect to grow market share by effectively doubling our sales and marketing resources."

In conjunction with their partnering efforts, Siemon and CommScope engineers are proud to unveil the results of their most recent collaborative efforts -- Ultra 6(SM). This new category 6 cabling system is among the highest performing UTP solutions available in the industry, with over 300 MHz of bandwidth and transmission characteristics that surpass existing Category 6 standards.

CommScope is a large manufacturer of broadband coaxial cable for Hybrid Fiber Coaxial (HFC) applications and a leading supplier of fiber optic and twisted pair cables for LAN, wireless, satellite, broadcast and other communications applications.

The Siemon Company is a leader in the design and manufacture of structured cabling systems. Siemon's dedication to technology leadership in its field of expertise is evident from its more than 300 U.S. and international patents related to telecommunications cabling. www.commscope.com www.siemon.com

For more information on the Siemon/CommScope alliance and high performance Vision cabling systems, please visit www.visioncabling.com.

TL 9000 Quality Standards General Cable has received TL 9000 quality standards registration for its telecommunications cable manufacturing facility in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Sumitomo Electric Lightwave www.sumitomoelectric.com has received TL 9000 certification covering both its RTP and Whiteville manufacturing facilities in North Carolina. Developed by the Quality Excellence for Suppliers of Telecommunications (QuEST) Forum, the TL 9000 quality system is based on the ISO 9000 program with added telecommunications-specific performance metrics. The TL 9000 system also supplements ISO 9000 in product reliability, specialized installation, and engineering service functions and requirements that address continued communication between suppliers and their telecommunications customers. www.generalcable.com

Cities that host a BICSI (Tampa, Florida) telecommunications conference get something more than hotel reservations and busy restaurants. BICSI members, designers and installers of low-voltage cabling for voice, data and video communications, leave a monetary gift and warm memories in every city that hosts one of their conferences.

In Orlando on January 18, as BICSI closed thier three-day conference at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, a donation of $35,000 was made from BICSI to Orange County's non-profit group, My Kids, School Kids, Inc. This all-volunteer group provides basic needs for at-risk school children at six participating schools.

Some of the schools have requests for special needs such as uniforms, school supplies, incentives for test scores, and teddy bears for children picked up by the Department of Children and Families. My Kids, School Kids also provides 300 new athletic shoes and pairs of underwear, over 1,000 pairs of socks, and 100 coats and sweaters. Other activities include book donations at Christmas that benefited thousands of students.

My Kids, School Kids accomplishes their mission by utilizing teachers and school staff to recognize a child in need. Clothing items are stored on campus for immediate needs.

BICSI's charity arm, "BICSI Cares, Inc." was officially established as a 501(c)(3) corporation in 1998, but for years prior BICSI donations benefited children in cities where BICSI conferences were held. Donations have gone to facilities for mentally and physically handicapped children, youth programs, and student scholarships. More than $680,000 has been distributed since 1992.

Headquartered in Tampa, FL, U.S.A., BICSI is a professional, not-for-profit telecommunications association serving over 20,000 members in over 85 countries around the world. BICSI offers courses, conferences, publications, and professional registration programs for telecommunications cabling distribution designers and installers. www.bicsi.org

The Federal Communications Comition (FCC) Chairman, William E. Kennard, will resign from the Commission after the decision on the proposed merger between America Online, Inc. and Time-Warner, Inc. is announced, according to an FCC spokeswoman. As the FCC chairman since 1997, Chairman Kennard presided over the FCC during a momentous time in the agency's history, as the FCC implemented historic legislation to bring competition to communications markets. During his three-year tenure, Chairman Kennard succeeded in promoting competition and consumer choice in the telecommunications marketplace, encouraging the rollout of broadband and digital technologies, expanding access to technology for all Americans, and streamlining and revamping the Commission for the Digital Age.

Anixter, Inc. (Skokie, Illinois), a leading distributor of data communications products and electrical wire and cable, has agreed to purchase certain inventory and operating assets from the bankruptcy estate of Anicom, Inc. The assets being acquired are located in the Detroit market. Anixter's expansion now provides former Anicom customers with a single source for products and distribution services needed to grow their businesses.

"This is a serious commitment to the entire Detroit marketplace," stated Bob Grubbs, president and CEO of Anixter. "It's a commitment in terms of people, inventory, engineering, and short and long term growth. We look forward to the opportunity to serve those companies who were customers of Anicom. We intend to work aggressively to help them grow by providing them with the highest level of service and quality products in the industry."

"Our newly expanded presence in Detroit will allow us to more effectively serve our existing contractor and IT customer base. It also puts us in a position to increase our support to the highly specialized markets and industries unique to the metro complex," Grubbs remarked. "These would include the automotive, broadcast, telecommunications and OEM markets to name a few."

Grubbs pointed out that the acquisition is a perfect fit for Anixter: "Our extensive, specialized inventory, coupled with our global distribution network and logistical management services, provide a solid foundation for our expansion into the Detroit metro market and bring new opportunities for our customers." www.anixter.com

Avaya, a global leader in communications solutions and services, announced a $30 million sales contract agreement to supply copper cable to Florida-based TSI, a leading provider of central office cable assemblies to telephone companies and equipment manufacturers. The cable will allow TSI to meet the increasing demand on their Service Provider customers for new applications and technology such as Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), Synchronous Optical Network (SONET), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) and residential broadband. www.avaya.com or www.lucent.com

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) of Great Britain and BICSI, an international telecommunications association, made a formal recognition of their agreement to promote further growth and development of the telecommunications industries of Great Britain and the United States. Jay Warmke, Executive Director of BICSI, and Allan P. Cobb, Director General of TIA-Great Britain, executed the agreement at the BICSI 2001 Winter Conference in Orlando, FL.

"The BICSI Board of Directors welcomes this opportunity to form a closer relationship with Britain's premiere trade association," said Warmke. "This agreement reflects BICSI's goal to foster better telecommunication services around the globe."

Sixteen delegates from TIA-Great Britain traveled to Orlando to network and build relationships with their BICSI counterparts. BICSI's annual conference offered opportunities for the TIA members to see BICSI's educational courses, technical publications, conference presentations, and to visit over 200 industry exhibits. TIA members were able to observe the administration of the exam for the prestigious RCDD (Registered Communications Distribution Designer) and RCDD/LAN designation.

BICSI has offered educational events in several European countries since 1998 and will present their 2001 Europe Conference in Brighton, United Kingdom on July 2-5, 2001. This three-day educational conference will focus on cabling infrastructure design and installation, and will be open to members and nonmembers. Pre-conference activities include BICSI design courses and technical seminars, committee meetings, and the RCDD exam. Conference sessions begin the morning of July 3, 3001, and feature presenters from around the globe. Attendees may visit product displays before and after conference sessions.

Headquartered in Tampa, FL, U.S.A., BICSI is a professional, not-for-profit telecommunications association that serves 20,000 members from more than 85 countries around the world. BICSI's Europe office is located in Colchester, United Kingdom and serves the more than 600 BICSI members throughout Europe. BICSI offers educational courses, conferences, publications, and professional registration programs for telecommunications cabling distribution, designers and installers. Over 5500 individuals have earned the prestigious RCDD® (Registered Communications Distribution Designer) designation, and more than 10,000 have been registered in the Installation Program. For more information, contact BICSI at 1-800-242-7405 or (813) 979-1991, e-mail bicsi@bicsi.org, or visit the association's Web site for full details at www.bicsi.org.

Avaya announced a VoIP kit for businesses. The Enterprise Class Convergence Kit has a suite of hardware and software from Avaya's Enterprise-Class IP Solutions (ECLIPS) portfolio. It can scale to over a thousand users if necessary.

Key components of the kit are the IP600 Internet Protocol Communications Server and the P330 Stackable Switching System. The IP600 is a rack-mounted, IP telephony server with built-in voicemail, fax messaging, Avaya Message Manager, and Avaya Site Administration software. The Avaya P330 is an Ethernet switching system with Layer 2 switching and optional Layer 3 routing. Included in the kit is the P333T base unit with 24 10/100 BaseT ports. The kit also includes 12 Avaya IP telephones (eight 12-button sets and four 24-button sets), documentation and CajunView Plus network management software.

The Enterprise-Class Convergence Kit will be available in the U.S. on February 19, 2001, with similar solutions available outside the U.S. within 60 days. The kit will be offered at an introductory price that is about 40 percent off the list price of its unbundled components. www.avaya.com

John Highhouse of Lincoln Trail College is the new President-Elect of The Fiber Optic Association. John will take office in July 2001, for a 2 year term, when current President Douglas Elliott's term ends.

John is Program Director of the Telecom Training Program at Lincoln Trail College in Robinson, Illinois. He was one of the co-founders of the FOA in 1995. John has been involved in the telecom industry for 34 years, and as a teacher and training developer for 21 years. He is a frequent speaker at industry meetings and training conferences, as well as the author of a widely used textbook on telecom cable splicing and many articles in trade publications.

Current President Doug Elliott offers this view of John's qualifications, "John Highhouse brings to the Presidency of the FOA a wealth of experience in fiber optics, both real-world installation and teaching. With the rapid expansion of our programs for certification and teacher education, he's a great choice to lead The FOA."

The FOA is the professional society for those working in the fiber optic industry. Founded in 1995 as a non-profit organization, it has grown explosively since, just like the fiber optic industry! Today the FOA has over 5,500 members, of which over 4,000 have completed requirements for the CFOT (Certified Fiber Optic Technician) certification. Over 25 training organizations, including independent trainers, colleges and universities, offer FOA certification as part of their curriculum. www.thefoa.org

The shape of things to come is evident in a new generation of distributor. With the Internet and creative marketing we see reduced prices and thinner margins. The following information is a textbook example of this new type of distributor operation.

StraightlineSupply.com (Camarillo, CA) is a new factory-direct, on-line supplier of products for the premise wiring industry with a potential 30+% savings. StraightlineSupply.com maintains a 20,000 sq. ft., warehouse-shipping center to serve contractors and installers in the Datacom, CATV, Electrical, and Security & Alarm markets. The Grand Opening of their website catalog and store was December 2000. In less than two months StraightlineSupply.com registered its 1,500th user. This rapid growth shows that the industry is moving toward more e-commerce and Internet project collaboration.

Professionals will choose to buy on-line, so long as you give them compelling reasons: EASIER and/or LOWER COSTS FOR EQUAL QUALITY.

StraightlineSupply.com is bringing their customers high-quality products at savings of as much as 50% by partnering with large, offshore companies that manufacture products for several different markets. The focus is on premise wiring products (patch panels, jacks, bulk cable, cable assemblies, connectors, tools, etc.) for their first product release. Future releases (second quarter 2001) will enrich their datacom offering, and also take them into the security and alarm, CATV, and the electrical markets.

In the traditional distribution model for products that are sourced from Asia, manufacturers sell to U.S. companies on an OEM/private-label basis. Often, a trading company is involved in this transaction. These products are then sold to distributors, who resell to the installer. StraightlineSupply.com has eliminated two layers in the supply-chain, changing the distribution model so that the manufacturer sells directly to StraightlineSupply.com, who then sells to the installer. [Note: the new e-commerce buzzword for this business model is dis-intermediation, "cut out the middle man".]

Their Pacific-rim manufacturing companies are more than suppliers of products; they are their strategic partners in this new venture. All manufacturing plants are ISO9000 certified. The factories desire a greater presence in the U.S. market, and to achieve this, StraightlineSupply.com has created new brands for their partners. EIA/TIA standards define product performance requirements, and ETL performs independent testing and verification of standards compliance.

Any U.S. manufacturer who has trouble cracking the "good-ol'-boy network" should certainly call on StraightlineSupply.com.

In addition to the e-commerce nature of their business, they have a call-center open from 8:00a.m. to 5:00p.m., PST. They are staffed and equipped to enter orders and conduct business via telephone, fax, mail, or email.

Their on-line catalog and store opened in December 2000. Registrants will be entered into a sweepstakes to win a Ford Ranger pick-up truck in June 2001. I don't know about your operation, but we could sure use a new truck. www.straightlinesupply.com

Many companies recognize the efficiency that will be possible through convergence-the integration of voice, data and video on one network, but are concerned that it will not meet their requirements for reliability. Anixter (Skokie, IL), a leading distributor of data communications products, believes that network infrastructure technologies are now available to ensure the efficient use of bandwidth in the deployment of convergence.

In a new white paper titled Convergence, Anixter states that achieving the smooth transfer of media over data networks is not an insurmountable problem. It points out that more than 50 percent of data network problems are related to the cabling infrastructure, yet data cabling solutions are available today that provide sufficient headroom for bandwidth-hungry applications.

Tests conducted at the UL certified Anixter Levels Lab provide important guidelines as to which cabling solutions are best suited for convergence. The white paper reviews the cost-saving possibilities and revenue-generating applications that are becoming possible with convergence.

A related white paper, Throughput Efficiency: The New Measure of Success, examines why network traffic is rising dramatically and why the demand for reliable throughput will increase. With new bandwidth-hungry applications, such as enterprise ERP, CRM, and eBusiness systems, many IT managers are becoming increasingly concerned with what Anixter has termed slowtime meaning "sluggish, inefficient network performance". Slowtime can contribute to lost productivity and profitability. If the cabling system is inadequate or minimally compliant, like Cat 5e, it can have a significantly negative impact on most networks and their performance.

Both white papers point out that businesses will need to embrace the new applications to remain competitive, and will likely need to modify their network infrastructure to support them. Copies of these important white papers are available on-line at www.anixter.com.

Ortronics Inc., "The Performance and Flexibility People", and a leader in commercial high-performance structured cabling systems, introduces their new 36-inch modular enclosure for the InHouse™ residential/small commercial structured cabling system. As the largest InHouse enclosure available, the unit offers 36 inches of rail space for mounting voice, video, data, audio and fiber modules in various combinations.

This larger enclosure is ideal for large applications in which extra space is required and will also provide room for expansion, customer provided equipment and future applications.

The 36-inch unit has been designed to mount flush within the wall in standard wood-frame construction meaning "16-inchs between studs on-center", but can be surface mounted if required.

This new enclosure, with an overall size of 36"H x 14.5"W x 4"D, is modular in design, providing easy installation and change of modules. The 18-gauge galvanized steel base offers an attractive rust-resistant finish. A knockout in the enclosure allows an AC receptacle to be internally mounted, while the sides and base accept Velcro straps or plastic ties for organizing and managing cables. A raised center rail allows cables to pass behind modules. Multiple cable entry/exit holes at the top and bottom feature snap bushings to protect cables from abrasion and wear. The lockable screw-on cover has a tough white enamel finish that protects against scratches and corrosion. The cover extends out to conceal any rough edges of sheetrock openings.

Like all Ortronics enclosures, this new unit accommodates many combinations of residential/small commercial media panels and modules. It was developed to be simple to install, in addition to making moves, adds and changes easy. To support the Ortronics residential/small commercial structured cabling system, a complete offering of streamlined and elegant faceplates, modules and other accessories are also available. www.ortronics.com

TIA Broadband Forum on March 13, 2001. The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) will host a forum called 'Innovative Broadband Solutions for Rural and Underserved Areas in the Southeast' on March 13, 2001. The forum will show how technology innovators, vendors, service providers, and state and local governments are partnering to bring advanced broadband services to rural and less populated areas in the southeast. The event is free of charge. For more information about this event, go to www.tiaonline.org.

ICC has announced new gold plated modular connectors. These modular connectors are designed to provide maximum conductivity and enhanced performance. ICC has also introduced the company's new Elite surface mount boxes. These boxes are designed to offer complete solutions to virtually any premises wiring need. www.icc.com

Alcatel has been awarded a contract by China Telecom Group, to deploy a national intelligent crossconnect network with an advanced restoration system. Alcatel will implement the project in 30 major cities by mid-2001. The crossconnect systems will cover an area of more than five million square kilometers throughout the Central and Eastern provinces of China. www.alcatel.com

The Home Automation & Networking Association (HANA) announced the finalists of its Mark of Excellence Awards. These awards recognize the products and companies in the forefront of innovation in the home automation and networking industry. Winners were announced at the Mark of Excellence Awards Dinner on March 8, 2001, which was held in conjunction with the Electronic House Expo Spring 2001 www.ehexp.com, (See April 2001 H.O.T.S.) www.hanaonline.org

Techguide.com is a monthly technology guide update with over 100 White Papers available free to view and print. This month's new technology guides have been posted; The Converged Network Infrastructure: An Introductory Guide, Network Application Priority Switching (NAPS): Active Service Level Management and Network Assurance, How to Build Secure LANs with IPSec, SAP BW using IBM DB2 EEE, and Testing and Analyzing Next Generation Networks. www.techguide.com

Electronic Specialists is offering a free tutorial titled "Industrial Electronics, Friend or Foe?" The tutorial presents system tips, equipment evaluation, and configuration suggestions in multi-part format for interested engineers, system personnel, and maintenance technicians. www.elect-spec.com

A BICSI accredited training room operated by Signal Engineering Training has opened in the Crescent Electric Supply Company distribution facility in Phoenix, AZ. The facility will offer accredited BICSI training courses in the southwestern United States. There will be three BICSI trainers on staff. Contact Signal Engineering Training, 110 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 531, Long Beach, CA 94612, telephone: (562) 901-2727, or facsimile: (562) 901-2729. www.bicsi.org

The Anixter Levels Channel program has certified DataThing, the very first modular furniture system of its kind to offer high-speed voice and data access. Anixter (Skokie, Illinois), a leading distributor of data communications products, is exclusively distributing the revolutionary, new panel-to-panel cabling system.

DataThing was developed jointly by Haworth, Inc., noted for its pre-wired modular office furniture, and KRONE, a leader in voice and data communications technology. This remarkably convenient and easy to install system literally eliminates the need for a company to reroute or replace cable every time it reconfigures its office.

The cabling system, composed of three basic components produced by KRONE, has been tested in Anixter's UL certified Levels Lab and exceeds the channel performance requirements of Category 5e and Anixter's Levels XP 6. The system is designed to support future Gigabit Ethernet and ATM networking technologies. It's part of the KRONE TrueNet cabling solution and has a 20-year product warranty.

The reusable panels, electrical wiring and communications cabling all snap together easily and DataThing is compatible with most Haworth panel-to-panel modular furniture. It simplifies and streamlines what had become a costly step for companies with modular offices to make moves, adds and changes within the workplace.

DataThing promises to become the systems furniture of choice in the "beyond Category 5e" high-speed networks of today's business world. For more information on DataThing, visit the Anixter Web site at www.anixter.com.

NETCBT/CLARK TECHNOLOGY GROUP

NetCBT (Roseville, CA) is an innovative training company providing networking technology and network cabling training courses. They specialize in providing quality alternatives to high cost classroom-based training. NetCBT is leading the communications industry by developing interactive training courses in the areas of: networking technologies, network design, network cabling, and cabling installation.

NetCBT, a Clark Technology Group company, was founded in 1990 by Chris Clark, RCDD and LAN Specialist. Chris is a BICSI Institute Instructor that teaches network design, network cabling, and cabling installation courses. To date, Chris has trained over 2000 communication professionals in the United States and Canada.

The BICSI RCDD course materials are top notch for a refresher before the exam. In my college days, we called it a "cram course". Whatever you call it, it works and many RCDD's have passed the exam with their courses. They have several versions of the exam type questions. Check them out. www.netcbt.com

The BICSI Spring Conference, scheduled for May 7-10, 2001 at Mandalay Bay Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, will present solutions-based technical presentations for the designer, installer, and manager of data and voice networks.

Conference sessions include cable choices to the workstation, Gigabit updates, proposed labeling standard changes, active vs. passive testing, a Division 17 report, and much more. Keynote Speaker Rick Barrera, author and management consultant, will draw on his research to show how to use time as a competitive weapon and how to discover the innovation quotient.

Conference attendees can visit over 160 industry exhibits before and after the educational sessions each day. Other activities include a BICSI members only technical seminar titled "Tying It all Together," the exam for the prestigious RCDD designation, and pre-and post-conference BICSI design and installation courses. Courses require separate registration and are not included in the conference registration.

The fee for the spring conference is U.S. $295 for current BICSI members or U.S. $345 for non-members who register before April 23, 2001. Members registering after April 23 are charged U.S. $325, and non-members are charged U.S. $375.

Conference details and on-line registration are available on the BICSI Web site, www.bicsi.org. A complete brochure with registration form may be obtained from BICSI World Headquarters, 8610 Hidden River Pkwy., Tampa, FL 33637-1000; phone 800-242-7405 or 813-979-1991; e-mail: conferences@bicsi.org.

CABLOFIL, INC.'S NEW WEB SITE

With a brand new design and a revised structure, Cablofil's web site provides a useful tool for planning cable pathways. As technology accelerates and cabling material changes, you can be sure that Cablofil will be there to lead the way. The new web site is one way in which Cablofil has made cable management even easier. New features include:

• Products…a detailed overview of the entire Cablofil product line.
  
  
• How to Install…complete instructions on cutting and installing Cablofil wire cable tray and EZ Trough.
  
  
• CSI Master Spec/Certifications…the Product Guide Specifications in CSI format and our various Certifications.
  
  
• Load Table…input the number of cables used in your project to determine the size and quantity of tray needed or how many cables your current tray will hold.
  
  
• Software Download…a free download of the new Cablofil Visio Design Tools as well as the AutoCAD Add-on.
  
  
• Technical Info…access to Product Cut Sheets, Solutions (case histories), White Papers and Testing information.
  
  

Cablofil is a wire mesh cable tray system constructed of precision-engineered, high quality welded steel wire. Cablofil will adapt to almost any configuration, enabling it to handle 90-degree turns, easily twist around obstructions and make multiple level changes. Cablofil is designed to save time and includes everything required to make installation effortless. A comprehensive range of accessories makes any project simple to complete. www.cablofil.com, or call Cablofil at 800-658-4641

Tampa, FL, March 2, 2001 - The first book in the BICSI Press Series, published by McGraw-Hill Professional, a unit of McGraw-Hill Education, is now available at retail and online bookstores. The hardbound book, Telecommunications Cabling Installation, 2nd edition, retails for $74.95. It is a hands-on guide and overview of the installation procedures that ensure that complex telecommunications cabling systems work properly and efficiently.

BICSI, the international telecommunications association, formed a publishing agreement with McGraw-Hill Professional last year to provide a more expansive distribution for its popular technical manuals. For two decades, BICSI has self-published its material in a 3-ring binder format. "As the global demand for BICSI's manuals increased, we began to search for a publishing partner," said BICSI Executive Director Jay Warmke. "McGraw-Hill is a recognized industry leader with the expertise to promote BICSI's publications to a world market."

McGraw-Hill Professional chose BICSI's Telecommunications Cabling Installation Manual as the first in the series to meet the needs of new companies entering the telecommunications installation market. The second book, planned for fall 2001, is an easy-to-read reference manual on residential cabling installation. This book will address the growing market for home networking, which is anticipated to reach $13 billion by 2005.

BICSI will continue to publish its manuals in the loose-leaf binder format for students in its training programs. BICSI offers training and registration in telecommunications cabling installation, infrastructure design, LAN and internetworking design, customer-owned outside plant design, and new in 2001, residential design and installation.

Headquartered in Tampa, FL, USA, BICSI is a professional, not-for-profit telecommunications association that serves over 20,000 members from more than 85 countries around the world. BICSI offers educational courses, conferences, publications, and professional registration programs for telecommunications cabling distribution designers and installers. For more information, contact BICSI at 800-242-7405 or 813-979-1991, e-mail bicsi@bicsi.org, or visit the association's Web site for full details at www.bicsi.org.

Corning Incorporated (Corning, New York) and Procter and Gamble (Cincinnati, Ohio) have announced that Corning® MetroCor™ fiber has been selected for Procter & Gamble's new high-speed private transport network. The network will circle the greater Cincinnati metropolitan area extending over 60 miles and will connect P & G's seven major locations. Installation is slated to begin immediately with completion expected by the end of the third quarter, 2001.

Corning Incorporated (Corning, New York) also announced that their board of directors has approved a plan to invest approximately $400 million to build its sixth optical fiber manufacturing facility. It will be located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Initial fiber production is expected in 2004. When fully operational, the plant will employ several hundred people.

Corning Cable Systems has opened its new telecommunications hardware products manufacturing facility in Guadalajara, Mexico. The facility will manufacture small fiber count cable assemblies and initially will employ roughly 70 people. Bill McVay was promoted to Director of Mexico Operations. Dick Boucher was promoted to Plant Manager of the Reynosa facility and Peter Leon was promoted to Plant Manager of the Guadalajara facility. www.corning.com

The Legal/Regulatory Department of the United Telecom Council (UTC) (WASHINGTON, D.C.), an authority on, and advocate for issues of importance to utilities, pipelines, and other critical infrastructure companies, announced the hire of a new Associate Counsel to better address the competitive telecommunication and private wireless needs of member organizations.

The new Associate Counsel, Pace A. Duckenfield, joins UTC from the Alliance for Public Technology (APT), where he served as Staff Counsel. In that role he advocated for affordable, accessible telecommunications technology for all consumers, and helped build grass roots coalitions to educate the public about telecommunications policy.

"We are very pleased to welcome Pace as the newest member of the team," said UTC Vice President and General Counsel Jill Lyon. "His credentials are impressive, and he brings strengths to UTC that our members will appreciate."

Before joining APT, Duckenfield held positions with the Office of Staff Counsel at the Maryland Public Service Commission, and the Local Markets and Enforcement Division of MCI WorldCom. Duckenfield holds a J.D. from The University of Maryland, a B.A. in History from Dartmouth College, and is a member of the Federal Communications Bar Association. He also serves in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Founded in 1948, the United Telecom Council is a global non-profit association representing the telecommunications and information technology interests of electric, gas, and water utilities; natural gas pipelines; and other critical infrastructure companies and their strategic business partners. www.utc.org

Keeping in touch...Bob Taylor, former Executive Director of the Association of Cabling Professionals www.wireville.com, is combining his business with A-H Consulting, Inc. www.ahconsulting.net, an important GoldMine Solutions Partner. Bob has operated Bob Taylor & Associates (www.goldmine.prohosting.com) since leaving ACP, and the success of that venture has been phenomenal. (In just over a year, BT&A applied GoldMine Customer Relationship Manager software to a midwestern university; a major national ISP/ASP; a leading New York executive recruiting firm; and a nationally-known manufacturer of small engines, among others).

According to Harry Landis, President of A-H Consulting, Inc., "Bob and I got to know one another in the very best way possible: by working together on successful deals that he generated. It soon became obvious that we should join forces, so we are delighted that we can now formally do that." The folks at Wireville wish Bob continued success!

Conventional CMP (Communications Plenum), and more recently MPP (Multi-Purpose Plenum), cables have been widely accepted in North America to carry data and telecommunication transmissions. It may be time to take plenum cables the next step and CMP Limited Combustible cable goes a step beyond. Why go a step beyond? Because "the mission of the NFPA is to reduce the burden of fire on the quality of life by advocating scientifically based consensus codes and standards, research and education for fire and related safety issues." For additional information on this subject contact the National Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269-9109, Telephone: (617) 770-3000 or visit there website at http://roproc.nfpa.org. For information on Plenum Plus contact Mohawk/CDT at (800) 422-9961 or visit our website at http://mohawk-cdt.com.