I was at my dad's work the other day and an at&t guy was working on a cross box. I was wondering what the little red and white connections are called. He did not use a punchdown tool on these, just twisted it with a screwdriver. Here is a picture I found. https://www.telcodata.us/gallery/outside-plant/p1010105

Thanks guys!

Those are 3M's blocks used in their cross-connect cabinets. They consist of a split barrel that when turned 1/4, they force the wire into the split. You just stick the end of the jumper wire (unstripped) into the hole in the side of the "screw". The rest is magic.

I have to say that the only ones that I have seen are white and ORANGE. Maybe that one is made by a 3M competitor, like Hub Fabricating. 3M's part number is 4320-15M.

Thanks, Ed. I took a look at 3M's site. They call it self-strip connectors.

Jeff

Some of the more recent 50-pair building entrance terminals that PacBell/SBC/at&t has installed feature that type of terminal. Also means that they have to install the clip that connects and allows you to clip your butt set onto.
https://www.telcodata.us/gallery/outside-plant/p1010104

Yes, in a perfect world they are great.

They are part of a whole program to equip outside plant with "quiet front" (which is actually a trademark for one company's products) terminals to reduce noise and clicks when technicians and weather get into the terminals.

When looking for tone, on a busy highway, they are difficult to use. When working in a cable maintenance setting, looking for crosses, they are virtually impossible to use.

The grand-daddy is the Q style connector....push and wish it stays. It was around in the early 80s (or earlier) but didn't last long, especially in OSP applications.

ITT used a similar connector on some KSU connections during this same time frame.

Nothing new under the sun, just changes to the ones already tried and dumped......

I did notice that test adapter he had also. Goes into the pair and then he clipped his Sidekick onto it.

So that's what a Future Momma connector looks like!