atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Outside Plant OSP Construction outside Cat 5

Here Here, Hal,
On the money. The last thing this world needs is another interface (NID, demarc, protector) full of scotchlocks.
Tripp,
what if you put in a system or a hub (switch)? Your not going to put that outside are ya?

Mac has a point too. The cable out in the field (the outside plant) is at very best rated a cat 3 and most is level 1 cable (hell in some places it is still paper insulated cable)so why run a cat 5 in from the protector.

That's my 2+2+2=6 cents worth. :thumb:

around here SBC demands Cat 5 from the demarc or they won't hook up for us in residential (DSL?)

Like to know why. Is the rest of the house using CAT5? Is their OSP cable CAT5? There is actually a downside to using CAT5 or CAT6 for DSL. The increased capacitance on each pair due to the tight twists can cause additional attenuation of the DSL carrier with long runs.

The only thing I can think of for that requirement is that they are thinking ahead for fiber to the home (FTTH) as Verizon has just rolled out here. An optical interface unit is installed on the outside of the house and a ethernet cable is run inside to the router. This of course would be a CAT5 or 6 cable. The question is what good would it be when it is dressed and terminated for POTS unless additional slack is provide at each end for retermination.

-Hal

So will the not give DSL to a customer who lives in an apartment building that is prewired Cat 3? Seems strange especially when they're cable is 3 coming to the demarc. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. (We're talking about the phone company so insert your own joke here.)

Naah, probably only new resi construction and I doubt it has anything to do with DSL which will be history in a few years anyway like ISDN is now.

Probably some idiot with SBC thinks it's going to save them money because they won't have to rerun the cable when they do FTTH. Yeah right. :rofl:

-Hal

Let's face it; "CAT5" is just a buzz word that electricians who don't have a clue; computer geeks who want everything "their way" and builders looking for ways to yank a few more dollars out of their customer's pocket are making money from.

CAT5 from the NID is a complete waste, NO OSP cable to the NID is capable of delivering this standard. OK, maybe FIOS (Verizon's excuse for competition with cable TV companies) might be a justifiable reason for CAT5, but come on. EVERY standard that's being offered by cable and telephone companies must be able to work using existing wiring systems.

As TelecomTex said, even "CAT ZERO" pulp cable still exists out there as building risers as well as OSP. We just got done extending 235 ISDN circuits from a DMARK to the ninth floor via this 60+ year-old lead-sheathed pulp cable without a hitch. It's all a sales game; telco services have to be able to survive the transport media they have available everywhere in their service territory. They would be fools to introduce technology that can only be offered in spotty areas based upon the type of feeder or distribution cable they are using. That varies by the block on any given street!

Again, CAT5 is just a word that adds up to dollar signs for people who don't have a clue. Sure, I'll sell it to them, but I at least try to be honest with them up front. They usually believe everyone BUT me, they guy who is taking their check. Fine by me!

Take a valium, Hal. No need to slur the IBEW just because not everyone or every LOCALE does things exactly like you. Thanks for nothing.

I ended up buying 10' of outdoor rated (CMR/CMX) Cat 5 cable and was able to tuck it under the siding. At .34/ft hardly a budget breaker.

No need to slur the IBEW just because not everyone or every LOCALE does things exactly like you.

I think that between this board and ECN you have been given lots of good information. Hopefully you will take it as it was intended which was to help you understand what you are doing better rather than become defensive because you are IBEW.

What I do expect is that not everybody knows everything. Take the opportunity and profit from those who have experience where you don't. The real craftsman will always be looking at the work of others and learning from it.

-Hal

Hello, My situation is somewhat similar to what was asked. However I have not seen an answer. I have a short run of about 12 inches of cat 5 running from the outside of my home to the teleco demark box. I have become concerned about the weather deteriorating the cat 5 and was wondering if it can be protected.

It is not possible to move the demark box so it does not leave any cables exposed because of where the cat 5 comes out is directly under where the main electrical comes out and the main electrical service line that is brought up out of the ground passes directly over where the cat 5 actually leaves my house.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

You will not have a problem at all. Most telephone company services (including DSL) that terminate in a residential network interface don't require anything nearly as complex as CAT5 wiring. It's really more of a buzz word in residential construction because voice communication has been handled even by non-categorized cable for over a century.

If it will make you feel more comfortable, a few layers of good-quality electrical tape spiral-wrapped around the exposed cable(s) will be more than adequate.