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Cabling for telecommunications

Communications Alliance and its cabling publications

Communications Alliance’s primary area of interest in cabling is in the customer’s premises, in particular the cabling product specifications and cabling installation practices in domestic dwelling and commercial buildings. The following information lists the published cabling-related Communications Alliance Standards, Codes and Guidelines relevant to their application.

A list of all Communications Alliance cabling-related publications can be found at Publication by Topic (cabling).

Customer premises cabling

The following Standards and Guidelines apply to cabling installed within a customer premises on the customer side of the Network Boundary of a telecommunications network.

Communications Alliance publications

  • AS/CA S009 Customer Cabling installation requirements – the ‘Wiring Rules’ (mandated Standard)
  • AS/CA S008 Customer Cabling Products requirements (mandated Standard)
  • AS/CA S035 Department of Defence temporary cabling installation requirements (mandated Standard)
  • G642 Installation requirements for broadcast cabling and connection of digital broadcast equipment to a telecommunications network
  • xDSL provision from a DSLAM in a customer building Technical considerations when providing broadband xDSL services on customer cabling from a DSLAM in a customer building

Industry information and publications

  • Australian Registered Cablers - General information for cablers, Retail Service Providers and householders when switching to the NBN including wiring options from a simple connection through to a structured cabling solution such as Smart Wired®.
  • Telstra Smart Community - provides information for developers, consultants, builders and home owners on registering developments that will require communications infrastructure network; building information to make installing new technology including for subcontractors and the high-speed broadband Velocity network.
  • Standards Australia - CT-001 Communications Cabling Committee develops structured cabling standards for the communications industry, in the field of materials, components, design, installation and installation practices, testing and measurement, administration and maintenance of cables and cabling systems, whether twisted pair, coaxial or optical fibre and including connectors and cross-connects, used for communications. To find a Standard go to Search and Buy a Standard and type in ‘cabling’ or else search for a particular Standard designation or term.
  • Communications Cabling Manual (the CCM) - published by SAI Global, contains the mandatory cabling standards (including the Wiring Rules), the Australian Standards for structured cabling and a number of explanatory handbooks. The CCM is available from Intertek Inform.

Regulatory information

Network / Carrier cabling

The following Codes and Guidelines provide information on cabling on the Carrier side of the Network Boundary. See also the specific section on the NBN.

Communications Alliance publications:

  • C524 Installation, maintenance and safety of external (Carrier) telecommunication cable networks beyond building entry point (above ground and underground)
  • G591 Installation, maintenance and safety for telecommunications in road reserves (for Road Authorities and Carriers)
  • G571 Carrier processes for the installation of telecommunications infrastructure in multi-tenanted buildings

National Broadband Network (NBN)

The NBN is Australia’s national wholesale-only, open-access data network. nbn™ (a Government Business Enterprise) wholesales fixed line, wireless and satellite broadband connections to Retail Service Providers (RSP), who then retail Internet access and other services to consumers.

The following publications address cabling specifically in relation to the rollout of the National Broadband Network.

Communications Alliance publications

  • G645 Design, installation and product specifications for telecommunications pit and pipe facilities for Fibre Ready real estate (Greenfield) development projects
  • G649 Guidance on migrating customers to the NBN in disconnecting their customer cabling from the lead-in cabling and connecting it to the FTTP NBN (for Registered Cabling Providers)
  • NBN End-User Premises Handbook Installation practices and guidelines for the installation and operation of the NBN at customers’ homes, businesses and other service sites
  • IGN 004 Provides the background, responsibilities and key messages for nbn™, Retail Service Providers, alarm service and device suppliers and registered cablers involved in the transition of customer’s telecommunications and alarm services onto the NBN

Industry information and publications

Government

  • the Department of Communications NBN website which includes policies, cost-benefit analyses, reviews and the Statement of Expectation.
  • New developments (Greenfields) - within its fibre network footprint, nbn™ will not overbuild networks assessed by the Government as adequately served (i.e. by other wholesale network providers who have provided connections to customers in residential estates as the ‘infrastructure provider of last resort' (IPOLR). The four IPOLR carriers are Opticomm, Pivit, Places Victoria and NT Technology Services.

Training

  • Training.gov.au is the official National Register on Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Australia and is the authoritative source of information on training packages, qualifications, accredited courses, units of competency, skill sets and Registered Training Organisations. Training.gov.au has been developed for experienced VET sector users. It is a joint initiative of the National and State governments.
  • a list of telecommunications cabling training organisations can be found at TITAB Australia.

FAQs

This list of Frequency Asked Questions will be expanded upon. See also the ACMA Cabling FAQs.

What is the Network Boundary Point?

The Network Boundary Point is defined in the Telecommunication Act. From a cabler’s perspective, it is the demarcation between network cabling (the telecommunications carrier’s responsibility) and the customer premises cabling (the premises owner’s responsibility). Practical examples in determining where the network boundary is, based on section 22 of the Act, are provided in Appendix J of AS/CA S009.