The Telecommunications Industry Association’s (TIA) TR-42 Telecommunications Cabling Systems Engineering Committee is perpetually developing and refining standards documents to guide the specification, design, installation and administration of cabling and related communications systems. TR-42’s most recent meeting took place June 9-13. Based on subcommittee-meeting minutes and other reports, here is a rundown of some of the current and recent activity from TR-42.
TIA-569-E Pathways and Spaces Standard: In May 2019 the TIA published the latest revision to its Telecommunications Pathways and Spaces standard. ANSI/TIA-569-E has several updates from the standard’s “D” revision, including information that can help planners of twisted-pair cabling systems that will support remote powering. The 569-E standard is available for purchase here.
The Bonding and Grounding (Earthing) Standard for Customer Premises: The “D” revision of the TIA’s 607 standard is among the newest documents produced by TIA TR-42. ANSI/TIA-607-D informs system designers, installers and owners of appropriate components and techniques needed to build a generic telecommunications bonding and grounding (earthing) infrastructure that interconnects to electrical and telecommunications systems. The standard also can be used when renovating or retrofitting an existing bonding/grounding system. ANSI/TIA-607-D is available for purchase here.
Standardizing Infrastructure for Edge Data Centers: A task group within the TR-42.1 Subcommittee has initiated work to develop specifications for telecommunications infrastructure that serves edge data center facilities. While the TIA’s 942 standard series establishes wide-ranging recommendations and requirements for infrastructure within data centers, edge facilities have unique circumstances and requirements. Currently, standards-development effort is underway within TR-42.1 to create a document specific to edge data centers. We will continue to follow these efforts within TR-42.1.
Single-Pair Cabling’s Early Development: The document that ultimately will become ANSI/TIA-568.5, specifying single-pair cabling systems, has not yet developed into Draft 1.0. Much work lies ahead of the TR-42.7 Subcommittee to define the specifications for single-pair cabling. Nonetheless, the technical and business drivers that have given rise to the development of TIA-568.5 are significant, and offer significant promise to professionals who specify, design, install or use cabling systems. The progress of TIA-568.5 is another effort within TR-42 that we’ll track and report to you.
Maintaining Polarity in Fiber-Optic Channels: Maintaining polarity in optical fiber channels can be a challenge for technicians and network owners. The task can be further complicated when multi-row, multi-fiber connectivity is employed. The TIA’s TR-42.11 Subcommittee has taken up the effort to provide guidance in the form of a telecommunications systems bulletin (TSB). When completed, this TSB can be a guide to help alleviate some of the complications associated with maintaining fiber polarity.
Please watch cablinginstall.com for more updates on activities within the TIA TR-42 Committee.
