Q: I read your response in the May 1997 issue (see page 50) to Donald Wilson`s question on Integrated Services Digital Network and Category 5 wiring. I also noticed you mentioned some ansi/tia wiring standards of the American National Standards Institute (ansi--New York, NY)--thus prompting a new question.
Because it can be tiring to always have to run to the nearest technical library to stay up-to-date on these standards, do you know of any Internet sites that include this type of information?
I assume you get your input on what revisions are being considered from being a member of a standards group.
Dave Wozniak, President
WozComm Systems Co.
Carrollton, TX
A: As the standards representative of bicsi, I attend the TR-41.8 meetings of the Telecommunications Industry Association. I also write a report that is published in the bicsi Member Letter, which is distributed free to all bicsi members. For more information on bicsi membership, see www.bicsi.org.
The ansi/tia/eia standards that I so often reference are available on cd-rom, as well as in hard copy, from Global Engineering Documents. bicsi members receive a 25% discount on the Telecommunications Building Cabling Standards. For more information on Global Engineering Documents, see the Web site at http://global.ihs.com.
There are also several publications to which you can subscribe that cover standards activities. For more information on Communications Standards Review, see www.csrstds.com. For more information on Cabling Standards Update, see www.cablingstandards.com.
Donna Ballast is a communications analyst at the University of Texas
at Austin and a bicsi registered communications distribution designer (rcdd). Questions can be sent to her at Cabling Installation & Maintenance or at PO Drawer 7580, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78713; tel: (512) 471-0112, fax: (512) 471-8883, e-mail: [email protected].