Q: Does the Electronic Industries Association (EIA) or Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) have any standards on wireless systems? I looked in the wireless section of the bicsi (Tampa, FL) Telecommunications Distribution Methods Manual but couldn`t find the group responsible for these standards.
Bill Halpin
St. John`s Hospital
Springfield, IL
A: Wireless is a very broad topic, covering items such as the private branch exchange, personal communications services (PCS), and intelligent vehicular highway systems (ivhs). The Mobile and Personal Communications Division (mpcd), the fastest growing engineering division in the TIA, supports manufacturers of portable and vehicular two-way radio equipment. Within that division, the Public 800 Section focuses primarily on policy and technical matters related to cellular telephone systems. The Private Radio Section concentrates on commercial two-way radio systems used by industrial, transportation, and governmental sectors. The 1800 Section is providing leadership in the development of PCS. In addition, the Intelligent Transportation Systems Section was established to address the ivhs industry.
Several engineering committees actively work within the mpcd, including the following:
- TR-8 (Mobile and Personal Private Radio Standards) develops standards relating to traditional land mobile radio products and systems, including voice and data applications.
- TR-45 (Mobile and Personal Communications Public 800 Standards) develops performance, compatibility, interoperability, and service standards for cellular telephone systems in the 800-megahertz spectrum.
- TR-46 (Mobile and Personal Communications 1800) develops similar standards for the evolving PCS in the 2000-MHz band.
Also, the User Premises Equipment Division (uped) centers its activities around regulatory changes at the Federal Communications Commission relating to safety and performance standards of customer premises equipment. Within the uped, several engineering committees work on wireless issues:
- TR-32 (Personal Radio Equipment) is responsible for consumer-oriented product standards such as Citizens Band Radios and cordless telephones.
- TR-41 (User Premises Telephone Equipment Requirements), subcommittee TR-41.6 (Wireless User Premises Equipment) focuses on wireless user premises equipment.
For a list of the various documents that each of these groups has published, contact Global Engineering at (800) 854-7179.
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].