Cabling Standards Dec 2000

COMMUNICATIONS CABLING STANDARDS
COMMUNICATIONS
CABLING STANDARDS
December 2000 Page 1 of 113

INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................................4
I. ABOUT THIS MANUAL .....................................................................................................................................4
II. COMMUNICATIONS RESOURCES’ RESPONSIBILITIES FOR PROJECTS .................................................................4
III. THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM DESIGN PROCESS FOR UC DAVIS .............................6
IV. OVERVIEW OF THIS MANUAL ......................................................................................................................7
THE HORIZONTAL SEGMENT .............................................................................................................................8
I. THE DESIGN PROCESS ......................................................................................................................................8
II. THE TYPE AND NUMBER OF OUTLETS ..............................................................................................................8
III. CABLE TYPES AND LENGTHS.......................................................................................................................9
IV. TERMINATION HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS AT THE OUTLET ....................................................................11
V. ASSIGNING THE NAM NUMBERS TO THE APPROPRIATE LOCATIONS, AND NAM MATRICES. .........................11
VI. CROSS CONNECTING VOICE NAMS. .........................................................................................................12
VII. STRUCTURES TO SUPPORT THE HORIZONTAL CABLING .............................................................................12
VIII. CABLE TESTING PROCEDURES...................................................................................................................16
THE INTERMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION FRAME ..............................................................................................20
I. THE DESIGN PROCESS ....................................................................................................................................20
II. THE SIZE OF THE IDF .....................................................................................................................................20
III. THE LOCATION OF THE IDF.......................................................................................................................21
IV. DESIGN REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................................................................21
V. TERMINATION HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS IN THE IDF............................................................................23
VI. STRUCTURES TO SUPPORT THE CABLING IN THE IDF ................................................................................25
VII. DRAWINGS FOR CONSTRUCTION/PROJECT MANAGERS .............................................................................27
THE RISER SEGMENT...........................................................................................................................................30
II. THE SIZE OF THE COPPER RISER CABLE .........................................................................................................31
IV. STRUCTURES TO SUPPORT VERTICALLY ALIGNED IDFS ...........................................................................32
V. STRUCTURES TO SUPPORT HORIZONTALLY OFFSET IDFS ..............................................................................34
THE BUILDING DISTRIBUTION FRAME..........................................................................................................36
II. THE SIZE OF THE BDF....................................................................................................................................36
III. THE LOCATION OF THE BDF .....................................................................................................................37
IV. DESIGN REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................................................................38
V. TERMINATION HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS IN THE BDF ..........................................................................39
VI. STRUCTURES TO SUPPORT THE CABLING IN THE BDF ...............................................................................42
VII. CABLE PATHWAYS ENTERING THE BDF ...................................................................................................43
VIII. DRAWINGS FOR CONSTRUCTION/PROJECT MANAGERS .............................................................................45
THE CAMPUS SEGMENT......................................................................................................................................47
II. CABLE ROUTES ..............................................................................................................................................47
III. CABLE DISTRIBUTION METHODS...............................................................................................................48
IV. UNDERGROUND (IN CONDUIT) AND DIRECT BURIED CABLE REQUIREMENTS ...........................................48
V. CABLE TYPES ............................................................................................................................................51
VI. SPLICE BOXES, MANHOLES, AND PULL BOXES .........................................................................................56
VII. AERIAL CABLE REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................................................60
VIII. ELECTRICAL PROTECTION AND BONDING/GROUNDING REQUIREMENTS ...................................................61
APPENDIX A.............................................................................................................................................................62
SPECIFICATIONS.......................................................................................................................................................62

SPECIFICATION 01 ................................................................................................................................................63
NETWORK ACCESS MODULE (NAM).......................................................................................................................63
SPECIFICATION 02 ................................................................................................................................................65
FACEPLATES ............................................................................................................................................................65
SPECIFICATION 03 ................................................................................................................................................66
CONDUIT .................................................................................................................................................................66
SPECIFICATION 04 ................................................................................................................................................67
HORIZONTAL CONDUIT CAPACITY ..........................................................................................................................67
SPECIFICATION 05 ................................................................................................................................................68
CABLE TRAYS..........................................................................................................................................................68
SPECIFICATION 06 ................................................................................................................................................69
COLOR CODES FOR CROSS CONNECT FIELDS...........................................................................................................69
SPECIFICATION 07 ................................................................................................................................................70
DISTRIBUTION CABINETS.........................................................................................................................................70
SPECIFICATION 08 ................................................................................................................................................81
CONDUIT FILL FOR RISER CABLES ...........................................................................................................................81
SPECIFICATION 09 ................................................................................................................................................82
PULL BOXES ............................................................................................................................................................82
SPECIFICATION 10 ................................................................................................................................................84
CONDUIT FOR UNDERGROUND CABLING .................................................................................................................84
SPECIFICATION 11 ................................................................................................................................................86
ELECTRICAL PROTECTION, BONDING/EARTHING ....................................................................................................86
APPENDIX B.............................................................................................................................................................89
REFERENCE MATERIALS ..........................................................................................................................................89
APPENDIX C.............................................................................................................................................................92
GLOSSARY ...............................................................................................................................................................92
APPENDIX D...........................................................................................................................................................103
UC DAVIS POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL, SECTION 310-10..........................................................................103
APPENDIX E...........................................................................................................................................................104
NAM MATRICES:..................................................................................................................................................104
VOICE NAM MATRIX .......................................................................................................................................104
DATA NAM MATRIX: .......................................................................................................................................105
MATV NAM MATRIX: ......................................................................................................................................106
APPENDIX F ...........................................................................................................................................................107
SUPPORTING STANDARDS FOR IN-BUILDING RADIO COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

AMPLIFICATION..................................................................................................................................................107

INTRODUCTION
I. About This Manual
A. This manual contains the policies and procedures for architects, contractors, and
telecommunications design professionals who are involved in telecommunications
projects on the UC Davis campus. The manual should be used as a guide for
projects providing telecommunications cabling. Work may include new or
renovated buildings and may consist of upgrading or adding cabling
infrastructures, cable and network electronics equipment.
B. This manual assumes that the user is familiar with telecommunications

distribution systems, the cable and hardware used in them, the cabling pathways
and support structures and the installation of cabling in buildings and campus
environments. It is not intended to be a training manual in telecommunication
distribution systems nor to replace existing industry standards.
C. Request for waivers or clarification of specific design issues must be forwarded to

the Manager System Engineering & Development, UC Davis Communications
Resources.
II. Communications Resources’ Responsibilities for Projects
A. Communications Resources is responsible for UC Davis’ inside and outside

telecommunications system facilities, and network connectivity and the associated
backbone equipment. Communications Resources’ responsibilities are outlined in the
UC Davis Policy and Procedure Manual, Section 310-10 found in Appendix D.
B. These responsibilities include the review of all new telecommunications project

plans.
1. Project Plan Reviews:
a) Communications Resources shall be provided copies of the Project

Planning Guide (PPG), Capital Improvement Budget (CIB),
Detailed Project Program (DPP), Design Guide or other such
documents describing the University approved program. 1These
documents shall be provided to Communications Resources upon
approval of the governing agency, responsible for managing that
project.
b) Communications Resources shall be provided schematic design

(SD) documents for review at each stage of the schematic design
1
Reference: UC Davis Campus Standards & Design Guide Administrative Requirements Page 1

process, and provided a minimum of ten workdays from date

documents are received by CR for review and return of comments
c) Communications Resources shall be provided Design

Development (DD) documents for review at each stage of the
Design Development process, and provided a minimum of ten
workdays from date documents are received by CR for review and
return of comments
d) Communications Resources shall be provided Construction

Documents (CD) for review at each stage of the Construction
Document process, and provided a minimum of ten workdays from
date documents are received by CR for review and return of
comments
B. When a new building or building renovation is planned, architectural drawings are

typically released for review by Communications Resources in the following
order:
1. Schematic – These are the initial planning documents and design drawings
which assist departments in the early stage of the project. The Schematic
Design documents shall consist of System Narrative, including BDF/IDF
information, campus connection points, drawings should include title
Sheet, single line diagrams, site plan (may be part of electrical site plan).
2. Design Development -- As the architectural design process progresses,

overlays are developed to show the various structures and systems planned
for the building. Design Development documents shall consist of outline
specifications, in the CSI model. Drawings should include title Sheet,
single lie diagram site plan, enlarged floor plans of BDF/IDF and Details.
3. Construction Documents -- These documents depict the final design

before bid submittal is undertaken. The Construction Documents shall
consist of a completed Cabling Specifications and Drawing set.
4. Working Copy -- This is the Bid Copy.
5. “Record Document” Drawings – These drawings and documents represent

the project as it is finally constructed and are deliverable prior to final
inspection of the project
Note: Communications Resources comments and requests must be

incorporated into the reviewed documents in full for the next review of
documents, or an explanation must be provided to Communications Resources,
regarding the status of comments and requests. Communications Resources
will postpone further reviews until all comments and requests have been
addressed or incorporated into current documents and drawings.

C. Architects, contractors, and telecommunications design professionals must

indicate, on the design drawings, and in the design specifications, the locations
and specifications of the physical infrastructure required for a complete
telecommunications cabling pathway and distribution system.
This infrastructure shall include:
1. Network Access Module (NAM)
2. Cabling and wiring for a complete telecommunications system.
3. The infrastructure necessary to support the horizontal and riser cable

plants
4. The telecommunications room/closet housing the intermediate distribution

frame (IDF).
5. The telecommunications room housing the building distribution frame

(BDF).
6. The infrastructure necessary to interconnect buildings including, conduit,

manholes, pull boxes, building entrances, cables, splices, and connection
to Communications Resources Service Points.
7. Earthing and bonding requirement and points.
8. Electrical service requirements and service points for ADFs, BDFs, and
IDFs, as well as any necessary ancillary electrical work as part of the
project.
9. During the planning, design and construction document phases of a

project, the Supporting Standards for In Building Radio Communication
System Amplification shall be planned and accounted for. Reference
Appendix F.
III. The Telecommunications Distribution System Design Process for UC Davis
A. UC Davis’ telecommunications distribution system design process is broken

down into five segments: Should the telephone switch or data equipment be
listed?
1. The Horizontal Segment consists of the NAMs,cabling to the IDF and the
associated pathways

2. The Intermediate Distribution Frame contains the hardware for

terminating the cabling from NAMs, electronic equipment, and riser
cables.
3. The Riser Segment refers to the riser cable, and the sleeves, slots, and
conduits that enable the cable to pass from floor to floor, BDF to IDF, IDF
to IDF.
4. The Building Distribution Frame is the room that houses system common
equipment and hardware for terminating the campus and riser cables.
5. The Campus Segment refers to the cabling and infrastructure that

interconnect buildings or systems on a campus.
6. The Network Equipment Design, Engineering and Installation. Typically

this work is done by Communications Resources .
IV. Overview of this Manual
A. This manual is divided into five Segments with each Segment divided into six or
more sections. Section 1 of each Segment is the Introduction to that segment.
B. Sections 2 through 6 describe in greater detail the five segments of the

telecommunications distribution system. These sections describe “The Design
Process”, the main topics and components that must be considered when planning
and designing a particular segment of the system.
C. This manual also includes the following appendices:
1. Appendix A - Specifications, contains detailed technical specifications.
2. Appendix B - References, contains a list and brief description of the

industry standards and guidelines for telecommunications systems and
how to obtain a copy of them.
3. Appendix C - Glossary, contains the definition of terms used in

telecommunications design, engineering, construction, and provisioning.
4. Appendix D - UC Davis Policy and Procedure Manual, Section 310-10.
5. Appendix E – NAM Matrices

THE HORIZONTAL SEGMENT

I. The Design Process
A. The horizontal segment consists of two elements:
1. The horizontal cable and connecting hardware that provide the means for
transporting the telecommunications signals between the network access
module (NAM) in the work area and the horizontal cross-connect in the
intermediate distribution frame (IDF).
2. The horizontal cabling pathways and spaces that distribute and support the
horizontal cable and connecting hardware between the NAM and the IDF.
Note: Cables that interconnect IDFs on the same floor, while physically
horizontal in orientation, are considered part of the riser segment.
B. This section describes the policies and procedures for the following design
activities:
1. Determining the type and number of outlets in the work area.
2. Identifying the types and lengths of cable used in the horizontal segment.
3. Determining termination hardware requirements at the outlet.
4. Designing the structures needed to support the horizontal cabling.
5. Assigning the NAM numbers to the appropriate locations.
6. Cable testing procedures.
II. The Type and Number of Outlets
A. Work area outlets at UC Davis fall into three general configurations: basic,
enhanced, and integrated.
1. The basic design supports voice or data applications. It consists of a single

NAM supported by one 4-pair UTP Category 5e cable. A basic outlet may
be used for a wall phone, a courtesy phone, a card reader, or to augment an
existing work area with additional voice or data capacity.
2. The enhanced design supports voice and data applications. It consists of

two NAMs per outlet. One 4-pair UTP Category 5e cable supports each
NAM. The enhanced outlet is the most commonly used configuration at
UC Davis.

3. The integrated design supports complex systems including voice, data,

and video applications. In general, it consists of three or more 4-pair UTP
Category 5e cable supported NAMs per outlet. It may also consist of a
combination of 4-pair UTP Category 5e cable supported NAMS with a 2-
strand fiber optic cable supported NAM.
B. The features of these three designs may be combined in the most cost-effective
manner with Communications Resources’ approval.
C. At least two enhanced outlets must be provided in each office and conference
room.
D. Laboratories require additional outlets to support workstations and test equipment.
E. A 4 × 4 × 2½ inch back box with a single gang plaster ring must be used at each
work area for NAM installations. From each backbox a minimum of ¾” conduit
for basic and enhanced NAM, minimum 1” for integrated NAMs, will be run to
the cable pathway support system. Conduit is to be sized appropriately for the fill
of cable it is to accommodate.
III. Cable Types and Lengths
A. UC Davis recognizes two types of cables for use in the horizontal segment: UTP
(unshielded twisted pair) cable and fiber optic cable.
1. UTP cable will be 4-pair, 24 AWG, solid conductor cabling that meets all
the latest ANSI/TIA/EIA 568-A and TIA/EIA 568-A-1 Propagation and
Delay Skew specifications for Category 5e cable, with all current
Amendments and Bulletins, and must meet Anixter Level 6 (ALC-6)
performance requirements.
2. Fiber optic cable will be a minimum of two strands, multi-mode, graded

index, and tight-buffered cable.
a) Fiber optic cable will be constructed with an aramid yarn strength

member around the fiber sub units.
b) . Core Diameter 62.5 (+-) 3.0 um

c) Cladding Diameter 125 (+-) 2.0 um
d) Numerical Apeture 0.275 (+_) 0.015
e) Core to Cladding Offset 3.0um
f) Core and Cladding Non-Circularity:
(1) Core: <6.0 Percent
(2) Cladding <2.0 percent
g) Graded Index

h) Coating to be mechanically strippable, dual layered, UV-cured

acrylate applied by the fiber manufacturer.
i) OVD Process
3. Performance:
a) Bandwidth:
(1) 850 nm >220 MHz at 1 km
(2) 1300 nm > 600 MHz at 1 km
b) Chromatic Dispersion:
(1) Minimum Zero Dispersion Wavelength 1332 nm
(2) Maximum Zero Disperson Wavelength: 1354 nm
(3) Maximum Zero Dispersion Slope: 0.098 ps/nm″.km
c) Attenuation:
(1) Max attenuation point discontinuity: <0.2 dB at any design
wavelength.
(2) Bending Attenuation: induced @ 1550 nm, with 100 turns
on 75mm diameter mandrel: <0.10dB.
d) Attenuation Difference: at 1380 nm, <attenuation at 1300 nm + 1
dB/km
e) Water Immersion:
(1) Induced attenuation, 23 degree C water immersion : <0.05
dB/km
4. Manufacturer:
a) Corning Cable Systems
b) Avaya Communication
c) Or equal.
B. All conductive cabling and associated components must comply with Article 800
of the NEC (1996). Furthermore, all fiber optic cabling must comply with Article
770 of the NEC (1996).
C. All cabling will be UL Listed Type CMP or OFNP if it is placed in air-handling

plenums without conduit. The cable sheath will be marked with the UL listing.
D. Horizontal cables will not be connected directly to telecommunications

equipment. Suitable connecting hardware (i.e. patch panels/cords and punch-
down blocks) and equipment cables must be used to make the connection.
E. Horizontal UTP cable and fiber optic cable will not be spliced.
F. The maximum lengths of horizontal distribution cables are shown in Table 2-1
(see Note).
Horizontal Cables Maximum

Length
From the NAM to the horizontal cross-connect 295 feet
Used for patch cords and cross-connect jumpers 20 feet
in the horizontal cross-connect

Table 2-1
Note: These limits apply to all types of horizontal cables. In establishing these
limits, a 33-foot allowance was made for the combined length of patch cables and
cables used to connect equipment in the work area and IDF.
G. Equipment cables attach directly to active equipment and must meet the same
performance requirements as the patch cords. Patch cables and cross-connect
jumpers must not attach directly to active equipment.
H. Cable slack must be provided at both ends of cable runs to accommodate future
cabling system changes.
1. The minimum amount of slack must be 1 foot for UTP cables and 3 feet
for fiber optic cables at the outlet. At the IDF, UTP horizontal cables
are to meet manufactures procedures for slack, for patch panels, and
110 frames.
2. Service Loops placed during installation of 4-pair horizontal cable were

tested and determined to cause Return Loss and NEXT problems on the
order of 2-3dB. When creating service loops, they should be coiled in a
Figure-eight configuration to eliminate this effect.
3. The fiber optic cable must have a 10-foot service loop at the IDF.
4. The slack must be included in all length calculations to ensure that the
horizontal cable does not exceed 295 feet.
IV. Termination Hardware Requirements at the Outlet
A. Each UTP cable will be terminated at the outlet with an Ortronics GigaMo
Solution: OR-60950011, OR-60950012 SERIES II, or OR-63750001
TRACJACK Module Information Outlet. (Face plates for the designated outlets
must be from the same vendor.)
B. Each fiber optic cable will be terminated at the outlet using a SC-style duplex
connector mounted in a modular-coupling mounting module.
Refer to Appendix A Specification 01 for details about NAMs.
V. Assigning the NAM numbers to the appropriate locations, and NAM Matrices.
The NAM matrices are used by Communications Resources department in the

application of operational databases, for assignment of services to departments, and for
other service related purposes. They are crucial to the implementation of service to the
project.

A. Each NAM will be pre-assigned a NAM number by the Communications Consultant

on the project drawings prior to bid.
B. NAM numbers shall be obtained by the Consultant from the UC Davis Line Assigner
at 530-752-4598.
Note: All additional NAM numbers shall be obtained only from the UC Davis Line
Assigner at 530-752-4598. NAM numbers shall not be duplicated.
C. After NAM numbers have been pre-assigned to the floor plans, the Consultant will
complete the NAM matrices. Refer to Appendix A Specification 01 for information
on NAM matrices. Nam matrices are to be completed at the beginning of
Construction Document preparation. A hardcopy of NAM matrices shall be provided
to UCD Project Manager, and excel 2000 spreadsheet file to be provided to
Communications Resources.
D. The Consultant will ensure that specifications are placed in the contract documents
that inform the Cabling Contractor regarding use of and maintenance of the NAM
matrices for the project.
VI. Cross Connecting Voice NAMS.
A. The Project Consultant shall ensure that the Contractor provides a Voice NAM
Matrix, identifying all cross connections from the NAM to the BDF.
B. The Voice NAM Matrix shall be provided to Communications Resources as part

of the record drawing documentation.
C. The Voice NAM Matrix shall be provided prior to final inspection of the cabling
work
VII. Structures to Support the Horizontal Cabling
A. Special attention must be given when selecting and designing the type and layout
of structures to support the horizontal cabling. The design must accommodate
cabling changes with a minimum of disruptions to occupants.
Note: UC Davis requires that the space above the ceiling grid be used, whenever
possible, to route the horizontal cabling.
B. Listed below are the steps needed to complete this phase of the design process:
1. Obtain an accurate set of floor plans.
2. Annotate, on the floor plan, the locations and types of outlets.

3. Annotate, on the floor plan, the locations of the IDFs. If these locations
have not been identified, please complete Section 3, The Intermediate
Distribution Frame, before proceeding with this section.
4. Verify that the distance from each outlet to the horizontal cross-connect in
the IDF does not exceed 295 feet. This distance must include the planned
cable path as well as any vertical transitions.
Note: If there are horizontal cable lengths that exceed 295 feet, the IDF
must be relocated to a more centralized location or another IDF
must be added. Section 3, The Intermediate Distribution Frame,
addresses how to locate and size the IDF.
5. Sketch the route of the conduit and the cable tray on the floor plan.
Note: The preferred method of routing the horizontal cabling is to run

conduit from the outlet to a cable tray placed along natural building
corridors. The cable tray then channels the cabling to the IDF.
See Appendix A Specification 03 for conduit design considerations.
a) A ¾-inch EMT conduit must be used from basic and enhanced

outlet boxes to the cable tray. A 1-inch, or larger if appropriate,
EMT conduit must also be used if the bulk of the cables to be
supported exceed the recommended 40% fill ratio.
b) A 1-inch, or larger, EMT conduit must be used from an integrated

design outlet to the cable tray.
See Appendix A Specification 04 for details on horizontal conduit

capacity.
c) All conduits will be firestopped in accordance with fire codes as

interpreted by the State of California Fire Marshal.
d) Conduit will be installed with a pull string with a minimum test

rating of 200 pounds.
e) The ends of conduits will be reamed and bushed to eliminate sharp

edges that can damage cables during installation or service.
Refer to Appendix A Specification 05 for cable tray specifications.
6. Identify firewalls or fire rated barriers that will be breached during cable
installation.

Note: All horizontal pathways that penetrate fire rated barriers must be
firestopped in accordance with applicable fire codes. See Figure 2-1.
Metallic
d it Approved fire stop
bl
Fire rated
b i
Figure 2-1. Conduit must extend through the fire rated barrier when a fire rated barrier
exists between the outlet and the cable tray.
7. Identify hard ceilings or ceilings with restricted access that must be

traversed during cable installation.
a) Multiple metallic conduits will be used in these areas.
b) Conduits will be of a size that will ensure that a 40% fill ratio is
not exceeded.
Rigid conduit above hard ceilings
Hard or limited access Cable

Figure 2-2. Conduit placed above hard or limited access ceiling
c) The ends of the conduit will be bonded and earthed. Conduit will
be earthed to MTGB. Refer to Figure 2-2.
d) Surface molding will be used to route cable from the work area
outlet to the interstitial space in areas with limited ceiling access.
8. Identify outlets that will be located on walls that are not made of sheet
rock construction such as plaster walls, concrete block walls, exterior
walls, and insulated walls. Written approval must be obtained from the
Manager, Systems Engineering & Development, Communications
Resources to use surface mounted outlets if these walls cannot be fished.
Note: Exterior walls, while furred and covered with sheet rock, may not
provide the necessary clearance between the sheet rock and the backing
material (commonly concrete block) for standard outlets.
9. Identify the location of system furniture that will be cabled for

communications. System furniture can be fed from furred columns, wire
whips from abutting walls, or power poles or under-floor systems.
Note: The use of power poles will be minimized.
10. Minimum cable bend radii and conduit capacity must be considered when
using a modular furniture system.
Refer to Specification 03 for cable bend radii restrictions and

Specification 04 for details on conduit capacity.
11. Annotate on the floor plan the cable paths that will be supported with J-
hooks.
Note: J-hooks will be placed at least every 4 feet to support the cable, and
will be annotated on the construction drawings.

VIII. Cable Testing Procedures
A. General
1. Test and report on each intermediate cabling segment separately, including

Main Distribution Frame (MDF) to Building Distribution Frame (BDF),
riser cabling, station cabling, horizontal distribution (each segment, if
multiple) and telecommunications closet wiring.
2. Test each end-to-end cable link.
B. Voice Cabling Plant.
1. The Contractor shall perform tests on the Voice Telephone Plant cable.
The tests shall be performed end-to-end from each termination block on
each pair. Provide machine-generated documentation of all test results on
Contractor-provided, and University’s Representative-approved forms.
This end-to-end test shall include the following:
a) DC Continuity
b) Reversals
c) Shorts
d) Opens
e) Overall loop resistance/cable length
f) Attenuation
g) Splits
C. UTP Horizontal Cable Testing
1. UC Davis requires that all UTP cable pairs be tested with a Level II or
Level III tester for full compliance with Category 5e specifications
regardless of intended use.
2. Test results must be provided for all conductor pairs of each cable.
3. The test results must be provided on a 3.5-inch MS-DOS formatted

diskette in an MS Excel worksheet format.
4. EIA/TIA 568A Commercial Building Telecommunications Wiring

specification must be used as a framework for testing UTP cable at
UC Davis.
5. Field testing must comply with the EIA/TIA 568A specification.

Table 2-2 describes worst-case channel performance at 100 MHz as

presented in SP-4195 (‘A-5).
Parameter Category 5e
Specified Frequency 1-100 MHz
Range
Attenuation 24.0 dB
NEXT 30.1 dB
Power Sum NEXT 27.1 dB
ACR 6.1 dB
Power Sum ACR 3.1 dB
ELFEXT 17.4 dB
Power Sum 14.4 dB

ELFEXT
Return Loss 10.0 dB
Propagation Delay 548ns
Delay Skew 50ns

Table 2-2
Note: The Level II minimum limits for attenuation and NEXT

accuracy are 1.0 dB and 1.6 dB respectively.
6. The overall (NEXT) or attenuation of a cabling run is a composite of the

NEXT and attenuation of each of the components (UTP cable, NAM,
patch panel, 110-block, patch cords, etc.) in that cable run.

D. Fiber Testing
1. The horizontal fiber optic cable must be tested using a double-ended loss
test. See Table 2-4 for proper fiber testing measures.
a) The horizontal cable must be tested in-line between two reference

cables. One cable will be attached to the source and the other to
the meter to measure the dB loss from both connectors, as well as
any dB loss associated with the cable between the connectors.
Note: Because of the relatively short cable lengths within the

horizontal segment (less than 295 feet), the main loss will be
connector loss.
b) The dB loss for a horizontal segment must not exceed 2.0 dB.
c) TIA/EIA 526-14A outlines the steps required to test the horizontal

fiber optic cabling.
(1) Select two test jumpers. Ensure that the jumpers have a
fiber core size of 62.5 µm and are connected with SC- style
connectors (see Figure 2-3).
(2) Ensure that the optical source meter is stabilized and has a
center wavelength within ± 20 nm of the multi-mode
nominal wavelength.
(3) Ensure that the power meter and the light source are set to
850 nm if testing multi-mode fiber or 1310 if testing single
mode fiber.
(4) Ensure that all SC connectors are clean.
Figure 2-3. SC- style

connector.
(5) Establish a reference.

Note: A baseline must be established for the test jumper

between the power meter and light source unit.
(6) Verify the second test jumper by adding this second jumper
between the power meter and the original jumper.
Note: If the loss is greater than 0.5 dB, clean all connectors
(except the connector inserted at the source) and test again.
If the loss is still unacceptable, replace the second test
jumper.
(7) Test the horizontal segment from each end of the fiber -
from the NAM at the outlet and from the distribution
cabinet in the communications room.
Note: Because the length of the fiber optic cable in the

horizontal segment is less than 295 feet, the main loss will
be connector loss.
(8) The total signal loss for a fiber link will not be greater than
2.0 dB - this includes connector loss and fiber loss.
(9) Once the test is successful, electronically capture the results

or note the attenuation level.
Note: reversing the direction of test to see if the end

connector is bad should isolate high loss, in a double-
ended test.
Basic Guideline for Loss Measurements for Installed Fiber Optic Cables
Connector loss: 0.75 dB per mated pair
Fiber loss: Multi-mode: 2.5 dB/km @ 850 nm, 2.5 dB/km @ 1300 nm
Fiber loss: Single mode: 1.0 dB/km @ 1310 nm
Table 2-4

THE INTERMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION FRAME

A. The intermediate distribution frame (IDF) is the space where the horizontal cable
is terminated on patch panels, 110-blocks, or connector panels, and cross-
connected to the riser cable.
B. The IDF supports the voice, data, and video needs of one floor of a building as
opposed to an entire building or campus. It may also support other building
information systems such CATV, alarms, security, audio,800mhz radio, other
wireless systems and other telecommunications systems.
1. It is important to note that a BDF can be collocated with a IDF.

Additional space, racks, electrical and cable management are required to
support the BDF.
II. The Size of the IDF
A. The size of the IDF depends on its function and the size of the usable floor space
it serves. Usable floor space refers to the building areas used by the occupants in
their normal daily work functions. The minimum IDF sizes shown are based on
providing telecommunications service to one individual work area of 100 sq. ft.
B. There must be at least one IDF per floor.
C. Multiple IDFs are required if the usable floor space to be served exceeds 10,000
square feet or the cable length between the work area outlet and the horizontal
cross-connect in the IDF exceeds 295 feet. Minimum IDF sizes are shown in
Table 3-1.
D. Additional floor space must be allocated if fire alarm panels and/or building
monitoring equipment are located in the IDF.
E. Additional floor space must be allocated for additional applications, such as,
Video Distribution cabling and equipment, etc.
Floor Area Minimum

Served (Square IDF Room
Feet) Size (Feet)
5,000 or less 10 × 8
5,000 to 8,000 10 × 9
8,000 to 10,000 10 × 11

Table 3-1
Note: These wall lengths are the minimum acceptable. Shorter wall lengths will not allow space
for equipment.
III. The Location of the IDF
A. Since the IDF is the focal point for many communications services, it must be
designed as an integral part of the overall building.
B. The IDF must be located as close as possible to the center of, and on the same
floor as, the work area it serves in order to minimize the horizontal cable lengths.
.
C. Access to the IDF must be directly from hallways, not through classrooms,
offices, or mechanical spaces.
D. The IDF must be located above any threat of flooding. All water pipes transiting
the room(as well as the associated plumbing fixture) must be removed or
contained.
E. The IDF must not be located near power supply transformers, elevator or pump
motors, generators, x-ray equipment, radio transmitters, or other potential sources
of electromagnetic interference.
F. The IDF must not share space with electrical, janitorial, or storage facilities.
G. IDFs must be stacked vertically in a multi-story building.
H. When controlled access to an IDF cannot be guaranteed, free standing or wall

mounted lockable distribution cabinets will be used as the IDF.
See Appendix A, Specification 07 for details on these cabinets.
I. The locations of the IDFs must be submitted to the project manager for inclusion
in the construction drawings, and they must be annotated on the floor plan.
IV. Design Requirements
A. The major factors that must be considered when designing the IDF are as follows:
1. The minimum ceiling height must be 8 feet, 6 inches.
2. The doors must be a minimum of 3 feet wide and 6 feet, 8 inches tall. The
doors must open outward and be lockable.

3. The floor must be sealed concrete or tile to minimize dust and static
electricity.
4. There must be continuous and dedicated environmental control (24 hours

per day, 365 days per year).
a) Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning sensors and control

equipment must maintain the room temperature between 64°F and
90°F.
b) The relative humidity must be 20% to 80%.
5. The IDF must not be equipped with a drop tile or other false ceiling.
6. The lighting in the IDF must provide a minimum equivalent of 50 foot-

candles when measured 3 feet above the finished floor.
a) The light fixtures must be mounted a minimum of 8 feet, 6 inches

above the finished floor.
b) The light switches must be located inside the room.
7. All walls must be lined with Trade Size ¾-inch AC-grade plywood, 8 feet
high, as measured from finished floor.
Note: The plywood must be securely fastened to the wall-framing

members, and painted with two coats of white fire-retardant paint.
8. The IDF must be equipped with:
a) A minimum of two dedicated 3-wire 120V AC quad electrical

outlets on separate branch circuits and 20-ampere rated. See
electrical requirement section for specific design information.
b) Separate duplex 120V AC convenience outlets (for tools, test sets,

etc.) installed at least 18 inches above the finished floor at 6 foot
intervals around perimeter walls.
c) Outlets on non-switched circuits and they must be identified and

marked.
9. The IDF must be provided with an electrical ground on a 4-inch busbar as

defined by NEC Article 250-71(b).

a) The busbar must be mounted 6 feet, 6 inches above the finished

floor if ladder racking is included in the design. If ladder racking is
not part of the design, the busbar must be located near, but not
behind, the riser sleeves between floors.
b) This grounding bar must be connected to a main building ground

electrode, and it must be common to all IDFs. , reference
ANSI/EIA/TIA-607
10. The IDF must be dedicated to the telecommunications functions and

related support facilities.
V. Termination Hardware Requirements in the IDF
A. The horizontal cabling in the horizontal segment must be terminated on patch

panels for data cabling, 110 type wiring blocks for voice cabling, or fiber
connector panels in the IDF.
1. UTP cables data NAMs must be terminated on 24- or 48-port High

Density Category 5e patch panels which are mounted on a wall rack, in a
free standing equipment rack, or in an enclosed data cabinet.
a) The patch panels must support RJ-45 modules wired to the

TIA/EIA 568-A standard on the front, and have 110-style IDC
connectors on the back.
b) The patch panels must be labeled above the RJ45 module as shown
in Figure 3-1.
60125 60126 60127 60128 60129 60130 60131 60132 60133 60134 60135 60136 60137 60138 60139 60140 60141 60142 60143 60144 60145 60146 60147 60148
Figure 3-1. 24-port patch panel.
2. 110-type Wiring Blocks for Voice Cabling:
a) The connecting block hardware shall support the appropriate

Category 5e Anixter Level 6 application, and facilitate cross-
connection and/or inter-connection using either cross-connect wire

or patch cords. Appropriately, the cross-connect hardware shall be
110-type.

Can we suggest several manufactures such as Avaya and Ortronics

here and eliminate the discription below.
b. The blocks shall:
(1) Be made of flame-retardant thermoplastic, with the base
consisting of horizontal index strips for termination up to
25-pairs of conductors.
(2) Be available in 50-, 100-, and 300- pair sizes.
(3) Have detachable standoff legs available for the 50- and
100-pair bases, while not-detachable standoff legs are to be
available for 300-pair bases.
(4) Contain access opening for rear to front cable routing to the
point of termination.
(5) Have termination strips on the base to be notched and
divided into 5-pair increments.
(6) Have clear label holders with the appropriate colored
inserts available for the wiring blocks. The insert labels
provided with the product shall contain vertical lines
spaced on the basis of circuit size (1-, 3-, 4- or 5-pair) and
shall not interfere with running, tracing or removing jumper
wire/patch cords.
(7) Have bases available in 19-inch panels and high-density
frame configurations for rack or wall mounting with cable
management hardware.
(8) Have connecting blocks used for either the termination of
cross-connect (jumper) wire or patch cords. The
connecting blocks shall be available in 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-pair
sizes. All connecting blocks shall have color-coded tip and
ring designation markers and be single piece construction.
(9) Have connecting blocks with a minimum of 200 re-
terminations without signal degradation below standards
compliance limit.
(10) Support wire sizes: Solid 22-26 AWG (0.64 mm – 0.40
mm).
c) Electrical Specification:
(1) Be ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-A AND ISO/IEC 11801 category
5e Anixter Level 6 compliant.
(2) The following requirements shall also be met.
Parameters Performance Performance @ 100 MHz *

NEXT + 2.5 dB 42.5 dB
NEXT (common mode) + 2.5 dB 42.5 dB **
Attenuation + 40% .24 dB
Return Loss + 6 dB 20 dB
LCL 40 dB (1-100 MHz) **
* Provided for information only, margin applicable to swept frequency range of 1-100 MHz.
** Not industry specified at this time

(3) Meet TIA/EIA proposed category 5e electrical

performance.
(4) Be UL LISTED 1863.
(5) Be made by an ISO 9001 Certified Manufacturer.
3. Fiber optic cables will be terminated on Connector panels in a fiber

distribution cabinet.
a) The Multimode connector must be preloaded panel with 568SC
adapters with metal inserts. Color of connectors shall be beige.
b) The singlemode connector panel must be preloaded with 568SC
adapters with ceramic inserts. Color of connector shall be blue.
a) The fiber distribution cabinets must be configured with jumper
troughs to aid in jumper management.
b) They must be wall mounted or rack mounted in either equipment

racks or enclosed data cabinets.
Insert Fiber details: What type connector panels (high density etc.)?
B. Space for terminations of each type of cable must be located on one continuous
wall or rack.
1. A clear space of 5 to 6 inches above and below the connecting hardware

must be provided for cabling handling.
2. There must be additional backboard space for routing cables, patch cords,
and/or cross-connect jumpers.
C. Cross-connect fields, patch panels, and active equipment in the IDF must be
placed to allow cross-connections and interconnections via jumpers, patch cords,
and equipment cables whose lengths per channel do not exceed:
1. 20 feet per patch cords or jumpers in the horizontal cross-connect.
2. 33 feet total for patch cords or jumpers and line cords used to connect to
the outlet.
VI. Structures to Support the Cabling in the IDF
A. Ladder racking, equipment racks, plywood backboards, data equipment cabinets,

and wire management brackets must be used in the IDF to keep the cabling and

equipment organized, and to allow the cable plant to be installed to UC Davis and
EIA/TIA 569 specifications.
1. Ladder racking must be used to route bulk telecommunications cables

within the IDF.
a) Ladder racking must be at least 12 inches wide and placed 7 feet

above the finished floor to coincide with the top of the equipment
racks and/or cabinets.
b) All ladder racking must be bonded and earthed to the busbar in the
IDF.
2. Free Standing Equipment racks must be 19 inches wide by 84 inches tall,

double sided with ANSI/EIA-310D spacing and 12-24 threads. Enclosed
Cabinets are equipped with 10-32 threads see associated Specs for
requirements.
a) A 3-foot working clearance must be maintained in the front and in

the back of each equipment rack, and a 2-foot working clearance
must be maintained at both ends of the equipment rack or multiple
rack assemblies. This clearance must be measured from the
outermost surface of the equipment and connecting hardware
rather than from the equipment rack since some of these devices
may extend beyond the equipment rack.
b) The equipment racks must be braced to meet Zone 3 seismic

requirements, and bonded and grounded to the ground point in the
IDF unless the grounded ladder rack extends to the equipment
rack.
3. Equipment and connecting hardware may be wall mounted using wood

screws on rigid plywood backboard that is permanently attached to the
wall and treated with a nonconductive, fire-resistant covering.
4. Fiber distribution cabinets will be used to mount terminated fiber in the

IDF.
5. Wire management brackets must be used to manage cables and jumpers.
See Figure 3-3 for an illustration of a typical equipment rack layout.

Fiber distribution
cabinet is located
at the top of the
relay rack or cabinet
with network electronics
below
In smaller IDFs,
Network fiber, UTP, and
network electronics
Electronics can be located in
the same rack or
cabinet
Use a 6"×84" vertical

cable management
bracket between racks
Figure 3-3. Equipment rack layout.
VII. Drawings for Construction/Project Managers
A. The following steps must be taken once the size, location, design requirements,
termination hardware, and support structures for the cabling have been
determined for the IDF:
1. Notify the construction/project manager of the locations of the IDFs for

inclusion in the construction drawings for University review of
appropriate schematic, design, or construction stage of documents.
2. Annotate on the floor plan the locations of the IDFs.

3. Prepare sketches of each IDF. The following information must be

included:
a) Overall room dimensions
b) Electric service convenience outlet locations
c) 20 ampere electric service locations
d) Telecommunications grounding busbar (TGB) location
e) Door openings - size, direction, location
f) Location and size of sleeves and/or slots, entrance conduit, cable

tray entering room - include details of each
g) Location and height of lighting (insure that ladder racking will not
block or otherwise interfere with the lighting)
h) Overhead cable ladder racking system within the room.
i) Equipment racks, enclosed electronic cabinets, wall mounted cross

connect fields.
j) IDF terminal number, room number
See Figure 3-4 for an example of a typical IDF layout.
4. Provide sketches2 to the construction/project manager for dissemination to

the other engineering disciplines involved in the design project. Provide
AutoCad version 14 or greater in electronic format, and on D size
drawing.
2
Reference: UC Davis Campus Standards & Design Guide for drawing content pages, 29, 30 & 31 dated June
2000.

Figure 3-4. Typical IDF layout.

THE RISER SEGMENT

A. The riser segment consists of the riser cable and the supporting infrastructure
within a building or cluster of buildings that connect the intermediate distribution
frames (IDFs) and the building distribution frame (BDF).
B. The riser segment must be designed one segment at a time as illustrated in Figure
4-1, even though the riser cables may follow the same path.
IDF 3.1
Segment B
IDF 2.1
Segment A
BDF 1.1
Figure 4-1. Riser segment.
C. This section describes the policies and procedures for the following design
activities:
1. The sizing of the riser cable.
2. Designing the structures to support a vertically aligned riser segment.
3. Designing the structures to support a horizontally offset riser segment.

II. The Size of the Copper Riser Cable
A. The size of the riser cable is a function of the number of basic, enhanced, and
integrated outlets supported by the IDF.
1. The minimum number of copper cable pairs required for each type of
outlet is as follows: basic outlets = 1.5 pairs; enhanced outlets = 2 pairs,
integrated outlets = 2.5 pairs
2. Commonly available cable sizes are 50, 100, 200, 300, 600, 900 and 1200
pairs.
Example: The riser cable for an IDF supporting 5 basic outlets, 50

enhanced outlets, and 4 integrated outlets would be sized as follows:
Basic outlets × 1.5 pair = 7.5

Enhanced outlets × 2 pairs = 100
Integrated outlets × 2.5 pairs = 8
Size of riser cable = 115.5 pairs
In this case, the riser cable would be 200 pairs, the next larger, commonly
available copper cable, above 100 pair.
III. The Size of the Fiber Optic Riser Cable

A. The size of the fiber optic cable is a function of the number of data outlets served
by the IDF.
Note: The minimum number of fiber strands for each type of IDF is shown in
Table 4-1. Each IDF fiber cable shall be comprised of 50% multimode
and 50% single mode fiber strands (example: 12 fiber cable with 6
multimode and 6 singlemode fiber strands)
Less than 24 data outlets 12 strands =

6sm + 6mm
Less than 48 or more than 24 data outlets 24 strands =
12sm + 12mm
Less than 96 but more than 48 data outlets 48 strands=
24sm + 24mm
More than 96 data outlets 60 strands=
30sm + 30 mm
Table 4-1

IV. Structures to Support Vertically Aligned IDFs
A. IDFs that are vertically aligned must be connected with sleeves or slots. A sleeve
is a circular opening through the ceiling or floor of an IDF that allows the passage
of cables and wires. A slot is similar to a sleeve except that it is a rectangular
opening.
B. Sleeves and slots must be positioned near a wall on which the riser cables can be
supported.
C. They must be located where pulling and termination will be easy, preferably on
the left side of the IDF.
D. Sleeves and slots must not be placed directly above or below the wall space that is
used for termination fields.
E. Sleeves and slots must conform to the National Electrical Code (NEC) and local
fire codes.
F. Sleeves and slots must not be left open after cable installation and they must be
properly firestopped at all times in accordance with applicable building codes.
G. Sleeves must extend a maximum of 4 inches above the floor level. Slots must
have a 1-inch high curb. See Figure 4-1 for typical sleeve and slot dimensions.
H. Rigid steel conduit (RSC) sleeves must be 4 inches in diameter unless a structural
engineer requires a smaller size or obstructions are present. They must be fitted
with plastic bushings on both ends and equipped with pull strings.
I. All unused sleeves must be capped.
J. In a multi-story building, grip beckets must be specified to support the riser

cable’s weight as it passes through the IDF.
. See Figure 4-1 for typical sleeve and slot dimensions.

Figure 4-1. Proper sleeve and slot construction.
Table 4-1 lists the minimum number of 4-inch sleeves that must be used based on the total feet
that the sleeves support.
Total Square Feet Quantity of Sleeves
Up to 50,000 3
50,000 to 100,000 4
100,000 to 300,000 5-8
300,000 to 500,000 9-12
Table 4-1
Table 4-2 lists the sizes of slots that are required based on the total square feet
served by the slot.
Total Usable Area Served by Slot Size of Slot (Inches)

(Square Feet)
Up to 250,000 6×9
250,000 to 500,000 6 × 18
500,000 to 1,000,000 9 × 20
Table 4-2
Note: The number of sleeves and/or sizes of slots must be specified prior to
construction because coring holes through concrete is expensive, it creates dust,
and it may cause water damage or create structural hazards. An engineer
registered in the State of California must approve all structural changes and
floor penetrations.

V. Structures to Support Horizontally Offset IDFs
A. IDFs that are not vertically aligned must be connected with cable trays or
conduits.
B. Cable trays that are used to support horizontal cabling may be used to support
riser cables provided the following conditions are met:
1. The cable trays’ carrying capacity can accommodate the riser cables.
2. The route of the cable trays can be used or modified to accommodate the
lateral run between the IDFs.
3. The riser cables conform to NEC Article 800-3(b)(1), NEC Article 800-
3(b)(3), and comply with the State of California fire codes as interpreted
by the State Fire Marshal’s department.
4. The riser cables are UL Listed Type CMP or OFNP if they are placed in
air-handling plenums without conduit.
Refer to Appendix A Specification 05 for cable tray specifications.
C. Conduit will be used to route the riser cables between the IDFs if cable trays are
not used to support the horizontal cabling. Conduit paths are tightly controlled
pathways that must be coordinated with other trades during construction or
remodeling.
1. The conduit will be rigid steel conduit (RSC), EMT, or intermediate

metallic conduit (IMC), 4 inches in diameter.
See Appendix A Specification 08 for details on conduit fill for riser cables.
2. The conduit will be grounded at each end.
3. The conduit will be installed with a pull string and the ends will be bushed
to protect the cable.
4. Conduits that enter the IDF must be placed near the corner and as close as
possible to the wall where the backboard is mounted to allow for proper
cable racking and to minimize the cable route inside the IDF.
5. Conduit located in the ceiling must protrude into the IDF 1 to 2 inches and
above 7½ feet above the finished floor. Conduit will not turn down.

Note: A 1-inch conduit must be dedicated from the IDF to a sealed

junction box on the roof of the building for use as an antenna access
point. This conduit must be grounded using a path other than the
telecommunications ground provided in the IDF.
D. Listed below are the steps needed to plan conduit runs in the riser segment:
1. Identify on the floor plans the IDFs that will be supported using conduit.
2. Determine the number of conduits required. This number is the same as

the number of sleeves required if the IDFs had been vertically stacked.
3. Sketch the proposed route of the conduit on the floor plan.
4. Determine if any pull boxes are needed along the conduit run.
a) Pull boxes are required in sections of conduit that are 100 feet or
more in length or that contain more than two 90° bends. Pull boxes
must not be used in lieu of a bend.
b) Cables must feed straight through a pull box.
See Appendix A Specification 09 for details on installing and selecting the proper size of
pull boxes.
5. Notify the project manager of the locations and sizes of the pull boxes for
inclusion in the mechanical or electrical designs.
6. Annotate on the floor plan the locations and sizes of the pull boxes.
E. The riser cable is labeled based on a cable number assigned by Communications

Resources. The cable pair numbers will also be included in the label.

THE BUILDING DISTRIBUTION FRAME

B. The building distribution frame (BDF) is the room that houses the
telecommunications equipment that meets the voice, data, and video needs of an
entire building. This equipment may include Private Branch Exchange (PBX),
switching nodes, local area network hubs, and video distribution equipment,
and/or network routers.
C. The BDF contains cross-connect facilities for terminating cables and for
connecting the horizontal and riser segments to each other and to
telecommunications equipment. The BDF may also support other building
information systems such CATV, alarms, security, audio, and other
telecommunications systems.
1. It is important to note that an IDF can be collocated with a BDF.

Additional racks, electrical and cable management are required to support
the IDF. The quantity of racks is dependant upon the quantity of NAMs
that must be supported.
D. Whether this space is separated or combined with the building service entrance, it
is, by almost every definition, a specialized area. This room will house sensitive
electronic components that will generate heat 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and
must be cooled to maintain operating performance.
E. The air handling system for equipment rooms must be designed to provide
positive air flow and cooling even during times when the main building systems
are shut down. This may require separate air handlers and/or small stand-alone
cooling systems that are thermostatically controlled in this space. If this room is
to be used as a Area Distribution Facility (ADF), the air handling system should
be connected to the building’s backup power generation system.
II. The Size of the BDF
A. The size of the BDF depends upon the size and variety of the equipment to be
installed and the size of the area that the room will serve.
1 The BDF must provide enough space for all planned equipment and
cables, including any environmental control equipment, power
distribution/conditioners, and uninterrupted power supply systems that
will be installed there.

2. The BDF must also provide space for access to the equipment for
maintenance and administration, and for equipment changes with minimal
disruptions.
B The minimum size of the BDF can be determined as follows:
1. In a BDF dedicated to Communications Resources (if the environment

allows) open equipment racks a 19” x 84” rack will be utilized with 6”
vertical cable management on each side. This equates to a 32” equipment
bay. A minimum of three bays will be installed in any size building with
the “x” wall a minimum of 10 feet.
2. A minimum of 2 feet shall be left at the end of the row of equipment bays.
A minimum of 5 feet between walls and equipment bays will allow space
for wall mounted copper cable terminations and the required 36” distance
from equipment for work space.
3. In larger size buildings requiring additional rows of equipment bays, the

bays shall be lined up in rows with 5 feet between the rows and walls. Use
the formula below to determine the minimum square footage. The number
of equipment bays required will determine the “x” dimension.
4. For one row of equipment bays hold the “x” dimension to 10 feet, for two
rows of equipment bays hold the “x” dimension to 16 feet, and for three
rows of equipment bays hold the “x” dimension to 22 feet.
III. The Location of the BDF
A. The BDF must be located as close as possible to the building entrance so that it is
accessible for the delivery of large equipment.
B. The BDF must not be located in any place that may be subject to water or steam
infiltration, humidity from nearby water or steam, heat, and any other corrosive
atmospheric or environmental conditions.
C. The BDF must not be located near electrical power supply transformers, elevator
or pump motors, generators, x-ray equipment, radio transmitters, radar
transmitters, induction heating devices, and other potential sources of
electromagnetic interference.
F. The BDF must not share space in or be located near electrical closets, boiler
rooms, washrooms, janitorial closets, and storage rooms.
G. The location of the BDF must be submitted to the project manager for inclusion in
the construction drawings, and it must be annotated on the floor plan.

IV. Design Requirements
A. The major factors that must be considered when designing the BDF are as
follows:
1. The minimum ceiling height must be 8 feet, 6 inches.
2. Ceiling protrusions must be placed to assure a minimum clear height of 8

feet 6 inches to provide space over the equipment frames for cables and
suspended racks.
3. The doors must be double doors that are 6 feet wide by 7 feet, 6 inches
tall. The doors shall be keyed to campus standards for access by
Communications Resources only. They must open outward and be
lockable. Access shall allow for future equipment changes.
4. The floor must be sealed concrete or tile to minimize dust and static
electricity.
5. There must be continuous and dedicated environmental control (24 hours

per day, 365 days per year).
a) Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning sensors and control

equipment related to the environment within the BDF must be
located in the BDF .
b) The room temperature must be maintained between 64°F and 80°F.
c) The relative humidity must be 30% to 55%.
d) Heat load is 5,000 BTUs per hour per electronic cabinet,

equipment rack.
e) A positive air pressure differential must be maintained with respect

to surrounding areas.
6. The lighting in the BDF must provide a minimum equivalent of 50 foot-

candles when measured 3 feet above the finished floor.
a) The light fixtures must be mounted a minimum of 8 feet, 6 inches

above the finished floor.
b) The light switches must be located near the entrance of the BDF.

c) Power for the lighting must not come from the same circuits as
power for the telecommunications equipment.
7. All walls must be lined with Trade Size ¾-inch AC-grade plywood, 8 feet
high.
a) The plywood must be securely fastened to the wall-framing

members, and painted with two coats of white fire-retardant paint.
b) Plywood will be mounted vertically starting at 2 inches above the

finished floor.
8. The BDF must be equipped with a minimum of two dedicated 3-wire

120V AC quad electrical outlets on separate branch circuits and 20-
ampere rated.
a) Outlets are to be located on active equipment racks 24” AFF.
b) Provide duplex 20R spade receptacle.See electrical requirement

section for specific design information.
c) Separate duplex 120V AC convenience outlets (for tools, test sets,

etc.) must also be installed at 18 inches above the finished floor at
6 foot intervals around perimeter walls.
d) The outlets must be on non-switched circuits and they must be

identified and labeled.
9. The BDF must be provided with an electrical ground on a 4-inch or larger

busbar as defined by NEC Article 250-71(b).
a) The busbar must be mounted 6 feet, 6 inches above the finished

floor if ladder racking is included in the design. If ladder racking is
not part of the design, the busbar must be located near, but not
behind, the riser sleeves between floors.
b) This grounding bar must be connected to a main building ground

electrode, reference ANSI/EIA/TIA-607.
10. Acoustic noise levels in the BDF must be maintained to a minimum by

locating noise-generating equipment outside the BDF.
11. Additional equipment such as fire alarm panels and/or building monitoring
devices must not be housed in the BDF. Separate space for these services
can be provided as part of the electrical room or in a separate space.
V. Termination Hardware Requirements in the BDF

A. The BDF serves as the main cross-connect for riser cables and common
equipment circuits coming from the PBX, and riser cables extending to the IDFs.
Campus cables and service provider cables are also cross-connected in the BDF.
B. UC Davis has standardized on the 110-type blocks for voice cabling.
1. 110-type Wiring Blocks for Voice Cabling:
a) The connecting hardware block shall support the appropriate

Category 5e Anixter Level 6 application, and facilitate cross-
connection and/or inter-connection using either cross-connect wire
or patch cords. Appropriately, the cross-connect hardware shall be
110-type.
The blocks shall:
(1) Be made of flame-retardant thermoplastic, with the base

consisting of horizontal index strips for termination up to
25-pairs of conductors.
(2) Be available in 50-, 100-, and 300- pair sizes.
(3) Have detachable standoff legs available for the 50- and
100-pair bases, while not-detachable standoff legs are to be
available for 300-pair bases.
(4) Contain access opening for rear to front cable routing to the
point of termination.
(5) Have termination strips on the base to be notched and
divided into 5-pair increments.
(6) Have clear label holders with the appropriate colored
inserts available for the wiring blocks. The insert labels
provided with the product shall contain vertical lines
spaced on the basis of circuit size (1-, 3-, 4- or 5-pair) and
shall not interfere with running, tracing or removing jumper
wire/patch cords.
(7) Have bases available in 19-inch panels and high-density
frame configurations for rack or wall mounting with cable
management hardware.
(8) Have connecting blocks used for either the termination of
cross-connect (jumper) wire or patch cords. The
connecting blocks shall be available in 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-pair
sizes. All connecting blocks shall have color-coded tip and
ring designation markers and be single piece construction.
(9) Have connecting blocks with a minimum of 200 re-
terminations without signal degradation below standards
compliance limit.
(10) Support wire sizes: Solid 22-26 AWG (0.64 mm – 0.40
mm).

c) Electrical Specification:
(1) Be ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-A AND ISO/IEC 11801 category
5e Anixter Level 6 compliant.
(2) The following requirements shall also be met.
Parameters Performance Performance @ 100 MHz *

NEXT + 2.5 dB 42.5 dB
NEXT (common mode) + 2.5 dB 42.5 dB **
Attenuation + 40% .24 dB
Return Loss + 6 dB 20 dB
LCL 40 dB (1-100 MHz) **
* Provided for information only, margin applicable to swept frequency range of 1-100 MHz.
** Not industry specified at this time
(3) Meet TIA/EIA proposed category 5e electrical

performance.
(4) Be UL LISTED 1863.
(5) Be made by an ISO 9001 Certified Manufacturer.
Fiber optic cables will be terminated on connector panels in a fiber optic

distribution cabinet.
a) The Multimode connector must be preloaded panel with 568SC
adapters with metal inserts. Color of connectors shall be beige.
3. b) The singlemode connector panel must be preloaded with 568SC
adapters with ceramic inserts. Color of connector shall be blue.
The distribution cabinets must be configured with jumper troughs to aid in jumper
management. The fiber distribution cabinets must be wall mounted or rack
mounted in either equipment racks or enclosed data cabinets. Reference
Specification 7 in Appendix A.
Note: Equipment Racks are used in lieu of Electronic Cabinets based

upon:
a) Security, and cleanliness of the room in which the proposed

equipment rack is to be placed.
b) If the communications room is a single use room, for
communications access only, and is a secure, heated and cooled,
space with appropriate lighting, electronic racks are used in lieu of
cabinets.
c) All ADFs (Area Distribution Frames) require cabinets.
3. UTP cables supporting data NAMs must be terminated on Category 5e

Anixter Level 6 performance patch panels.

C. To facilitate changes and to minimize the lengths of patch cords, jumpers, and
equipment cables, cables of the same type must be terminated adjacent to each
other.
D. Space for terminations of each type of cable must be located on one continuous
wall or rack.
1. There must be a clear space of 5 to 6 inches above and below the top and
bottom of the connecting hardware for cabling handling.
2. There must be additional backboard space for routing cables, patch cords,
and/or cross-connects jumpers.
E. Cross-connect fields, patch panels, and active equipment in the BDF must be
placed to allow cross-connections and interconnections via jumpers, patch cords,
and equipment cables whose lengths per channel do not exceed:
1. 20 feet per patch cords or jumpers in the horizontal cross-connect.
2. 33 feet total for patch cords or jumpers and line cords used to connect to
the outlet.
VI. Structures to Support the Cabling in the BDF
A. Ladder racking, equipment racks, plywood backboards, data equipment cabinets,

and wire management brackets must be used in the BDF to keep the cabling and
equipment organized, and to allow the cable plant to be installed to EIA/TIA 569
specifications.
1. Ladder racking must be used to route bulk telecommunications cables

within the BDF.
a) Ladder racking must be at least 12 inches wide and placed 7 feet

above the finished floor to coincide with the top of the equipment
racks and cabinets.
b) Provide proper clearance from top of cable tray and HVAC ducting
or other obstacles.
c) All ladder racking must be bonded and earthed to the busbar in the
BDF.
2. Free Standing Equipment racks must be 19 inches wide by 84 inches tall,

double sided with ANSI/EIA-310D spacing and 12-24 threads. Enclosed

Cabinets are equipped with 10-32 threads see associated Specs for
requirements.
a) A 3-foot working clearance must be maintained in the front and in

the back of each equipment rack, and a 2 foot working clearance
must be maintained at both ends of the equipment rack or multiple
rack assemblies. This clearance must be measured from the
outermost surface of the equipment and connecting hardware
rather than from the equipment rack since some of these devices
may extend beyond the equipment rack.
b) The equipment racks must be braced to meet Zone 3 seismic

requirements, and bonded and earthed to the TGB in the BDF.
3. Equipment and connecting hardware may be wall mounted using wood

screws on rigid plywood backboard.
4. Horizontal and vertical wire management brackets must be used to

manage cables and jumpers.
VII. Cable Pathways Entering the BDF
A. Sleeves, slots, and conduit are used to route the cables entering and exiting the
BDF. The cross-connect points must be located near the end of the riser pathways
to minimize the need for cable routing in the BDF.
B. A sleeve is a circular opening through the ceiling or floor of a BDF that allows the
passage of cables. A slot is similar to a sleeve except that it is a rectangular
opening.
1. Sleeves and slots must be positioned near a wall on which the cables can
be supported.
2. They must be located where pulling and termination will be easy,

preferably on the left side of the BDF.
3. Sleeves and slots must not be placed directly above or below the wall
space that is used for termination fields.
4. Sleeves and slots must conform to the fire stopping requirements as

established by the National Electrical Code (NEC) and local fire codes.
5. They must not be left open after cable installation and they must be
properly firestopped in accordance with applicable building codes.

6. Sleeves must extend a maximum of 4 inches above the floor level. Slots
must have a 1-inch high curb.
7. Sleeves must be 4 inches in diameter unless a structural engineer requires

a smaller size or obstructions are present. They must be fitted with plastic
bushings on both ends and equipped with a pull string.
8. All unused sleeves must be appropriately firestopped.
Figure 5-1. Proper sleeve and slot construction.
Table 5-1 lists the minimum number of 4-inch sleeves that must be used based on
the total square feet that the sleeves support.
Total Square Feet Quantity of Sleeves
Up to 50,000 3
50,000 to 100,000 4
100,000 to 300,000 5-8
300,000 to 500,00 9-12
Table 5-1
Table 5-2 lists the sizes of slots that are required based on the total usable area served by
the slot.

Total Usable Area Served by Size of Slot (Inches)

Slot (Square Feet)
Up to 250,000 6×9
250,000 to 500,000 6 × 18
500,000 to 1,000,000 9 × 20
Table 5-2
Note: The number of sleeves and/or sizes of slots must be specified prior to
construction because coring holes through concrete is expensive, it creates dust, and it
may cause water damage or create structural hazards.
An engineer registered in the State of California must approve all structural changes
and floor penetrations.
C. Conduit will be metallic conduit, 4 inches in diameter.
1. All conduits will be firestopped in accordance with fire codes as

interpreted by the State Fire Marshal.
2. The conduit will be grounded on both ends.
3. The conduit will be equipped with a pull string.
4. The conduit ends will be bushed to protect the cable.
VIII. Drawings for Construction/Project Managers
A. The following steps must be taken once the size, location, design requirements,
cross-connect and termination hardware, and support structures have been
determined for the BDF:
1. Notify the construction/project manager of the location of the BDF for

inclusion in the construction drawings for University review of
appropriate schematic, design, or construction stage of documents.
2 Annotate on the floor plan the location of the BDF.
3. Prepare a sketch of the BDF. The following information must be included:
a) Overall room dimensions.
b) Electrical service outlet locations.

c) 20 ampere dedicated branch electrical service locations.
d) Earth busbar location.
e) Door opening - size, direction, location.
f) Location and size of all sleeves and/or slots - include details of

each.
g) Location and height of emergency lighting (insure that ladder

racking will not block or otherwise interfere with the lighting)
4. Provide the sketch3 to the construction/ project manager for dissemination

to the other engineering disciplines involved in the design project.
Provide AutoCad version 14 or greater, in electronic format, and on D size
drawing.
3
2000.

THE CAMPUS SEGMENT

The campus segment consists of the cables and structures needed to inter-connect BDFs
and area distribution frames (ADFs). It includes underground (in conduit) cables, direct
buried cables, splice boxes, manholes, pull boxes, aerial cables, pole lines, outside
terminals, and support structures. The campus segment must be designed and installed to
ANSI/EIA/TIA-758 Specifications for Outside Plant Construction.
A. This section describes the policies and procedures for the following design
activities:
Identifying cable routes from building to building, selecting cable distribution

methods, determining the underground and direct buried cable requirements,
identifying the types of cable used in the campus segment, determining splice
boxes, manholes, and pull box requirements, determining aerial cable
requirements, satisfying electrical protection and bonding/grounding
requirements.
II. Cable Routes
A. The following steps must be taken to identify the cable routes between new
buildings and major building renovations.
1. Obtain a photocopy of the campus layout map.
2. Determine where the cable entrance point is for each building.
3. Sketch the cable route from the starting point to the terminating point in
the buildings to be served on the campus layout map.
4. Note any obstacles, existing cable facilities, or other underground utilities

on the campus layout map.
5. Note if right-of-way permits or easements are required.
6. Review proposed cable route to determine if conditions exist that require

environmental impact applications. Identify sources of future cable
maintenance problems.

III. Cable Distribution Methods
A. Communications Resources Systems Engineering & Development, and appointed

layout engineers must be contacted to determine the best cable distribution
method along the proposed cable route. The method may be one or a combination
of underground (in conduit), direct buried, directional boring, or aerial.
1. An underground cable system consists of cables placed in buried

conduits, using manholes and/or pull boxes for splices in large runs. The
conduit runs from the building entrance location to a pole, pedestal, or
manhole.
2. A direct buried cable system consists of cables and associated splices

directly placed in the earth. The trench runs from the building entrance
location to a pole, pedestal, or manhole.
3. In aerial cable systems telecommunications cable is installed on aerial

supporting structures such as poles, sides of buildings, and other above
ground structures.
Note: An underground cable system must be used if a conduit route is

available between buildings.
IV. Underground (In Conduit) and Direct Buried Cable Requirements
A. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) regulates underground and

direct-buried cable placement specifications.
Note: All underground conduit applications and direct buried construction at UC

Davis must conform to CPUC’s General Order Number 128, Section IV.
B. Underground (in conduit) and direct buried cable projects must be worked from
engineering drawings approved by the Manager Systems Engineering &
Development, Communications Resources. These drawings4 must include the
following information:
1. Details of typical trench cross sections showing cable and duct locations in
the trench, clearances from final grade, backfill materials and depths,
pavement cutting information, and compacting requirements for both
paved and unpaved areas.
2. Construction notes applicable to the work being performed.
4
Reference: UC Davis Campus Standards & Design Guide for drawing content pages, 29, 30, & 31 dated June
2000.

3. A scale drawing showing location ties to existing structures, cable,

conduit, utility boxes, and any conflicting substructures and profile
drawings of congested areas where vertical and horizontal separation from
other utilities is critical during cutting and placing operations and any
other areas as requested by UC Davis.
4. A legend explaining symbols of all relevant structures and work

operations.
5. Cable types, counts, and directions of feed.
6. Conduit types, dimensions, and wall-to-wall measurements when used

with pull boxes, splice boxes, manholes, and BDFs.
7. Manhole drawings showing cable-racking information, applicable cable

counts, conduit assignments, splicing details, north point arrows, and
street names. Manhole drawings must be consistent with UC Davis
Communications Resources standards.
C. All cables entering a building must conform to the bonding and grounding
requirements listed in NEC Articles 250 and 800.
D. Warning tape containing metallic tracings must be placed a minimum of 18 inches

above the buried cable to minimize any chance of an accidental dig-up. The
American Public Works Association has adopted the color orange for the
telecommunications cables.
Refer to Specification 10 for details on underground conduit requirements and

conduit sizing.
E. The minimum depth of a trench must allow 24 inches of cover from the top of the
cable to final grade. Local underground utilities must be contacted, a
Underground Service Alert (USA) call number receipt (ticket) must be present
and on site during any construction and utilities located before digging to locate
all subsurface facilities such as power, gas, water, and outdoor lighting.
Table 6-1 shows the vertical or horizontal separations that must be maintained
between telecommunications facilities and other facilities sharing a common
trench.

Adjacent Structure Minimum Separation

Power or other foreign conduit 3 inches of concrete
or
4 inches of masonry
or
12 inches of well-tamped earth
Pipes (gas, oil, water, etc.) 6 inches when crossing
12 inches when parallel
Railroad crossings (except street railways) 5 feet below top of rail
12 feet from the nearest rail if

terminating on a pole
7 feet from the nearest rail if

terminating on a pole at a
siding
Street railways 3 feet below top of rail
Table 6-1.
See Figures 6-1 and 6-2 for typical trench cross-sections.
Figure 6-1. Trench cross-section for underground and direct buried placement in paved
areas.

Figure 6-2: Trench cross-section for underground and direct buried placement in paved areas.
V. Cable Types
A. UC Davis recognizes two types of cable for outside use in the campus segment:
copper cable and fiber optic cable.
1. Filled polyethylene-insulated conductor (PIC) cable must be used for

underground and direct buried copper cable. Filled cable preserves the
integrity of the cable by providing physical protection against moisture
penetration and seepage.
a) Direct buried cable requires an armored sheath to resist rodent and

penetration type damage.
b) PIC cables must be marked with cable length, cable code, date and
location of manufacture, and manufacturer.
c) The following standard designations for copper exchange cable

have been assigned by the Rural Utilities Services (RUS):
(1) PE-39 refers to filled cable with solid insulation for direct-
buried applications.
(2) PE-89 refers to filled cable with an expanded insulation for
direct-buried applications.

B. Outdoor Fiber Optic Cable Construction
1. Optical fibers shall be placed inside a loose buffer tube. The nominal outer
diameter of the buffer tube shall be 3.0 mm.
2. Each buffer tube shall contain up to 12 fibers.
3. The fibers shall not adhere to the inside of the buffer tube.
4. Each fiber shall be distinguishable by means of color-coding in accordance with

TIA/EIA-598-A, "Optical Fiber Cable Color Coding."
5. The fibers shall be colored with ultraviolet (UV) curable inks.
6. Buffer tubes containing fibers shall be color-coded with distinct and recognizable
colors in accordance with TIA/EIA-598-A, "Optical Fiber Cable Color Coding."
6.1. Buffer tube colored stripes shall be inlaid in the tube by means of
co-extrusion when required. The nominal stripe width shall be 1 mm.
7. For dual layer buffer tube construction cables, standard colors are used for tubes
1 through 12 and stripes are used to denote tubes 13 through 24. The color
sequence applies to tubes containing fibers only, and shall begin with the first
tube. If fillers are required, they shall be placed in the inner layer of the cable.
The tube color sequence shall start from the inside layer and progress outward.
8. In buffer tubes containing multiple fibers, the colors shall be stable across the
specified storage and operating temperature range and not subject to fading or
smearing onto each other or into the gel filling material. Colors shall not cause
fibers to stick together.
9. The buffer tubes shall be resistant to external forces and shall meet the buffer
tube cold bend and shrink back requirements of 7 CFR 1755.900.
10. Fillers may be included in the cable core to lend symmetry to the cable
cross-section where needed. Fillers shall be placed so that they do not interrupt
the consecutive positioning of the buffer tubes. In dual layer cables, any fillers
shall be placed in the inner layer. Fillers shall be nominally 3.0 mm in outer
diameter.
11. The central anti-buckling member shall consist of a dielectric, glass reinforced
plastic (GRP) rod. The purpose of the central member is to prevent buckling of
the cable. The GRP rod shall be overcoated with a black colored thermoplastic
when required to achieve dimensional sizing to accommodate buffer tubes/fillers.
12. Each buffer tube shall be filled with a non-hygroscopic, non-nutritive to fungus,
electrically non-conductive, homogenous gel. The gel shall be free from dirt and
foreign matter. The gel shall be readily removable with conventional nontoxic
solvents.

13. Buffer tubes shall be stranded around the dielectric central member using the
reverse oscillation, or "S-Z", stranding process. Water blocking yarn(s) shall be
applied longitudinally along the central member during stranding.
14. Two polyester yarn binders shall be applied contra helically with sufficient
tension to secure each buffer tube layer to the dielectric central member without
crushing the buffer tubes. The binders shall be non-hygroscopic, non-wicking
and dielectric with low shrinkage.
15. For single layer cables, a water blocking tape shall be applied longitudinally
around the outside of the stranded tubes/fillers. The tape shall be held in place by
a single polyester binder yarn. The water blocking tape shall be non-nutritive to
fungus, electrically non-conductive and homogenous. It shall also be free from
dirt and foreign matter.
16. For dual layer cables, a second (outer) layer of buffer tubes shall be stranded over
the original core to form a two-layer core. A water blocking tape shall be applied
longitudinally over both the inner and outer layer with each being held in place
with a single polyester binder yarn. The water blocking tape shall be non-
nutritive to fungus, electrically non-conductive and homogenous. It shall also be
free from dirt and foreign matter.
17. The cable shall contain at least one ripcord under the sheath for easy sheath
removal of all-dielectric cable. The cable shall contain at least one ripcord under
the inner sheath and under the steel armor for armored cable. The ripcord color
shall be orange for non-armored sheaths and yellow for armored sheaths.
18. Tensile strength shall be provided by dielectric yarns.
19. The high tensile strength dielectric yarns shall be helically stranded evenly
around the cable core.
20. All-dielectric cables (non-armored) shall be sheathed with medium density

polyethylene (MDPE). The minimum nominal jacket thickness shall be 1.4 mm.
Jacketing material shall be applied directly over the tensile strength members and
water blocking tape. The polyethylene shall contain carbon black to provide
ultraviolet light protection and shall not promote the growth of fungus. See
Figure 1.
Figure 1

21. Armored cables shall have an inner sheath of MDPE. The minimum nominal
jacket thickness of the inner sheath shall be 1.0 mm. The inner jacket shall be
applied directly over the tensile strength members and water blocking tape. A
water blocking tape shall be applied longitudinally around the outside of the
inner jacket. The armor shall be a corrugated steel tape, plastic-coated on both
sides for corrosion resistance, and shall be applied around the outside of the
water blocking tape with an overlapping seam with the corrugations in register.
The outer jacket shall be applied over the corrugated steel tape armor. The outer
jacket shall be a MDPE with a minimum nominal jacket thickness of 1.4 mm.
The polyethylene shall contain carbon black to provide ultraviolet light
protection and shall not promote the growth of fungus. See Figure 2.
Figure 2
22. The MDPE jacket material shall be as defined by ASTM D1248, Type II, Class C
and Grades J4, E7 and E8.
23. The jacket or sheath shall be free of holes, splits, and blisters.
24. The cable jacket shall contain no metal elements and shall be of a consistent
thickness.
25. Cable jackets shall be marked with manufacturer’s name, sequential meter or foot
markings, month and year, or quarter and year of manufacture, and a
telecommunication handset symbol, as required by Section 350G of the National
Electrical Safety Code (NESC). The actual length of the cable shall be within -
0/+1% of the length markings. The print color shall be white, with the exception
that cable jackets containing one or more co-extruded white stripes shall be
printed in light blue. The height of the marking shall be approximately 2.5 mm.

25.1. The cable jacket of a cable containing two different fiber types (hybrid
construction) shall be marked to indicate quantity of each fiber type,
identity of each fiber type and the fiber sequence.
26. If the initial marking fails to meet the specified requirements (i.e., improper text
statement, color, legibility, or print interval), the cable may be remarked using a
contrasting alternate color. The numbering sequence will differ from the
previous numbering sequence, and a tag will be attached to both the outside end
of the cable and to the reel to indicate the sequence of remarking. The preferred
remarking color will be yellow, with the secondary choice being blue.
27. The maximum pulling tension shall be 2700 N (608 lbf) during installation (short
term) and 890 N (200 lbf) long term installed.
28. The shipping, storage, and operating temperature range of the cable shall be
-40°C to +70°C. The installation temperature range of the cable shall be -30°C
to +70°C.
29. Performance Single Mode:
29.1. Chromatic Dispersion

29.1.1. Minimum Zero Dispersion Wavelength: 1301.5 nm
29.1.2. Maximum Zero Disperison Wavelength: 1321.5 nm
29.1.3. Maximum Zero Dispersion Slope: 0.090 ps/nm2 per km
29.2. Dispersion:
29.2.1. <-3.2ps/(nm.km) from 1285 nm to 1330 nm
29.2.2. <18 ps (nm.km) at 1550 nm
29.3. Polarization Mode Dispersion: <- 0.5 ps/km
29.4. Attenuation:
29.4.1. Point Disconttinuity: <-0.10 dB at 1310 nm or 1550 nm
29.4.2. Water peak attenuation at 1383 (+-) 3nm : <- 2.1 dB/km
29.4.3. Bending Attenuation: induced @ 1550 nm, with 100 turns on 75mm diameter mandrel
>0.10dB
29.4.4. Water Immersion: Induced attenuation, 23 degrees C water immersion: <- 0.05dB/km
30. Manufacturer
30.1. Corning Cable Systems
30.2. Avaya
30.3. Or equal.
31. Multimode Performance:
1. Performance:
a) Bandwidth:
(1) 850 >220 MHz at 1 km
(2) 1300 nm> 600 MHz at 1 km
b) Chromatic Dispersion:
(1) Minimum Zero Dispersion Wavelength 1332 nm
(2) Maximum Zero Disperson Wavelength: 1354 nm
(3) Maximum Zero Dispersion Slope: 0.098 ps/nm″.km
c) Attenuation:
(1) Max attenuation point discontinuity: <0.2 dB at any design
wavelength.

(2) Bending Attenuation: induced @ 1550 nm, with 100 turns

on 75mm diameter mandrel: <0.10dB.
d) Attenuation Difference: at 1380 nm, <attenuation at 1300 nm + 1
dB/km
e) Water Immersion:
(1) Induced attenuation, 23 degree C water immersion : <0.05
dB/km
2. Manufacturer:
a) Corning Cable Systems
b) Avaya Communication
c) Or equal
32. Or equal.
VI. Splice Boxes, Manholes, and Pull Boxes
A. Splice boxes and manholes are needed where maximum cable reel lengths are
exceeded, at the intersection of main and branch conduit runs, and at other
locations where splices are needed in a conduit system.
1. UC Davis has accepted the general sizing guidelines for splice boxes and
manholes used by Pacific Bell Telephone. These guidelines are based on
ultimate requirements.
2. Splice boxes and manholes must meet the weight-bearing standards

required under CPUC’s General Order Number 128.
3. Manholes, hand-holes, and subsurface equipment enclosures in street

areas, which are subject to vehicular traffic, must be constructed to
withstand H-20-44 highway loading as designated by the American
Association of State Highway Officials. Floors of manholes must meet the
requirements of Public Utilities Code, Section 8054.
4. Precast manholes must be used whenever possible. Site-cast manholes

may be used when the size required exceeds precast sizes, obstructions
prohibit placing precast manholes, manholes must be rebuilt, or a custom
design is required.
5. Manholes must be sized to meet the maximum conduit requirements and

be located to optimize the use of the associated conduit routes.
6. All conduits must be sealed in a manhole system to prevent water entry.
7. The strength of concrete used for manholes must be at least 3,500 psi.

8. All hardware in manholes will be galvanized. Manholes must be equipped

with:
a) Bonding inserts and struts for racking.
b) Pulling eyes at least 7/8 inches in diameter. Is there a preferred

location for a pulling eye? The diagrams indicate that they are on
the bottom of the manhole, but if the pulling eyes are under water
most of the time or in front of a conduit how useful are they? No,
the location in the splice box and manhole is specific ally design
for the equipment to be used.
c) A sump of at least 8 inches in diameter.
d) An entry ladder.
9. Manholes that are between 12 feet and 20 feet long must use two covers.
Manholes over 20 feet long must use three covers. All manhole covers
must be marked for easy identification (T for telephone, S for signal, and
TV for CCTV/CATV).
10. Conduit placed on private property must not be placed in joint-use

manholes with electrical cables.
11. Conduit entry points must be at opposite ends of the manhole.
12. Cores into existing manholes can only be done via shop drawings
Clearly identify the methods and procedures to be used in coring. Shop
drawings for coring into manholes are to be submitted to Communications
Resources for review and comment prior to commencement of work.
See Figure 6-3 for an example of a typical manhole.

Figure 6-3. Manhole.

B. Pull boxes must be placed at strategic locations in a conduit system to allow
installers to pull cable through the conduit with minimum difficulty and to protect
the cable from excess tension.
1. Conduit entry points must be at opposite ends of the pull box.
2. All pull box covers must be marked for easy identification (UC Davis
Communications).
See Figure 6-4 for an illustration of a typical exterior pull box.

Figure 6-4. Pull Box.

VII. Aerial Cable Requirements
A. Overhead line construction (aerial electric supply and communications systems)

specifications are regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission
(CPUC).
Note: All aerial applications at UC Davis must conform to CPUC’s General

Order Number 95.
B. Aerial cable projects must be worked from engineering drawings approved by

Communications Resources. These drawings5 must include the following
information:
1. Pole data, including pole class, length, heights of attachments, crossarms,

insulators, pole steps
2. Cable support strand sizes, down guys, anchors, lead-height ratios
3. Span lengths, including appropriate information for slack span

constructions, cross-overs, pull-offs, or any other special proposals
4. Grounding and bonding instructions
5. Construction notes that are applicable to the work being performed
6. A legend explaining symbols of all relevant structures
7. Cable counts, types, directions of feed
8. Terminal counts, splicing details
C. Aerial entrances must be limited to small buildings requiring 100 cable pairs or
less for service provider connections.
D. The following steps must be taken to design an aerial plant.
1. Select permanent locations for pole lines while considering:
a) Future road widening expansion of other utilities special problems

such as road, railway, and power line crossings
b) Safety and convenience of workers and the general public
5
2000.

2. Obtain necessary permits and easements for building and maintaining pole
lines.
3. Coordinate with other utilities with respect to possible joint use and to
minimize inductive interference.
4. Design the pole line for ultimate needs, taking into consideration pole line
classification, storm loading, and clearance requirements.
5. Poles must be of proper strength and length to meet the weights of cables,
wires, and strands supported by them. See Table 6 in CPUC’s Go 95 for
the proper setting depths for various pole lengths.
6. The most economical span length must be used.
a) The span from the last pole to the building must not exceed 100
feet.
b) Slack span construction must be used.
7. Self-supporting cable must be used.
8. The suspension strand and cable must be placed on the road side of the
pole line.
E. For minimum clearances of wires and cables over streets, walkups, agricultural
areas, railroads, etc., see Rule 37 and Table 1 of CPUC’s GO 95.
F. Aerial cables must enter a building through a conduit with an approved service
head.
VIII. Electrical Protection and Bonding/Grounding Requirements
Any system installed on the UC Davis campus must conform to the NEC for electrical,
and bonding/grounding requirements. Also, buildings shall meet ANSI/TIA/EIA-607 (1994)
Commercial Building Grounding and Bonding Requirements for Telecommunications
See Appendix A, Specification 11 for details on electrical protection, bonding/grounding

requirements.

APPENDIX A
Specifications
Specification 01 Network Access Module (NAM)
Specification 02 Faceplates
Specification 03 Conduit
Specification 04 Horizontal Conduit Capacity
Specification 05 Cable Trays
Specification 06 Color-Codes For Cross Connect Fields
Specification 07 Distribution Cabinets
Specification 08 Conduit Fill for Riser Cables
Specification 09 Pull Boxes
Specification 10 Conduit for Underground Cabling
Specification 11 Electrical Protection, Bonding/Grounding

Specification 01
Network Access Module (NAM)
Telecommunications System
Design Segment
♦ Horizontal
♦ IDF
♦ Riser
♦ BDF
♦ Campus
These specifications provide a minimum configuration that must be used when planning new construction
or major remodeling of an existing facility. Communications Resources must be consulted during the
early utilities planning phase of the project since each site may have technical requirements requiring a
modification of these specifications.
The network access module (NAM) is the connector on which the UTP cable or fiber optic cable
terminates.
The term “NAM” is not interchangeable with faceplate or outlet.
NAM NUMBERING & NAM MATRIX:
1. Contact the UC Davis Line Assignor at 530-752-4598 to obtain blocks of NAM numbers for
project assignment.
2. The UC Davis Line Assignor will need to know how many Voice, Data and MATV NAM
numbers are required by the Project Consultant.
3. Pre-Assign the NAM numbers to the floor plans.
4. Prepare the NAM Matrices: see spreadsheets in appendix E.
5. Ensure that the Contractor provides a cross connect sheet (NAM Voice Matrix) which
identifies all cross connects from the NAM to the Building Distribution Frame (BDF). The
Contractor will cross connect from the BDF to the NAM one pair for each voice NAM.
6. Prepare Contract specifications that instruct the Cabling Contractor on use of and
maintenance of the NAM Matrices during the project construction.
UC Davis has standardized on Ortronics GigMo OR-60950011, OR-60950012, or OR-63750001

NAMs for UTP and Lucent Technologies M81SC coupler mated with the SC fiber optic
connector for fiber. No substitutions will be allowed. The standard NAM colors are Orange for
data and Electric Ivory for voice. No substitutions will be allowed. The part numbers above refer
to “fog white jacks” need to find the electrical ivory and orange part numbers. Also need to use
blanking covers when an outlet is not in place (Ortronics part number OR-20300121).

The UC Davis Communications

Resources Line Assigner will provide
the project consultant unique 5-digit 30124 61133
NAM numbers. This number is
referred to as a NAM number or
NAM ID.
NAMs are to be labeled either on a

pre-printed label or they must be
printed using an electronic label
61133
maker such as the Brother P-Touch®.
blank
The NAM number will be placed
above the NAM on the faceplate or
outlet as shown in Figure 01-1.
Figure 01-1. Orientation of faceplate labeling.
When a surface mounted outlet is used the top of the outlet will be labeled as shown in Figure
01-2. The cable supporting a voice NAM number must be located in the top left position of the
faceplate.
Figure 01-2. Surface mounted outlet.

Specification 02
Faceplates
Design Segment
♦ Horizontal
♦IDF
♦Riser
♦ BDF
♦Campus
NAMs will be terminated in Ortronics TracJack faceplates.

The following table provides a summary of approved faceplates.
Ortronics Part Number Description Use

OR-40300570P-88 SINGLE GANG HOLDS 2 TRAC JACKS
OR-40300011-XX XX=COLOR SINGLE GANG HOLDS UP TO
6 Series II Outlets
OR-40300185-XX XX=COLOR SURFACE MOUNT BOX
SINGLE GANG
OR-62100014 MULTIMEDIA SERIES II FIBR-OP-COP
OUTLET
OR-40300167 SERIES II SYSTEM FURNITURE
BEZELS (FACEPLATE 2.656” X 1.343”
TO 2.750” X 1.406” OPENING)

Specification 03
Conduit
Design Segment
♦ Horizontal
♦ IDF
♦ Riser
♦ BDF
♦ Campus
______________________________________________________________________________
Conduit Runs
Conduit runs must be designed and installed to:
• Follow the most direct route possible with no more than two 90° bends between pull boxes.
• Contain no continuous sections longer than 100 feet. Pull boxes must be used for runs that
exceed 100 feet in length.
• Be bonded to earth on one or both ends.
Conduit must not be run through areas in which flammable materials may be stored or over or
adjacent to boilers, incinerators, hot water lines, or steam lines.
Bend Radii
The radius of a conduit bend must be at least 6 to 10 times the diameter of the conduit,
depending on its size. Choose the bend radii for conduits according to the following table.
Internal Diameter Minimum Bend Radius

2 inches or less 6 times the internal conduit diameter
2 inches or more 10 times the internal conduit diameter
For additional information on conduit bend radius requirements and recommendations, see
specifications in ANSI/NFPA 70 and ANSI/EIA/TIA 569.

Specification 04
Horizontal Conduit Capacity
Design Segment
♦ Horizontal
♦ IDF
♦ Riser
♦ BDF
♦ Campus
The following chart provides guidelines used by ANSI/EIA/TIA-569 on cable capacity for
horizontal conduits that have no more than two 90° bends. The diameter of the conduit increases
incrementally as the run approaches the IDF from the furthest outlet. This chart is based on 40%
fill.
Number of Cables
Trade
Size Cable Outside Diameter
(inches) .22 .24 .29 .31 .37 .53 .62 .70
1 7 6 3 3 2 1 0 0
1¼ 12 10 6 4 3 1 1 1
1½ 16 15 7 6 4 2 1 1
2 22 20 14 12 7 4 3 2
2½ 36 30 17 14 12 6 3 3
3 50 40 20 20 17 7 6 6
3½ - - - - 22 12 7 6
4 - - - - 30 14 12 7

Specification 05
Cable Trays
Design Segment
♦ Horizontal
♦ IDF
♦ Riser
♦ BDF
♦Campus
• Cable trays must be solid bottom, aluminum trays or corrugated ventilated trays. They must
be 18 inches wide and at least 6 inches deep. Smaller buildings and secondary tray sections
serving fewer than 25 work areas may utilize a 12-inch wide tray.
• Cable trays must be secured on 10-foot centers using a single center-mounted steel
supporting rod and bottom "T" connector, angled wall supports, or a standard trapeze type
support system.
• Cable trays must meet Zone 3 seismic bracing standards.
• Cable trays will be used only over areas with ceiling access and must transition to a
minimum of three 4-inch conduits when routed over fixed ceiling spaces that are longer than
15 feet.
• Cable trays must be bonded end-to-end.
• Cable trays must extend 6 inches into the IDF then utilize a drop out to protect station cables
from potential damage from the end of the tray.
• All cable tray penetrations through firewalls must allow cable installers to fire-seal around
the cables after they are installed. Tray-based mechanical firestop systems will be used when
a cable tray must penetrate a fire barrier.
• Cable trays will not be placed within 5 inches of any overhead light fixture and within 12
inches of any electrical ballast. A minimum clearance of 12 inches above the cable tray must
be maintained at all times. All bends and T-joints in the cable trays must be fully accessible
from above (within one foot).
• Cable trays must be mounted no higher than 12 feet above the finished floor, and must not
extend more than 8 feet over a fixed ceiling area.

Specification 06
Color Codes for Cross Connect Fields
Design Segment
♦ Horizontal
♦ IDF
♦ Riser
♦ BDF
♦Campus
The following color codes for cross connect fields must be used to identify horizontal and riser
cables.
TERMINATION COLOR COMMENTS

TYPE
Demarcation point Orange Central office terminations
Network Green Network connections or auxiliary circuit
connections termination
Common equipment Purple Used for all major switching and data
PBX, Host, LANs equipment terminations
First level White BDF-IDF cable terminations
backbone
Second level Gray IDF-IDF cable terminations
backbone
Station Blue Horizontal cable terminations
Interbuilding riser Brown Campus cable terminations
(backbone)
Miscellaneous Yellow Auxiliary, maintenance alarms, security, etc.
Key telephone Red
systems

Specification 07
Distribution Cabinets
Design Segment
♦ Horizontal
♦ IDF
♦Riser
♦ BDF
♦Campus
UC Davis recognizes five types of distribution cabinets for use in the IDFs:
Type 1, Type 2, Type 3, Type 3A, 3L, 3B and Type 3R. The type of cabinet used depends on the
network electronics and termination hardware housed in them, and the number of work areas
they serve. The following chart lists the types of distribution cabinets and when each must be
used.
Distribution Cabinet Uses

Type 1 96 to 192 NAMs
Type 2 48 to 96 NAMs
Type 3 48 NAMs or less
Type 3A 48 NAMs or less (wall mounted
components)
Type 3B 48 NAMs or less
Type 3L 48 NAMs or less (Lab Cabinet)
Type 3R 48 NAMs or less (Outside Plant
Equipment enclosure)
Is the above design criteria still accurate? (Due to high density patch panels, smaller equipment
etc. this information may not be accurate….)Space saved with the high density fiber doesn’t
impact this table that much. That space will probably be used for wireless 800mhz etc…
The cabinets must be designed as follows:
• for indoor use, except the Type 3R, as an equipment safeguard against
dust, filling dirt, non-corrosive liquids, and pedestrian traffic in congested
locations,
• for UL/NEMA 4 specifications, where cabinets are exposed to harsh

conditions,

• for UL/NEMA 2 specifications in the IDFs and BDF with locked doors,
• to accommodate both single and double-bay frames,
• so the sides of the frame will be open in cases where they must be joined
with additional enclosures,
• with solid sides to close the end panels of single or joined enclosures,
• with solid top panels, or top panels equipped with fans. In some cases,
side-mount or top-mount air conditioning units may be required,
• with a top mounted fan, approximately 535 CFM, 115 VAC. The fan must
include finger guards and power cord,
• with air filters in the doors of each unit,
• with a solid bottom panel, 16 gauge, zinc plate to enclose the bottom of the
cabinet and secure it,
• with the doors to be solid, hinged on the left, and easily changed to hinge
on the right. Two door configurations must be hinged on their respective
sides,
• with handles which can be locked with a key. Keys will be common for all
cabinet types, See CR for Key Code.
• pre-assembled prior to delivery. The pre-assembly instructions must

include any modifications. Cabinets designed to mate with adjoining units
must be shipped as single units to facilitate transportation and movement
on small elevators and in other tight quarters,
• and come equipped with ANSI/EIA RS-310-D drillings. Holes for internal
mountings must be 10-32 tapped. Extra screws and miscellaneous
hardware for future maintenance requirements must be included. Each
rack angle assembly must be adjustable in depth, so that there is a
minimum of 6 inches of clearance between the closed door and the face of
any installed panel,
• cables can enter the cabinets either from the top or the bottom. Provision
for cable entry knockouts are required in all designs. 2-inch trade size,
T&B XTRAFLEX liquidtite nonmetallic conduit, equipped with
XTRAFLEX must be used. All plastic connectors, both 90° and/or 45°
angles for bringing cables into the cabinets must be used, plastic bushing
must be installed on end of conduit to protect cable,
• with sufficient bracing to meet Zone 3 seismic requirements,

• color to be determined by UC Davis,
All cabinets are designed to accommodate standard 19-inch rack mountable equipment.
A dedicated 20 AMP circuit with a four-plex outlet must be located near each cabinet.
The cabinets must have the following dimensions:
Distribution Cabinet Dimensions (H × W × D)

Type 1 (ADF & BDF) 84” × 24” × 32”
Type 2 84” × 24” × 32”
Type 3 30” × 24” × 24”
Type 3A Components mounted on

wall (without a cabinet) 4’x
8’ of wall space
Type 3 B 42” × 36” × 13.25”Changed

with advent UCNet 2 Hubbel
Cabinet 42”X24.2” X 9.7”
Type 3L 30” × 24” × 24”, for use as

a lab cabinet
Type 3R 63” x 56” x 46”, outdoor

enclosure
Note: Overall height of all standing cabinets must not exceed 84 inches.
ADF Cabinet: ADF cabinets are used only in Area Distribution Frame locations. Planning for
a new ADF must be coordinated with Communications Resources Department Systems
Engineering & Development Unit.


BDF Cabinet: Where is the management hublet in the rack?

Type 1 IDF Cabinet: Where is the fiber?

Type 2 IDF Cabinet:

Type 3 IDF Cabinet:
The IDF Type 3 wall unit must be designed to house electronic and electrical components with
appropriately placed knockouts for cable entries. A design providing for 90° pivoting must be
provided. This feature must allow access to the rear of the enclosure for future maintenance
requirements. The hinged component of the wall-mounted cabinet must support equipment
weights up to 100 pounds.

Type 3A: Add a connection from the fiber to the switch.
The Type 3A is not a cabinet. It defines wall mounted components on a 4’X8’ of wall space.
Type 3B:
The Type 3B must be designed for wall mounting. It is typically used in lieu of a type 3 when
there is not 24 inches of depth available. It must include its own mounting apparatus and does
not require a mounting platform. The IDF Type 3B must be designed to house electrical
components with appropriately placed knockouts for cable entries. Construction of the IDF Type
3B must include the following features:
Hubbell Remote Equipment Box 42” for UCDavis• •

Type 3L
The "Type 3L" IDF closet, also referred to the "labcab," has the same architectural
limitation imposed on all "Type 3" cabinets. The maximum number of NAMs that a
"Type 3L" cabinet will support is 48. In addition, this configuration is applied where
local wiring may only extend to within the same room as the cabinet. Typical

applications for this configuration are in laboratory or classroom environments where

frequent local wiring changes are necessary.
All "Type 3L" cabinets will house the networking components in a cabinet structure for
security and management purposes. The UC Davis policy dictates that the networking
electronics shall be housed in a secure cabinet when co-located with any other equipment
not related to communications. The closet shall have a ¾ inch plywood wall that is at
least 3 feet by 4 feet. A ground from the TMBG shall be used on all Type 3L cabinets.
Type 3R:
The Type 3R Outside Plant external enclosure is used to house telephone, data and video
system patch panels, and equipment. The enclosure shall be water and gas tight (when
sealed) and shall be provided with a built-in heating and cooling unit to maintain
consistent temperatures within the enclosure at all times.
The enclosure shall conform to the following specification:
The entire enclosure shall meet NEMA type 3R, 4X and Bellcore TA-NWT-000487,
Newton 7101, part number 2143990079, and shall be constructed of steel or aluminum
panels a minimum of 1/8” thick, powder coat painted for exposed conditions. It shall be
fitted with lifting eyebolts.
All exterior seams shall be made weather tight with a silicone sealant.
The doors shall have a three point latching mechanism, external vandal resistant door
handle, provision to mount padlocks, and each door shall have grounding straps. All
doors shall be fitted with a documentation pocket, all external doors shall have Bellcore
quarter turn style door locks.
Overall dimension are not to exceed 63” (H) x 56” (W) x 46” (D).
Provide all mounting components and accessories and securely fix enclosure to concrete
pad. Connect built-in heating and cooling systems, and power strip, to electrical system.
Provide strain relief and cable management inside the enclosure to ensure tidy routing of
all cables.
The enclosure shall consist of three chambers, communications cable entry chamber,
electrical chamber, (including a built in heat exchanger) and communications chamber
(central chamber). Each chamber to have it’s own chamber ground bus.

Specification 08
Conduit Fill for Riser Cables
Design Segment
♦Horizontal
♦ IDF
♦ Riser
♦ BDF
♦Campus
This table shows the conduit fill ratio requirements for riser cables. The number of cables, which
can be installed, is actually limited by the allowed maximum pulling tension of the cables. This
fill ratio requirement does not apply to sleeves and conduit runs without bends and under 50 feet.
Conduit Area of Conduit

Trade Size Internal Maximum Recommended Fill
Diameter*
A B C
(inches) (inches) 1 Cable 2 Cables 3 Cables
53% Fill (in2) 31% Fill (in2) 40% Fill (in2)
1 1.05 0.46 0.27 0.35
1¼ 1.38 0.80 0.47 0.60
1½ 1.61 1.09 0.64 0.82
2 2.07 1.80 1.05 1.36
2½ 2.47 2.56 1.49 1.93
3 3.07 3.95 2.31 2.98
3½ 3.55 5.28 3.09 3.98
4 4.03 6.80 3.98 5.13
Internal diameters are taken from the manufacturing standard for electric metallic tubing and
rigid metal conduit.

Specification 09
Pull Boxes
Design Segment
♦ Horizontal
♦ IDF
♦ Riser
♦ BDF
♦Campus
Installing Pull Boxes
Pull boxes must be installed in easily accessible locations. A pull box may be
placed in an interstitial ceiling space only if it is listed for that purpose and it is
placed above a suitable marked, removable ceiling panel.
Horizontal cabling boxes must be installed immediately above suspended ceilings.

The illustration below shows recommended pull box configurations.

Choosing a Pull Box Size
For horizontal cable, the width and depth of the pull box must be adequate for fishing,
pulling, and looping the cable. The length must be 12 times the diameter of the largest
conduit.
Use the table below to select the proper size of pull box.
Maximum For Each

Trade Size of Size of Box Additional
Conduit Conduit
(Inches) Increase Width
Width Length Depth (Inches)
.75 4 12 3 2
1.0 4 16 3 2
1.25 6 20 3 3
1.5 8 27 4 4
2.0 8 36 4 5
2.5 10 42 5 6
3.0 12 48 5 6
3.5 12 54 6 6
4.0 15 60 8 8

Specification 10
Conduit for Underground Cabling
Design Segment
♦ Horizontal
♦ IDF
♦ Riser
♦ BDF
♦Campus
• Conduit must be PVC Schedule 40, corrosion-resistant plastic with a 4

inch inside diameter.
• Conduit must be provided with a 12-gauge steel wire or equivalent pull

wire with a minimum of 200 pound pulling tension.
• All unused entrance conduits must be capped/plugged and installed with

pull strings.
• Conduit stubs entering the building must extend beyond the foundation
landscaping. All conduit ends adjacent to the building must be flagged for
easy identification.
• Conduit entering from a below grade point must extend 4 inches above the
finished floor in the BDF. Conduit entering from ceiling height must
terminate 4 inches below the finished ceiling.
• Conduit must be securely fastened to the building to withstand a typical

placing operation performed by the service provider. The area around the
conduit entrance must be free of any construction, storage, or mechanical
apparatus.
• All metallic conduit and sleeves must be reamed, bushed, and capped
when placed.
• Metal sleeves through foundation walls must extend to undisturbed earth

to prevent shearing.

• The top of the conduit must be buried at least 24 inches below the ground
surface. Warning tape equipped with a metallic tracer shall be placed 18-
inches above top of conduit bank.
• Underground conduit must be terminated at the designated property line

with a minimum cover of 24 inches.
• Conduit must be encased in concrete when the following conditions exist:

minimum conduit depth cannot be attained, conduits must pass under
roads, driveways, or railroad tracks, or bend points might be subject to
movement. Reinforcing bars within the concrete must be used at any
location subject to potentially extreme stress.
• All entrance conduits must be securely fastened to the building to

withstand a typical placing operation performed by the service provider.
• The area around the conduit entrance must be free of any construction,
storage, or mechanical apparatus.
• The inside-the-building end of the conduit must be sealed to prevent

rodents, water, or gases from entering the building
• There must be no more than two 90° bends between pulling points on all
entrance cables.
• All bends must be long, sweeping bends with a radius not less than 6 times
the internal diameter of conduits 2 inches or smaller, or 10 times the
internal diameter of conduits larger than 2 inches.
• Conduit must be positioned on the field side of the poles (the side that is
protected from the normal flow of traffic).
Sizing Underground Conduit

The quantity and size of underground entrance conduits are based on the anticipated number and
type of telecommunications circuits that will be brought into the building. UC Davis requires 2
entrance pairs per 100 square feet of usable office space. The following table shows the data for
determining the quantity and size of underground entrance conduits.
Telephone Entrance Conduits Required
Pairs
1 - 1000 1each 4-inch conduit + 2 spare 4-inch conduits
1001 - 2000 2 each 4-inch conduits + 2 spare 4-inch conduits
3001 - 5000 4 each 4-inch conduit + 2 spare 4-inch conduits
Note: Two spare 4-inch conduits must be brought into every building in addition to the quantities
specified above.

Specification 11
Electrical Protection, Bonding/Earthing
Design Segment
♦ Horizontal
♦ IDF
♦ Riser
♦ BDF
♦ Campus
Electrical protection must be provided for cables that are subject to lightning, power contact,
ground potential rise, or induction. The minimum protection is a tri-element gas module device.
Cables exposed to power sources must be provided with sneak current protectors which will
protect cables against voltage and power surges by interrupting the current or by grounding the
conductors.
Ground systems must conform to the NEC specifications. Approved ground systems are:
• building entrance power ground from transformer – single point
• building steel (the metal frame of the building itself )
• building footing (a concrete-encased electrode near the bottom of the

building's foundation)
• ground ring (20 feet or more of bare copper wire in direct contact with the
earth-it encircles the building)
• metallic power service conduit, enclosure, or grounding electrode
• ground rod or pipe
Equipment single point grounds must be grounded to the building grounding systems as
defined in ANSI/TIA/EIA-607 (1994) Commercial Building Grounding and Bonding Requirements
for Telecommunications

Riser cables must be grounded at the point of origination and at any floor in which pairs leave
the cable sheath. Riser cable sheaths must be bonded to approved grounds in the IDFs and the
BDF.
Lateral cables must be bonded to approved grounds in the IDFs.
Cable sheaths of cables entering a building must be bonded to an approved ground at the
building entrance location.
Protector panels will be wired to an approved ground by the straightest and shortest means.
The NEC requires a listed primary protector (such as

the AT&T 188B1-100, 25, 50 or the CIRCA
Equivalent with 4B1E-W Protector Module) at both
ends whenever an aerial communications cable is TGB3.1
routed across a street and whenever aerial or Equipment
underground campus circuits may be exposed to
accidental contact with power conductors operating at
over 300 volts.
Exposed refers to an outdoor communications cable’s TGB2.1

susceptibility to electrical power system faults or to
Equipment
lightning or other transients. A cable is also considered
electrically exposed if any of its branches or individual
circuits is exposed. #6 insulated copper conductor
A lightning exposure guideline is included in the NEC

TMGB
Section 800-30(a). It states that inter-building circuits
are considered to have exposure to lightening unless Equipment
cable runs are 140 feet or less, buried with a properly
grounded shield. The NEC also states that the shield
must be bonded to the building’s ground electrode
system at each end. Grounding
Electrode
System
NEC Article 100 and Section 250-70 define bonding as

the permanent joining of metallic parts to form an
electrically conductive path that will assure electrical continuity and the capacity to conduct
safely any current that is likely to be imposed.
Bonding conductors are not intended to carry electrical load currents under normal conditions,
but must carry fault currents so that electrical protection (circuit breakers) will properly operate.

A #6 AWG copper conductor will be used to bond the communications components to the
ground. A larger conductor will be used if the ground source exceeds 5 ohms.
The electrical contractor must provide access to a bonding connection at the electrical service
ground during new construction (NEC 250-71(b)). A telecommunications main grounding
busbar (TMGB) must be specified in the BDF with an approved ground connector back to the
electrical service ground point.
A telecommunications grounding busbar (TGB) must be specified for each IDF in the building.
Each TGB will have a #6 AWG conductor back to the TMGB.
In a renovation or remodeling project where a suitable ground to the electrical service ground is
not available, a grounding electrode will be installed in accordance with the NEC Section 250-
83. Note: a metallic water pipe connected to a utility water distribution system is no longer the
first choice for a grounding electrode. The NEC recommends the that a ½ inch diameter, 5 foot
ground rod be used.
Communications bonding relies on short direct paths that have minimum resistive and inductive
impedance:
• Bonding conductors must be routed with minimum bends or changes in

direction.
• Bonding connections must be made directly to the points being bonded,

avoiding unnecessary connections or splices.

APPENDIX B
Reference Materials
Following is a listing of reference materials on telecommunications infrastructure.
ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-A-1995, Commercial Building Telecommunications Cabling Standard,

provides rules and guidelines for the physical design of a cabling infrastructure that supports
voice and data transmissions in a multi-vendor environment. The standards specify a cabling
system with a physical star topology. This topology provides economic benefits in terms of
initial cabling costs, ongoing maintenance, and administration costs. The standards specify
copper and fiber optic cable by parameters that determine performance. They also identify
connectors and their pin assignments to ensure inter-connectivity. The standards specify
maximum allowable distances within the various elements of a cabling system. Include latest
additions, corrections or Addendums.
ANSI/EIA/TIA-569-A 1998, Commercial Building Telecommunications Pathways and

Spaces, describes design and construction practices for pathways and spaces to support
telecommunications media and equipment within and between buildings. Standards are given for
the design of horizontal and work area pathways, building entrance facilities,
telecommunications closets, and equipment rooms. Include latest additions, corrections or
Addendums.
ANSI/TIA/EIA-606-1993, Administration Standard for the Telecommunications

Infrastructure of Commercial Buildings, provide guidelines for labeling and administering the
telecommunications equipment space, cable pathways, grounding, cabling, termination, and
other components that comprise a structured cabling system. The administration of
telecommunications includes documentation of telecommunications outlet boxes, connectors,
cables, termination hardware, patching and cross-connect facilities, conduits, other cable
pathways, telecommunications closets and other spaces.
These standards specify a telecommunications infrastructure administration scheme that is

independent of applications. Use of these standards results in a cabling system that is well
documented and easily managed by the administrator over the life cycle of the building.
ANSI/TIA/EIA-607-1994, Commercial Building Grounding and Bonding Requirements for

Telecommunications, describes a standard method for distributing signal ground throughout a
building. These standards provide the requirements for a ground reference for
telecommunications systems within the telecommunications entrance facility, the
telecommunications closet, and the equipment room. They also specify the requirements for
bonding and connecting pathways, cable shields, conductors, and hardware at
telecommunications closets, equipment rooms, and entrance facilities.
The grounding and bonding approach is consistent with the cabling topology specified in
ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-A-1995 and installed in accordance with ANSI/EIA/TIA-569-1990.

ANSI/TIA/EIA-758 Customer-Owned Outside Plant Telecommunications Cabling

Standard (April 1999)
ANSI/TIA/EIA-758-1 Addendeum No. 1 to TIA/EIA-758 Customer-Owned Outside Plant
Telecommunications Cabling Standard (March 1999)
This Standard specifies minimum requirements for customer-owned OSP telecommunications

facilities in a campus environment. The standard specifies the cabling, pathways and spaces to
support the cabling.
Customer-owned OSP cabling extends between separated structures including the terminating
connecting hardware at or within the structures. The OSP pathway includes the pathway through
the point of entry into the building space. Customer-owned OSP pathways may include aerial,
direct-buried, underground (e.g., duct), and tunnel distribution techniques. Customer-owned OSP
pathways and spaces specified by this Standard are intended to have a useful life in excess of
forty (40) years.
The OSP cabling specified by this Standard is intended to support a wide range of applications
(e.g., voice, data, video, alarms, environmental control, security, audio, etc.) on commercial,
industrial, institutional and residential sites. The customer-owned OSP cabling specified by this
Standard is intended to have a useful life in excess of thirty (30) years.
This standard applies to all campuses, regardless of the size or population.
Underwriters Laboratories (UL), LAN Cable Certification Program. Test products to verify
that performance meets or exceeds industry standards. The UL tests the electrical shock, flame
spread, and smoke production characteristics of cables. The UL also tests cables for
transmission properties.
National Electrical Code (NEC) Sections 250 and 800, provide a set of codes governing items
such as voltage limits, transmission media conductor size, overvoltage protection requirements,
fire resistance of cables, and cabling methods. It is important to check with local governing
bodies to determine if their codes supersede the NEC articles.
Building Industry Consulting Service International's (BICSI) Telecommunications

Distribution Methods Manual (TDM).
BICSI’s Customer-Owned Outside Plant (CO-OSP) Design Manual.
California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) General Orders 95 and 128.
Copies of the ANSI/EIA/TIA industry standards may be purchased from Global Professional
Publications, 15 Inverness Way East, Englewood, Colorado 80112- 5776, (800) 854-7179 or
(714) 261-1455.

BICSI TDM and CO-OSP Manuals can be purchased from BICSI, 10500 University Center
Drive, Suite 100, Tampa, Florida, 33612-6415, (800) 242-7405.
NEC book can be obtained through the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA),
Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269, (617) 770-3000
UL LAN Cable Certification Program publication is available from UL, Literature Stock, 333
Pfingsten Road, Northbrook, IL 60062-2096, (708) 272-8800 ext. 43731.
California Public Utilities Commission, 505 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA, (415) 703-
1170.

APPENDIX C
Glossary
Administration Correct and consistent use of color, labeling, and numbering

when preparing and maintaining records of wire and cable
work.
Aerial See Interbuilding Cable
Aerial Cable Telecommunications cable installed on aerial supporting

structures such as poles, sides of buildings, and other
structures.
Air-Handling A designated area, closed or open, used for environmental air.

Plenum
ALPETH Aluminum-polyethylene. The primary sheath for aerial cable.
American Wire The standard gauge for measuring the diameter of copper,
Gauge (AWG) aluminum, and other conductors.
ANSI American National Standards Institute.
Approved Ground Grounds that meet National Electric Code (NEC) requirements
such as building steel, ground rings, and other devices.
Aramid Yarn A strength element used in cable to provide support and

additional protection of the fiber bundles.
Armoring The additional protection between jacketing layers to provide

protection against severe outdoor environments. It is usually
made of plastic-coated steel and may be corrugated for
flexibility.
Attenuation The decrease in power magnitude of a signal in transmission

between points. It expresses the total losses on an optical fiber
consisting of the ratio of light-to-light input.
Attenuation is usually measured in decibels per kilometer

(dB/km) at a specific wavelength. The lower the number, the
better the fiber. Typical multi-mode wavelengths are 850 and
1300 nanometers (nm); single mode, at 1300 and 1550 nm.
Backboard A wooden or metal panel used for mounting electronic

equipment and cross-connect hardware.
Bend Radius The radius a fiber can bend before the risk of breakage or
increase in attenuation.
Bonding The permanent joining of metallic parts to form an electrically

conductive path that will assure electrical continuity, the
capacity to conduct safely any current likely to be imposed,
and the ability to limit dangerous potentials.
Bonding Conductor A conductor used specifically for the purpose of bonding.
Buffer Tubes Loose fitting covers over optical fibers used for protection and
isolation.
Buffering A protective material extruded directly on the fiber coating to

protect the fiber from the environment.
Extruding a tube around the coated fiber to allow isolation of

the fiber from stresses on the cable.
Building Distribution A centralized space for telecommunications equipment that

Frame (BDF) serves the occupants of the building.
Building Entrance The area inside a building where telecommunications cables

Facility enter and are connected to riser cables, and where electrical
protection is provided when required. The network interface,
as well as the protectors and other distribution components for
the campus sub-systems may be located here.
Building Entrance An over-voltage protector that uses closely spaced carbon

Protector electrodes for voltage limiting.
Building Entrance Cable determination equipment where an outside-plant cable

Terminal plant enters a building.
Bundle Many individual fibers contained within a single jacket or

buffer tube. Also, a group of buffered fibers distinguished in
some fashion from another group in the same cable core.
Cabinet A container that may enclose connection devices, terminations,

apparatus, wiring, and equipment.
Cable An assembly of one or more conductors or optical fibers

within an enveloping sheath, constructed to permit use of the
conductors singly or in groups.

Cable Assembly An optical fiber cable that has connectors installed on one or
both ends. General use of these cable assemblies includes the
optoelectronic equipment and interconnection of multi-mode
and single mode optical fiber cable systems. If connectors are
attached to only one end of the cable, the cable assembly is a
pigtail. If connectors are attached to both ends, it is a jumper.
Cable Bend Radius Cable bend radius during installation implies that the cable is
experiencing a tensile load. Free bend implies a lower
allowable bend radius since it is at a condition of no load.
Cable Tray The portion of the pathway system that permits the placing of
main or high volume cables between the entrance location and
all cross-connect points within a building and between
buildings.
A ladder, trough, solid-bottom or channel raceway system
intended for, but not limited to, the support of
telecommunications media.
Campus The buildings and grounds of a complex, such as a university,

college, industrial park, or military establishment.
Capping Applying a closure device to an insert after the floor fitting is

removed.
Carbon Block A surge-limiting device that is grounded by an arcing across

the air gap when the voltage of a conductor exceeds a
predetermined level. If the current flow across the gap is large
or persists for a length of time, the protector mechanism will
operate and the protector will become permanently grounded.
Ceiling Distribution A distribution system that uses the space between a suspended
System or false ceiling and the structural surface above the ceiling.
Cladding The material surrounding the core of an optical wave guide.

The cladding must have a lower index of refraction in order to
steer the light in the core.
Conduit A rigid or flexible metallic/nonmetallic raceway of circular

cross-section through which cables can be pulled or housed.
Connector A mechanical device used on a fiber to provide a means for

aligning, attaching, and de-coupling the fiber to a transmitter,
receiver, or another fiber.

Core The central region of an optical fiber through which light is

transmitted.
Core Area The area within a building that contains usable space for
elevators, power cables, and telecommunications cables.
Cross-connection A connection scheme between cabling runs, subsystems, and

equipment using patch cords or jumpers that attach to
connecting hardware on each end.
Decibel (dB) A unit for measuring the relative strength of a signal.
Demarcation Point A point at which two services may interface and identify the
(DEMARC) division of responsibility.
Dielectric A material that is nonmetallic and nonconductive. A dielectric

cable contains no metallic components.
Direct Buried Cable A cable installed under the surface of the ground (not in
conduit) in such a manner that it cannot be removed without
disturbing the soil.
Distribution Frame Wall- or floor-mounted vertical frame of ironwork with

protectors or terminal blocks (or both) used to terminate cable
pairs.
Structure with terminations for connecting the permanent

wiring of a facility in such a manner that interconnection by
cross-connections may be made readily.
Distribution Panel A wiring board that provides a patch panel function and
mounts either in a rack or on a wall.
Drop Ceiling A ceiling that creates an area or space between the ceiling
material and the structure above the material.
Dry Wall An interior wall construction consisting of plaster boards.
Duct Single enclosed raceway for wires or cables usually used in

soil or concrete.
Enclosure in which air is moved (generally part of the HVAC

system of a building).
Single enclosed raceway of wires or cables.

Duct Bank An arrangement of ducts in tiers.

Earth Ground An electrical connection to earth obtained by a grounding

electrode system.
EIA Electronic Industries Association (EIA) is a standards

association that publishes test procedures.
Electromagnetic The interference in signal transmission or reception resulting

Interference (EMI) from the radiation of electrical or magnetic electrical and
magnetic fields.
Emergency Power A stand-alone electrical supply source not connected to the

primary electrical source.
Entrance Facility An entrance to a building for both public and private network
service cables (including antennae) including the entrance
point at the building wall and continuing to the entrance room
or space.
Fiber Thin filament of glass.
Optical wave-guide consisting of a core and a cladding which

is capable of carrying information in the form of light.
Fiber Optics Light transmission through optical fibers for communications

or signaling.
Fire Rating System The time in hours (or fractions of hours) that:
Full-scale material designs or assemblies show an acceptable

resistance to fire.
A material or assembly of materials withstands the passage of
flame and the transmission of heat when exposed to fire under
specified conditions of test and performance criteria.
Fire Wall A wall that helps to prevent fire spreading from one container
or area to another and that runs from structural floor to
structural ceiling.
Fire-Rated Doors An assembly of various materials and types of construction

used in wall openings to retard the passage of fire.
Firestop A material, device, or assembly of parts installed in a cable

system in a fire-rated wall or floor to prevent passage of flame,
smoke, or gases through the rated barrier.

Firestopping The use of special devices and materials to prevent the

outbreak of fire within telecommunications utility spaces and
to block the spread of fire, smoke, toxic gases, and fluids
through cable apertures and along cable pathways. Local
building codes often mandates the techniques used.
An F rating withstands the fire test for the rating period

without permitting flames to pass through the firestop; flame
occurring on any element of the unexposed side of the firestop;
or developing any opening in the firestop that permits a
projection of water beyond the unexposed side during the hose
strength test.
A T rating meets the criteria of an F rating and prevents the

transmission of heat during the rating period so that the
temperature rise is not more than 325°F on any unexposed
surface thermocouple or penetrating item.
Floor Slab The upper part of a reinforced concrete floor carried on beams
below the slab.
A concrete mat poured on sub-grade serving as a floor rather
than as a structural member.
Furniture System Furniture walls combined with furniture units such as desks,
work surfaces, file cabinets, etc.
Fusion Splice A permanent joint accomplished by applying localized heat

sufficient to fuse or melt the ends of the optical fiber, forming
a continuous single fiber.
Gas Tube Protector An over-voltage protector featuring metallic electrodes which

discharge in a gas atmosphere within a glass or ceramic
envelope.
Ground A conducting connection, intentional or accidental, between a

circuit or equipment and the earth (or to some conducting body
that acts in place of the earth).
Grounding The conductor used to connect the electrical equipment to a

Conductor grounding electrode.
Grounding Electrode A conductor (usually a rod, pipe, or plate) in direct contact

with the earth providing an electrical connection to the earth.
Grounding Electrode A conductor used to connect the grounding electrode to the

Conductor equipment-grounding conductor and/or to the grounded

conductor (neutral) at the service equipment or at the source of

a separately derived system.
Heat Coil A device that grounds a conductor when the conductor’s

current time limits is exceeded. Heat coils are suitable for
sneak current protection if they are located at the building
entrance terminal.
Hertz Another name for a frequency measurement of cycles per

second
Horizontal Cabling Horizontal cabling consists of cabling from the intermediate
distribution frame to the horizontal cross-connect.
Horizontal Cross- A cross-connect of horizontal cabling to other cabling, e.g.,

Connect horizontal equipment.
Innerduct Additional conduit placed inside a larger diameter conduit.
Interbuilding Cable The communications cable that is part of the campus

subsystem and runs between buildings. Interbuilding cable
may be installed in underground conduit, indirect buried in
trenches, or aerial on poles.
Intermediate Cross- A cross-connect between the main cross-connect and the

Connect horizontal cross-connect in riser cabling.
Interstitial Space A small or narrow space located above or below the

occupant’s space on each floor that is used for routing building
services (e.g., lighting, HVAC, power, telecommunications,
plumbing).
Jumper An optical fiber cable that has connectors installed on both

ends.
Ladder Rack The vertical or horizontal open support (usually made of

aluminum or steel) that is attached to a ceiling or wall.
Local Area Network A geographically limited communications network intended

(LAN) for the local transport of data, video, and voice.
Main Cross-Connect The cross-connect in the main equipment room for connecting
entrance cables, riser cables, and equipment cables.
Main Terminal The cross-connecting point of incoming cables from the

Room telecommunications external network.

Mechanical Splicing Joining two fibers together by mechanical means to enable a

continuous signal.
Megahertz (MHz) A unit of frequency that is equal to one million hertz

.
Micron (µm) A term for micrometer (one millionth of a meter).
Multi-mode Fiber An optical wave guide in which light travels in multiple

modes. Typical core cladding sizes (measured in microns) are
50/125, 62.5/125, and 100/140.
Nanometer A unit of measurement equal to one billionth of a meter.
Ohm-meter The unit of measurement of the volume resistivity of a cubic

meter of material (i.e., soil, rock, plastic, or water) as
determined by measuring the DC resistance between any two
opposite faces of the cube. For soil measurements, the
resulting reading in ohmmeters is the earth resistivity for that
soil. When earth resistivity is expressed in ohm-centimeters,
convert to ohmmeters by dividing by 100.
Patch Cord A short length of wire or fiber cable with connectors on each
end used to join communications circuits at a crosscurrent.
Pathway A facility for the placement of telecommunications cable.
Plenum An air duct inside buildings through which cable can be pulled
or housed.
Point-to-Point A type of connection established between two specific

locations, as between two buildings.
Power Pole A raceway placed between the ceiling and floor in conjunction
with ceiling distribution systems. It is used for the
concealment of telecommunications and electrical wiring from
the ceiling space to the work area.
Primary Protection The minimum protection required on all exposed facilities to

comply with NEC requirements.
Protector A device used to limit damaging foreign voltages on metallic

telecommunications conductors.
Protector (Ground A wire runs from the ground lug on the protector to an
Conductor) approved ground via the shortest and straightest route. Limit
this wire to 3.28 feet in length and do not pass it within 5.9

inches of protected lines. This prevents inductive coupling to

the protected lines in the event of a high-energy discharge.
Protector (Open An outside plant protector that limits the voltage between
Wire) telecommunications conductors and the ground. Open wire
protectors are equipped with either 10- or 20-mil carbon
electrodes. Typical open wire protectors limit voltage up to
1,250V DC.
Protector Unit A device to protect against either over-voltage or over-current

or both. The unit may contain carbon electrodes, gas tubes,
diodes, solid state devices, heat coils, fuses, or a combination
of these components to address a particular application that
screws or plugs into a protector, protected terminal, connecting
block, central office connector.
Pull Cord Cord placed within a raceway and used to pull cable through
the raceway.
Pull Strength The maximum pulling force that can be safely applied to a
cable or raceway without damage.
PVC The abbreviation for polyvinyl chloride used in manufacturing

a type of jacketing material.
Radio Frequency A disturbance in the reception of radio and other

Interference (RFI) electromechanical signals due to conflict with undesired
signals.
Riser Cable A cable used in the riser segment.
Riser Cabling The cabling that distributes from the entrance facility to the
equipment room, intermediate distribution frames, and
between buildings.
Sheath (Cable) Loop A type of loop diversity that assigns circuits among different
Diversity sheaths or cables.
Shield Metallic layer placed around a conductor or group of

conductors to prevent electrostatic or electromagnetic
interference between the enclosed wires and external fields.
The shield may be the metallic sheath of the cable or the

metallic layer inside a nonmetallic sheath.
Housing, screen, or cover that substantially reduces the

coupling of electric and magnetic fields into or out of circuits

or prevents the accidental contact of objects or persons with
parts or components operating at hazardous voltage levels.
Shielding A metallic layer used to reduce EMI, noise, emissions, or
absorption. Also, the reduction by means of shields of the
undesirable effects on circuits causes by electromagnetic or
electrostatic fields.
Single-mode Fiber An optical wave guide (or fiber) in which the signal travels in
one “mode”. The fiber has a small core diameter.
Slab on Grade A concrete floor placed directly on soil without a basement or

crawl space.
Sleeve A circular opening through the wall, ceiling, or floor to allow

the passage of cables and wires.
Slot An opening (usually rectangular) through a wall, floor, or

ceiling to allow the passage of cables and wires.
Sneak Current A foreign current flowing through terminal wiring and

equipment that is driven by a voltage that is too low to cause a
protector to operate.
Sneak Current The use of devices to protect against sneak currents either by
Protection interrupting the current (sneak current fuses) or grounding the
conductor (heat coils).
Splice Closure A container used to organize and protect splice trays.
Splice Tray A container used to organize and protect spliced fibers.
Splicing The permanent joining of fiber ends to identical or similar

fibers without the use of a connector.
Support Strand A strong element used to carry the weight of the

telecommunications cable and wiring.
Suspended Ceiling See False Ceiling
Telecommunications The communication of information over some distance,

including inter-building and intra-building distances.
Telecommunications An enclosed space for housing telecommunications equipment,

Closets cable terminations, and cross-connects. This closet is the

recognized cross-connect between the riser cable and

horizontal cabling.
Termination An assembly used to access the conductors of a cable.
Tight Buffer A cable construction where each glass fiber is tightly buffered
by a protective thermoplastic coating to a diameter of 900
microns. High tensile strength rating is achieved providing
durability, ease of handling, and ease of connectivity.
Trench A narrow furrow dug into the earth for the direct installation of
buried cable or for the installation of troughs or ducts. The
trench is refilled with soil or covers the direct buried cable,
trough, or duct.
Underground Cable A telecommunications cable installed in an underground

trough or duct system and separates the cable from direct
contact with the soil.
Wiring Closet See Telecommunications Closet.
Work Area A building space where the occupants interact with

telecommunications terminal equipment. Designated
workspace in which constructive activity occurs.

APPENDIX D
UC Davis Policy and Procedure Manual, Section 310-10
Note: At the time of this update to the Communications Resources Cabling Standards, the
campus telecommunications Policy and Procedure is scheduled for revision. Check the
http://www.mrak.ucdavis.edu/web-mans/ppm/310/310-10.htm web page for the up to date
version.

APPENDIX E
NAM MATRICES:
VOICE NAM MATRIX
Bldg:
CAAN:
Zone:
VOICE IDF IDF REFERENCE RISER RISER BDF BDF

Room # NAM # TERM# ROOM # DRAWING # CABLE # PAIR TERM # ROOM #

DATA NAM MATRIX:
Bldg:
CAAN:
Zone:
NAM DATA Outlet IDF IDF REFERENCE

ROOM # NAM # No. TERM# ROOM # DRAWING #

MATV NAM MATRIX:
Bldg:
CAAN:
Zone:
NAM MATV OUTLET IDF IDF REFERENCE

Room # NAM # NO. TERM# ROOM # DRAWING #

APPENDIX F
SUPPORTING STANDARDS FOR IN-BUILDING RADIO COMMUNICATION
SYSTEM AMPLIFICATION
Supporting Standards for In-Building Radio Communication Systems Amplification.
1.0 Purpose.
This purpose of this document is to establish the policies and procedures regarding the needs assessment,
specifications, type, cost evaluation, testing and acceptance of an in-building radio system required in new campus
buildings.
2.0 General Radio Communications Coverage.
All buildings require the capability to support radio communications of the local public safety entities (Fire, Police
etc.) Since each building is unique in its location, construction, and interior design, this document provides
guidance in support of the formal Radio System Coverage Evaluation / In-Building Radio Communication Systems
which requires consideration of funding appropriations for specific radio system coverage of each newly constructed
facility and/or consideration for existing facilities that may be impacted by the new construction. In many cases, a
placeholder is to be used for in-building amplification costs; based on historical data, a recommendation of $35,000
should be used for capital projects exceeding 5000 square feet or multi-level structures. (Refine estimate during cost
evaluation)
2.1 Definitions.
BTS – Base Transceiver Station also known as the donor site.

dBm – dB, decibels, in milli-watts. A unit of measure for RF signal level.
Distributive Antenna – A system of non-radiating cable connected to an array of passive antenna.
Donor - Base Transceiver Station also known as the donor site.
Donor channel – The frequency in which the donor site transmits digital control information
Grade of Service – Typical service is stated as 95% coverage, 95% calls Received and Transmitted at
Circuit Merit Level 3 (CM3). 6
6
The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) Auxiliary
Communications Service (ACS) uses a "circuit merit" rating as a reporting
system for transmission quality.
CM5 = Completely clear, each word fully understood.
CM4 = Clear with slight amount of static and or interference.
Each word is understood.
CM3 = Static and or interference present, but the bulk of the
transmission is understood without having to be repeated. Deemed
to be the margin of acceptable, professional communication.
CM2 = Static and interference are prevalent and words are missing.

Fiber Optic – Optical transport of radio signals over fiber optic cable.
Off – Air Repeater – A repeater that receives frequencies from and antenna and amplifies and
retransmits these frequencies.
NPSPAC – National Public Safety planning and Advisory Committee
FCC – Federal Communications Commission
3.0 General Policy
Except as otherwise provided, no person shall, erect, construct, change the use of or provide an addition of more
than 20% to, any building or structure or any part thereof, or cause the same to be done which fails to support
adequate radio coverage for the clients of the University of California, Davis 800 MHz Trunked Communications
System, (including but not limited to Firefighters, Police Officers, or Emergency Response Personnel). For purposed
of this section, adequate radio coverage shall include all of the following:
• A minimum signal strength of -95 dBm available in 95% of the area of each floor of the building or
structure when transmitted from the campus Central Transceiver of the University of California, Davis 800
MHz Trunked Communications System; 7
• A minimum signal strength of -95 dBm received at the campus Central Transceiver of the University of
California, Davis 800 MHz Trunked Communications System when transmitted from 95% of the area of
each floor of the building;
• The frequency range which must be supported shall be 821-823 MHz and 866-868 MHz; and
• A 100% reliability factor.
4.0 Amplification Systems Allowed.
Buildings and structures which cannot support the required level of radio coverage shall be equipped with either (A)
an internal multiple antenna system with or without FCC type accepted bi-directional 800 MHz amplifiers as needed
or (B) radiating cable system (leaky coax). If any part of the installed system or systems contains an electrically
powered component, the system shall be capable of operating on an independent battery and/or generator system for
a period of at least twelve (12) hours without external power input. The battery system shall automatically charge in
the presence of an external power input. If used, bi-directional amplifiers shall include filters to reduce adjacent
frequency interference at least 35 dB below the NPSPAC band. The filters shall be tuned to 825 MHz and to 870
MHz so that they will be 35 dB below the NPSPAC frequencies of 824 MHz and 869 MHz respectively. Other
settings may be used provided that they don't attenuate the NPSPAC frequencies and further provided that they are
not more than one MHz from the NPSPAC frequencies.
5.0 Evaluation Process.
CM1 = Signal is barely evident and the words are not understandable.
CM0 = Nothing heard
7
When measuring the performance of a bi-directional amplifier, signal strength measurements are based on one
input signal adequate to obtain a maximum continuous operating output level.

The evaluation process for determining the need for in-building amplification is conducted in a minimum
of three phases: Pre-construction, construction, and acceptance/implementation.
5.1 Pre-construction Phase.
Before the construction of the new building, basic information can be gathered to begin the process of
determining the need, type and actual implementation of augmentation to the radio system. In most
cases, the following information must be known to properly design and cost estimate an in-building
radio system.
5.1.1 New Building Information.

• Type/Size of building – single story, multi-level, square foot
• If multi-level, number of stories
• Orientation of building – above/below ground, line of sight
• Construction of the outer and inner walls. – Plaster, drywall, brick.
• Proposed equipment locations – Equipment rooms, cableways, conduits.
• Building location - Longitude and latitude coordinates.
• Local building code requirements and special requirements.
• Building Blueprints or drawings.
5.1.2 Existing System Information.

• BTS location – Longitude and latitude coordinates.
• Donor channel frequency – Specific digital channel to enhance radio coverage.
• Grade of Service required meeting objective.
• Type of subscriber unit.
• Number of channels and their frequencies.
• Signal strength of donor site at the building location.
With the information above, the following steps can establish determining the potential need for an in-
building radio system.
5.1.3 Needs Determination - Signal Strength Measurements.

At the planned construction site, measure (or have measured) the signal strength of
the donor control channel:
• If the signal strength of the donor is –95 dBm or less on the outside of the building, the
probability of additional in-building coverage is high.
• If the signal strength of the donor is greater than –95 dBm, determine the expected signal
strength of the donor by subtracting the sum of the interior losses due to walls, doors and
windows from the ambient signal outside the building. (See Table 1)
• If a signal strength of -95 dBm or greater is calculated at the inner most point of the
building, an in building system may not be required.
• If the signal strength is calculated at –95 dBm or less, an in-building system is warranted.
• To determine signal strengths for specific areas on campus and evaluate the impact of the
facility on existing structures, consult the latest UC Davis Outdoor RF Survey report.
• If determined that In-building amplification is required for either the proposed site or
existing structures impacted by the proposed construction, provide placeholder in budget
for cost of communication system based on results of the above.
5.2 Construction Phase.
As the construction progresses, refinements to the placeholder budget should be made to ensure adequate funds
are available to cover the cost of providing in-building amplification to the new facility and to re-

evaluate the impact on existing structures. Re-visiting the specifications from the initial evaluation will
fine-tune the proposed cost line item.
5.3 Acceptance / Implementation Phase.
Using criteria from Section 7, the Project Manager will accept the In-Building amplification
measurements, ensuring they are within design specification. The budget line item may be closed out
upon final acceptance.
6.0 Cost Evaluation / RFSP.
Once a determination has been made that in-building amplification is required for the proposed facility or as an
augmentation to existing facilities impacted by the new facility, cost estimating an in building coverage system is
mostly an academic process. The first step in this process is to determine if the system should be fiber based or an
Off- air system. Each system has it own unique advantages and disadvantages. (Table 2 identifies several cost
considerations that may be quantified in the planning stage)
6.0.1 Fiber Optic Based System.

If there is dark fiber present or can be economically installed from the Network Operations
Center (NOC) to the proposed building, then a fiber based solution is viable. Fiber based
systems have typically better performance than an off-air system. This is due to the reduction
of out of band interference that an off-air system is exposed. Fiber based systems are
typically more expensive than off air system, but once installed are easily expanded and
maintained. Fiber systems typically have multiple antennas that transmit low power RF (0
dBm typical). An antenna transmitting 0 dBm can cover approximately a 75 foot radius.
Therefore, by breaking up the coverage area into 75 foot sections and multiplying the number
of section by the cost per antenna installed can give you an approximate system price.
6.0.2 Off – Air Repeater.

If dark fiber is not present or too expensive to route to the building, in building coverage can
be provided through the use of Bi-Directional Amplifiers and distributed antenna system or
leaky feeder radiating cable. Off – Air Repeater systems are simple and reliable and typically
cost less than fiber-based solutions. They are however, susceptible to interference caused by
large level signals that are close to the pass band of the amplifier. Extra RF filtering can be
engineered into the system design to reject the unwanted signals. Typical applications have a
central head end amplifier, which drives the distributed antenna or leaky feeder cable and the
remainder of the antenna system. Adding the cost of the amplifier installed plus the cost of
the distributed cable system can determine a budgetary cost estimate of an Off-Air Repeater
system. 3
6.1 Vendor Request.
Request for Survey and Proposal (RFSP) should be created to provide to multiple wireless system
vendors. The format of the RFP can be mandated or left open to each vendor. However, the RFSP
should at the minimum include the following sections:
• Cover Letter stating overall system price

• Company Capabilities
• Statement of Work
• System Description
3
NOTE: Radiating cable is typically used in narrow spaces such as tunnels and hallways. This is due the high
coupling loss between the radiating cable and subscriber unit. As well, radiating cable has limited propagation and
poor wall penetration characteristics.

• System Block Diagram

• General Schedule
• Turnkey Pricing 4
• Conditions of Quotation
• Acceptance Test Plan (ATP)
• Maintenance, Service and Warranty
The RFSP should clearly state the areas where coverage is needed, the grade of service expected
(GOS), and construction schedule of the building in process. Additionally, the RFP should include the
information gathered in the pre-construction assessment phase of this policy.
6.2 Testing and Acceptance.
Once implemented, the RF coverage system should be tested via the pre-determined Acceptance Test Plan
(ATP). The ATP should include personnel from Information and Educational Technology, Police,
Fire, Safety and Vendor. A walk through test should be completed and any discrepancies noted and
resolved by the vendor.
7.0 Acceptance Test Plan (ATP).
When an in-building radio system is required, and upon completion of project installation, it will be the Project
Manager’s responsibility to have the radio system tested to ensure that two-way coverage on each floor of the
building are within General policy requirements as prescribed below:
• Each floor of the building shall be divided into a grid of approximately twenty (20) equal areas.
• The test shall be conducted using a Motorola MTS 2000, or equivalent, portable radio, talking
through the campus Central Transceiver of the University of California, Davis 800 MHz Trunked
Communications System.
o A spot located approximately in the center of a grid area will be selected for the test.
o The radio will be keyed to verify two-way communications to and from the outside of the
building through the campus Central Transceiver.
o Once the spot has been selected, prospecting for a better spot within the grid area will not
be permitted.
• Each grid area will be tested for transmission/reception; minimum signal strength of –95 dBm. If
signal strength fails to meet the requirement, the grid area shall be marked as a fail.
• A maximum of two (2) nonadjacent areas will be allowed to fail the test. In the event that three (3)
of the areas fail the test, in order to be more statistically accurate, the floor may be divided into
forty (40) equal areas.
o In such event, a maximum of four (4) nonadjacent areas will be allowed to fail the test.
o After the forty (40)-area test, if the system continues to fail, the project Manager shall
have the system altered to meet the 95% coverage requirement.
The gain values of all amplifiers shall be measured and the test measurement results shall be kept on file
with Communications Resources, a Division of Information and Educational Technology, so that
the measurements can be verified each year during the annual tests. In the event that the
measurement results became lost, the building owner will be required to rerun the acceptance test
to reestablish, the gain values.
8.0 Additional System Testing
Communications Resources will periodically test in-building amplification systems. Results of the testing will be
compared to designed specifications and corrective action taken if required maintaining the system within the
desired design specification.
4
Overall project management of the implementation of an in building coverage system should be offered and
included in the turnkey proposal submitted.

8.1 Qualifications of Testing Personnel.
Communications Resources shall be responsible for conducting or contracting system testing. All tests
shall be conducted, documented and signed by a person in possession of a current FCC license, or a
current technician certification issued by the Associated Public-Safety Communications Officials
International (APCO) or the Personal Communications Industry Association (PCIA). All test records
shall be retained on the inspected premises and a copy submitted to Communications Resources and to
the Police/Fire Department officials.
8.2 UC Davis Outdoor RF Survey Report.
At the discretion of Communications Resources, but no less than semi-annually, the campus shall
conduct an Outdoor RF Survey mapping the campus footprint for RF energy. The report should
specify specific frequencies, coverage with relative signal strength highlight those areas of signal
strength below standards.
8.3 Annual Tests.
When an in-building radio system are installed, Communications Resources shall test all active
components of the system, including but not limited to amplifiers, power supplies and backup
batteries, a minimum of once every twelve (12) months. Amplifiers shall be tested to ensure that the
gain is the same as it was upon initial installation and acceptance. Backup batteries and power supplies
shall be tested under load for a period of one (1) hour to verify that, they will properly operate during
an actual power outage. If within the one (1) hour test period, in the opinion of the testing technician,
the battery exhibits symptoms of failure, the test shall be extended for additional one (1) hour periods
until the /testing technician confirms the integrity of the battery. All other active components shall be
checked to determine that they are operating within the manufacturer's specifications for the intended
purpose.
8.4 Five-Year Tests.
In addition to the annual test, Communications Resources shall perform a radio coverage test a
minimum of once every five (5) years to ensure that the radio system continues to meet the
requirements of the original acceptance test. The procedure set forth above shall apply to such tests.
8.5 Field Testing.
Police and fire personnel, after providing reasonable notice to Communications Resources, shall have
the right to enter property to conduct field-testing to be certain that the required level of radio
coverage is present. Discrepancies from field-testing and recorded tests shall immediately be brought
to the attention of Communications Resources. Communications Resources will provide corrective
action in response to reported discrepancies.

Table 1 – RF Loss Characteristics
ITEM LOSS (DB)
Losses From Structural Components 1-8

3
Ceiling Duct 5
Metal Pole (small) 8-10
Metal Catwalks 13-20
Large I Beams 20-30
Concrete block wall 40-50
One floor
One floor and one wall
Machinery 1-4
3-6
Light machinery 5-10
Metallic Hoppers 10-15
General Machinery (10-20 sq ft)
Heavy Machinery (>20 sq ft)
Inventory 3-5
3-6
Light Textile 4-7
Empty Cardboard 8 -11
Metal Inventory
Heavy Textile
Table 2 – In-building RF Coverage System Cost Estimating
COST
ITEM
Coax Cable Installed

Antenna Installed
Amplifier Low Power Installed

Amplifier High Power installed
Fiber Antenna Installed
Fiber Support Equipment Installed

Cabling Standards Dec 2000

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Cabling Standards Dec 2000

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COMMUNICATIONS CABLING STANDARDS

December 2000 Page 1 of 113

December 2000 Page 2 of 113

SUPPORTING STANDARDS FOR IN-BUILDING RADIO COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

December 2000 Page 3 of 113

I. About This Manual

B. This manual assumes that the user is familiar with telecommunications

C. Request for waivers or clarification of specific design issues must be forwarded to

II. Communications Resources’ Responsibilities for Projects

A. Communications Resources is responsible for UC Davis’ inside and outside

B. These responsibilities include the review of all new telecommunications project

1. Project Plan Reviews:

a) Communications Resources shall be provided copies of the Project

b) Communications Resources shall be provided schematic design

December 2000 Page 4 of 113

process, and provided a minimum of ten workdays from date

c) Communications Resources shall be provided Design

d) Communications Resources shall be provided Construction

B. When a new building or building renovation is planned, architectural drawings are

2. Design Development -- As the architectural design process progresses,

3. Construction Documents -- These documents depict the final design

4. Working Copy -- This is the Bid Copy.

5. “Record Document” Drawings – These drawings and documents represent

Note: Communications Resources comments and requests must be

December 2000 Page 5 of 113

C. Architects, contractors, and telecommunications design professionals must

This infrastructure shall include:

1. Network Access Module (NAM)

2. Cabling and wiring for a complete telecommunications system.

3. The infrastructure necessary to support the horizontal and riser cable

4. The telecommunications room/closet housing the intermediate distribution

5. The telecommunications room housing the building distribution frame

6. The infrastructure necessary to interconnect buildings including, conduit,

7. Earthing and bonding requirement and points.

9. During the planning, design and construction document phases of a

III. The Telecommunications Distribution System Design Process for UC Davis

A. UC Davis’ telecommunications distribution system design process is broken

December 2000 Page 6 of 113

2. The Intermediate Distribution Frame contains the hardware for

5. The Campus Segment refers to the cabling and infrastructure that

6. The Network Equipment Design, Engineering and Installation. Typically

IV. Overview of this Manual

B. Sections 2 through 6 describe in greater detail the five segments of the

C. This manual also includes the following appendices:

1. Appendix A - Specifications, contains detailed technical specifications.

2. Appendix B - References, contains a list and brief description of the

3. Appendix C - Glossary, contains the definition of terms used in

4. Appendix D - UC Davis Policy and Procedure Manual, Section 310-10.

5. Appendix E – NAM Matrices

December 2000 Page 7 of 113

THE HORIZONTAL SEGMENT

A. The horizontal segment consists of two elements:

1. Determining the type and number of outlets in the work area.

3. Determining termination hardware requirements at the outlet.

4. Designing the structures needed to support the horizontal cabling.

5. Assigning the NAM numbers to the appropriate locations.

6. Cable testing procedures.

II. The Type and Number of Outlets

1. The basic design supports voice or data applications. It consists of a single

2. The enhanced design supports voice and data applications. It consists of

December 2000 Page 8 of 113

3. The integrated design supports complex systems including voice, data,

D. Laboratories require additional outlets to support workstations and test equipment.