April 2008 Wireville

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a non profit organization that certifies sustainable businesses, homes, hospitals, schools, and neighborhoods. USGBC is dedicated to expanding green building practices and education, and its LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System™ .

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is a voluntary, consensus-based national rating system for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. LEED addresses all building types and emphasizes state-of-the-art strategies in five areas: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials and resources selection, and indoor environmental quality.

This all sounds wonderful, so why are the Chemical companies and their shills attacking the "good guys". It may have more to do with profits than public safety.

Brendan Owens, Director-Vice President, LEED Technical Development USGBC Non-profit organization dedicated to sustainable building design and construction and developers of the LEED building rating system.(www.usgbc.org), stated that the goal of MR Credit 4:1: PBT Source Reduction: Dioxins and Halogenated Compounds, is to " Reduce the release of persistent bioaccumlative toxic chemicals (PBT'S) associated with the life cycle of building materials." The LEED Green Building Rating System ™ , which is run by the USGBC, is a voluntary program. Under it, project credits can be earned to qualify for LEED certification. The USGBC is not the only "green" building body, but it is a prominent on, with nearly 14,000 member organizations, including nonprofit associations, architects, facility manager, engineers, interior designers, construction managers, lenders and others.

It is interesting to note, that the Canadian and U.S. Military departments avoid the use of CMP cable, opting for safe alternatives, such as the EU - European standard low-smoke, zero-halogen (LSZH) cabling. All the major domestic manufacturers are making LSZH cable. It's the standard across Europe. It's accepted by stringent military specs here but isn't suitable for installation in our buildings?
http://www.ecmag.com/index.cfm?fa=article&articleID=8609

The PVC & FRPVC jackets and the FEP (Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene - known by the trade names of Dupont Teflon® FEP & Daikin - America Neoflon® FEP) insulation used in CMP Plenum cable are some of the most common materials used in cabling constructions in the USA. All of these materials are Halogenated.

Not only are Halogenated materials under scrutiny but also the use of heavy metals (such as Lead & Cadmium) in the PVC compounds. Most of the major cable manufacturers product lines include RoHS compliant LSZH (Low-Smoke Zero-Halogen) cables that they market in Europe and the UK.

The RoHS Directive stands for "the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment". This Directive bans the placing on the EU market of new electrical and electronic equipment containing more than agreed levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants.

Manufacturers need to understand the requirements of the RoHS Directive to ensure that their products, and their components, comply. http://www.rohs.gov.uk/

Note: the RoHS directive is not a requirement in the US codes. RoHS compliant cables are a voluntary decision by the US consumer.

CCCA joins VI & SPI against USGBC LEED-HC

This is incredible... $50,000.00 per year to join CCCA (Communications Cable & Connectivity Association), a newly formed association (announced January 15, 2008) with a mission statement that is extremely vague. This association appears to be set up to provide a strong lobbying effort for specific commercial interests including the chemical companies that supplies materials for the cable market in the USA.

In an article published by the Wire Journal International www.wirenet.org, March 2008, Frank Peri, executive director of CCCA (Communications Cable & Connectivity Association) has already joined the voices of the Vinyl Institute and the SPI (The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc.) in a strong attack on the USGBC (US Green Building Council) LEED - HC voluntary proposal to improve environmental and safety conditions in the Health Care Industry. The CCCA official location is currently in the office of a Washington, D.C. attorney firm (No website yet).

Frank Peri (Francis W. Peri) has more than 30 years of professional experience in the chemical and communications industries. His background includes: consultation for management and marketing of fluoropolymers (DuPont and Daikin), and positions in chemical manufacturing and senior business management at the DuPont Company. Mr. Peri holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Boston College. (www.dupont.com & www.daikin-america.com)

What's next?

We applaud the efforts of the US Green Building Council to pursue safer and more environmentally friendly solutions for the home and workplace. We can expect lots of "selective voodoo science" to emerge as arguments against the halogen reduction. The chemical companies have deep pockets and lots of "friends".

But that's just my opinion,

Frank Bisbee
"Heard On The Street" Monthly Column
www.wireville.com
4949 Sunbeam Rd, Suite 16
Jacksonville, FL 32257
(904)645-9077 office
(904)645-9058 fax
frank@wireville.com

Back to content listing

Industry News

Come To The 2008 BICSI Spring Conference

Pre-conference Seminars

It pays to arrive early in Nashville! BICSI pre-conference educational seminars offer extended learning opportunities that are an easy way to get a head start on your conference experience. The seminars will be held on Sunday, April 27 between 1:30-4:30 p.m. Below are the seminar titles and continuing education credit (CEC) information.

"Grounding Systems: Why Important and Why Testing is Invalid 95% of the Time," John R. Howard, Lyncole XiT Grounding, Torrance, California
3 CECs - RCDD, NTS Specialty, OSP Specialty, WD Specialty, ITS Installer 2 and ITS Technician
"Cabling for the Wireless Triple-Play Services," Joe Bardwell, Connect802 Corporation, San Ramon, California
3 CECs - RCDD, NTS Specialty, OSP Specialty, WD Specialty, ITS Installer 2 and ITS Technician
"General Power Quality," Dan Maxcy and Brian Branigan, Power Protection Products, Omaha, Nebraska
3 CECs - RCDD, NTS Specialty, OSP Specialty, WD Specialty, ITS Installer 2 and ITS Technician

Fees for these seminars are separate from the conference registration fee. Click here to view full descriptions of each seminar and to register online. For additional help or questions, call BICSI Customer Service at +1 813.979.1991 or 800.242.7405 (USA & Canada toll-free).

The 2008 BICSI Cabling Skills Challenge

After your pre-conference seminar you can head straight down to the Exhibit Hall, visit with the top industry vendors and experience BICSI history in the making. Watch the best ITS installers compete for the title of Installer of the Year in the BICSI Cabling Skills Challenge.

Don't miss this exciting event as a BICSI tradition is born. The winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize as well as several valuable prizes and a trophy. There is no entry fee to compete and competitors will receive a full paid Spring Conference registration.

If you are an ITS Installer, there's still time to join the competition. Apply today-the deadline has been extended to Friday, April 4. For more information, including the competition schedule and an application to compete, visit www.bicsi.org/skillschallenge.

BICSI Cares Silent Auction

BICSI Cares invites you to participate in the first-ever silent auction to be held at the 2008 BICSI Spring Conference in Nashville. All proceeds will benefit Saving Little Hearts Inc.-and your help is needed to make this a success! Saving Little Hearts is a not-for-profit organization devoted to helping children with congenital heart defects and their families.

Here's how you can help. Contribute an item to the silent auction - you, your employer or both can donate the item. Click here for more information and a donation form.

Focusing on children in need, BICSI Cares is a year-round effort that has given money to charities worldwide to help build schools, feed the hungry, prevent abuse and violence, combat illiteracy and provide for an overall positive environment. Established in 1992 as a 501(c)(3) entity, BICSI Cares collects donations to support charities worldwide, and all donations are tax deductible. For more information visit the BICSI Cares Web page or e-mail to: bicsicares@bicsi.org.

Don't Forget To Check Out The BICSI Credential Holders Lounge
At The BICSI Spring Conference

Don't forget to check out the BICSI Credential Holders Lounge when you are at the 2008 BICSI Spring Conference in Nashville. Sponsored by ITS-Jobs.com, the Lounge is secluded away from the buzz of the seminars and exhibit floors, providing a unique and intimate setting for any Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD® ), BICSI ITS Installer or Technician, to share their conference experiences, focus on business matters or simply take time to read magazines and watch news. You can also enter a drawing to win the TV that you will see in the Lounge. www.bicsi.org

A Classic Publication For The Information Age
Has Closed It's Doors.

Business Communications Review(a subscriber paid magazine - now owned by CMP) was started by Jerry Goldstone. After more than three decades, the Business Communications Review magazine has ceased publication. BCR will be missed but not forgotten. BCR joins Teleconnect and other great publications that have moved into history. These magazines guided our industry in the early phases of the Information Age.

Telecommunications Industry Veteran
Lonnie Martin Named CEO At AKTINO

Lonnie Martin, who has spent more than 35 years in the telecommunications industry and served as chief executive officer for several well-known companies in the course of his career, has been named the CEO of Aktino, the leader in delivery of Carrier Ethernet and broadband services over existing copper wiring infrastructure.

Martin, who was most recently CEO of White Rock Networks, an optical equipment company that he founded in 1999 and guided until 2006, when it was sold to Turin Networks, has taken the helm at Aktino at a time when the company is generating increasing interest in its range of high-bandwidth, long-reach copper solutions.

Martin describes himself as a "serial entrepreneur." He has been president and CEO of three venture capital-backed companies in Silicon Valley and Dallas - White Rock Networks, Broadband Telesystems, and Coastcom - and a top executive at two large multinational companies, ADC Telecommunications and Ascom/Timeplex.

"Service ubiquity is a first requirement for carriers. Deployment of fiber progressively magnifies the need to do more on copper to sustain service ubiquity. Aktino fulfills that need with solutions that deliver three to five times the bandwidth of alternative solutions - at distances that are common in carrier networks," Martin said.

"Whether this means delivering 10Mb Ethernet service at CSA, increasing remote DSLAM backhaul to 50 Mbps, or tripling the bandwidth from cell sites using existing copper facilities, Aktino's MIMO on DMT has the performance advantage, optional asymmetrical operation, and complete ADSL spectral compatibility that enable carriers to cost-effectively achieve service ubiquity leveraging existing copper facilities."

"Aktino is helping to redefine the power of copper as a valuable and cost-effective complement to fiber that helps service providers leverage their infrastructure to grab new revenue opportunities and retain existing customers. I'm eager to guide the company to further customer successes and continued technology leadership,"Martin added.

Martin pointed to specific Aktino strengths, such as its VDSL2-based MIMO (Multiple In, Multiple Out) on DMT (Discrete Multi-Tone) technology, which virtually eliminates crosstalk between copper pairs and allows multimegabit capacity on each copper pair, all the way to the edge of the carrier serving area.

He also noted Aktino's asymmetric bandwidth technology, which allows service providers to tailor the upstream and downstream bandwidths to specific customer needs and enables bandwidth as high as 7 Mbps per pair. He echoed the endorsements of many providers already leveraging this feature that it will continue to be key to providing cost-effective DSL and cell site backhaul.

"Lonnie Martin brings a wealth of valuable expertise to the CEO position, and his vast experience will help Aktino capitalize on its significant technological advantages and excel in continued customer acquisition, strategic partnering, and growth," said Rick DeGabrielle, Chairman of the Board of Aktino. DeGabrielle, who himself has a quarter century of telecommunications industry experience, became board chairman in late 2007.

"We have great confidence in Aktino and believe that Lonnie Martin is the right executive, with the right skills to take Aktino to the next level," said Bruce Hallett, a partner with Miramar Ventures, one of Aktino's key investors.

Before founding White Rock Networks, Martin was president of the Business Broadband Group at ADC Telecommunications, and before that was an executive at Ascom/Timeplex. He had earlier served as CEO of Broadband Telesystems, a company he sold to Timeplex. He has served on the boards of Lightwave Systems, TXP, Efficient Networks, Adaptive Broadband, Quarry Technologies, and on a special Competitiveness Council launched by Texas Gov. Rick Perry. He has an MBA from the Harvard Business School and bachelors and masters degrees from Caltech.

Aktino, founded in 2003, is highly focused on the use of bonded copper to enable providers to take advantage of the quickly growing, New Mid-Band Ethernet market opportunity, which requires service capacities of 10 to 50 Mbps. It was the first company to deliver products for the business Ethernet market based on MIMO on DMT. The Aktino product portfolio includes the AK3000 DS3 over copper solution, AK5000, a scalable, shelf-based carrier Ethernet platform for larger installations and the 0-50 Mbps AK4000 carrier Ethernet point-to-point product. www.aktino.com.

Belden Appoints Steve Biegacki As Vice President,
Global Sales And Marketing

Belden (NYSE: BDC - News) has appointed Steven R. Biegacki as Vice President, Global Sales and Marketing, effective March 31, 2008. Mr. Biegacki, age 49, is Vice President, Marketing, with Rockwell Automation, a leading global provider of industrial automation control and information systems. As Vice President, Marketing, Mr. Biegacki has led the globalization of Rockwell Automation' s marketing function, provided leadership in defining targeted customer segments and working to align the product portfolio with customer needs, and envisioning and realizing strategic initiatives. He joined Allen-Bradley (which was later acquired by Rockwell) in 1978 and has nearly 30 years' experience with the company in sales, business management, and marketing focused on industrial automation. Mr. Biegacki has a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering Technology from ETI Technical College in Cleveland, Ohio.

John Stroup, President and Chief Executive Officer of Belden, said: "I am delighted to welcome Steve Biegacki to Belden' s senior leadership team. Steve is a process-oriented executive with a great depth of experience in meeting the needs of industrial automation customers and leading the development of a global marketing organization." http://www.belden.com.

Belden Will Close Manchester,
Connecticut Plant - 132 Lose Jobs

Belden (NYSE: BDC - News) today announced plans to further restructure its North American manufacturing operations and to reduce its worldwide production overhead and expenses.

The Company will cease production activities at its plant located in Manchester, Connecticut, by September 2008. The facility manufactures copper cable products primarily for data networking. Other company facilities will assume the production activities of the plant. The Manchester plant is part of the Company's Specialty Division.

The number of associates affected by these actions is approximately 132. Associates will be eligible for severance benefits, and the Company will make every effort to help associates transition into other employment opportunities.

"We regret the impact of these actions on the affected associates," said John Stroup, President and Chief Executive Officer of Belden. "It is a difficult, but necessary step in the implementation of our regional manufacturing strategy. The expected cost savings associated with this action are further benefit of this strategy and take advantage of our lower cost capacity at the recently completed Nogales, Mexico facility."

In connection with the actions announced today, Belden expects to incur severance charges of approximately $1 to $2 million pretax during the shut-down period and non-cash asset impairment charges and accelerated depreciation expense of $8 to $11 million pretax mostly in the first quarter of 2008. The after-tax impact will be between $0.11 and $0.16 per diluted share. The Company estimates that the cost savings associated with these actions will be approximately $5 million annually, beginning in 2009. http://www.belden.com.

Back to content listing

Canadian Manufacturer, Alpha Technologies Ltd.,
Acquires Ontario Repair Facility

Alpha Technologies Ltd. has successfully completed the acquisition of the equipment repair division of Sentrex Communications Ltd., Woodbridge, ON. The acquisition is part of an ongoing program by Alpha to expand their customer and product support services.

"As a company that values timely service and support for its customers, the Sentrex equipment repair division was a natural fit into our plans to directly support our products in the Ontario market," said Alpha CEO Mark W. Schnarr. "By listening to the needs of our customers we, as a company, are now able to serve them better and have a stronger business relationship with them."

Sentrex is a privately held Canadian company and has been in operation since 1991. Sentrex has operated as an Authorized Alpha Service Center for over 17 years providing service and support for Alpha Power products. To help with a seamless transition, Sentrex repair centre manager, Bogdan Sokolowski has elected to join Alpha Technologies Ltd. where he assumes the role of Service Centre Manager of the Ontario repair centre. www.alpha.ca

Corning Cable Systems Introduces LANscape® Pretium™
Integrated Solutions Design Guide

Pre-engineered port mapping simplifies time-consuming data center design and installation

Corning Cable Systems LLC, part of Corning Incorporated's (NYSE:GLW) Telecommunications segment, introduces its LANscape^® Pretium™ Integrated Solutions Design Guide. It is the first solutions guide in the telecommunications industry to detail an innovative port-mapping process that results in streamlined design, installation and administration in data center infrastructures.

The Integrated Solutions Design Guide features a synopsis of the data center environment, including challenges, design considerations and recommended topologies for storage area networks (SANs). The guide also outlines the design and installation process for Corning Cable Systems' newly introduced LANscape Pretium Integrated Solutions.

Port mapping includes the process of designing and documenting the connectivity of each port in the data center main distribution area to the individual ports on the SAN electronics. With pre-engineered port mapping diagrams, the Integrated Solutions Design Guide simplifies this time-consuming step for data center designers. By using this documentation and port mapping guidance, the administration and implementation of moves, adds and changes are streamlined.

LANscape Pretium Integrated Solutions include the Zero-U and U-Space Systems, which help to alleviate design, installation, management, scaling and cooling issues in the data center. They are value-added complements to Corning Cable Systems' Plug & Play™ Universal Systems, providing connectivity for both high-density and low-density environments in the data center. The systems ensure seamless integration of the cabling infrastructure, passive optical hardware, cabinets and electronic components for a true "tip-to-tip" data center infrastructure solution.

Ensuring the integration of data center components, LANscape Pretium Integrated Solutions simplify the data center design and installation process, while also providing the flexibility to meet changing customer needs. The guide is available online at www.corning.com/buildingblocks/integrated and will be updated as Corning Cable Systems releases new products and solutions optimized for the data center infrastructure. www.corning.com/cablesystems.

Corning Cable Systems Offers Free Seminars Focused
on Latest Fiber-to-the-Home Technologies

2008 Emerging Technologies Seminars available in multiple locations

Corning Cable Systems LLC, part of Corning Incorporated's (NYSE:GLW) Telecommunications segment, is offering its Emerging Technologies Seminar, "FTTH: The Future of Broadband Happening Now," to educate attendees on the technology behind fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) networks. The seminar is free and open to all consultants and design professionals upon registration, and is being offered at several locations throughout 2008:

Thursday, March 27, in Dallas, Texas
Wednesday, May 21, in Portland, Ore.
Wednesday, July 16, in Albany, N.Y.
Tuesday, Sept. 9, in Savannah, Ga,
Thursday, Nov. 13, in St. Louis, Mo.

To request a free seat in one of the seminars, visit www.corning.com/ftthnow or call 1-800-743-2671.

Corning, a leader in FTTH technology, will provide a comprehensive discussion on a variety of FTTH-related topics during the free seminar. The agenda will include an in-depth look at the forces that affect residential subscriber bandwidth and the various residential access technologies currently being deployed. Information on fiber optic theory and current FTTH standards, as well as the latest technology and product advancements, will also be provided.

Various FTTH architectures and topologies will be compared and contrasted as features of each are considered. Key elements of FTTH networks will also be discussed with design guidance provided for each point in the network. The course, also referred to as "TS-CP100 FTTH Emerging Technologies," qualifies for the following BICSI Continuing Education Credit (CECs): RCDD: 6; INSTALL: 6; NTS: 6; OSP: 6.

The seminar is taught by Corning Cable Systems' Mark Turner, marketing manager - consultant engineers, and David Kozischek, manager of strategic technology.

Mark Turner has worked for Corning Cable Systems for 12 years. Turner's experience at Corning includes field and systems engineering, product development, and most recently market development, specifically for FTTH. Mark is recognized in the industry through many publications and has been the chairman of the Architecture & Technology Committee of the FTTH Council since 2006. David Kozischek has more than 18 years of experience in communications technology, specifically committed to new network designs. Currently manager of strategic technology for Corning Cable Systems, he investigates new technologies and emerging applications to quantify their impact on existing telecommunications and information infrastructure. David is an active member of The Society of Photo-optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE), an international society advancing an interdisciplinary approach to the science and application of light.

FTTH has the ability to bring communities together, increase neighborhood property value, make telemedicine a reality and enable telecommuting. It can boost the economies of small cities and could help bridge the economic divide. Corning's Emerging Technologies Seminar will discuss the technologies behind these exciting applications. www.corning.com/cablesystems.

Back to content listing

Corning Cable Systems to Highlight Innovation In LAN And Data Center Applications At 2008 FOSE Conference And Exposition

Corning Cable Systems LLC, part of Corning Incorporated's (NYSE:GLW) Telecommunications segment, will feature its innovative local area network (LAN) and data center solutions at the 2008 FOSE Conference and Exposition, Apr. 1-3 in Washington, D.C.

In its interactive exhibit (booth #1631), Corning Cable Systems will feature an environmental representation of a LAN and data center network deployed with Corning Cable Systems products, many of which will focus on the unique security requirements of the federal government. Throughout the exhibit, customers will be able to see exactly where the products fit into their network.

The LAN exhibit will feature Corning Cable Systems' Plug & Play™ AnyLAN™ System for both indoor and outdoor applications. Plug & Play AnyLAN Systems feature a multimode or single-mode optical cable pre-installed with network access points at customer-specified intervals and a tethered, environmentally hardened MT connector. Once distance measurements for network access point locations are obtained, the preterminated system is manufactured and tested. The entire system is then packed and shipped to the customer on a cable reel for immediate deployment in the desired indoor or outdoor application.

The exhibit' s data center section will showcase Corning Cable Systems' Plug and Play Universal Systems, a preterminated optical fiber cabling system that dramatically streamlines the process of deploying an optical network infrastructure in the data center environment. It greatly reduces fiber polarity as a factor in system design, redesign or installation through a value-added wiring solution.

The data center display will also feature Corning Cable Systems' newly introduced Pretium™ Integrated Solutions Zero-U System. Designed jointly with Chatsworth Products, Inc. (CPI), the Zero-U System uniquely manages optical fiber trunk cables, harnesses and modules within CPI's TeraFrame™ Cabinets. The system includes an MTP Connector bracket mounted into the cabinet's vertical manager to facilitate patching instead of consuming valuable rack space as is traditional, providing more room for data center electronics. The Zero-U System features pre-engineered optical harness assemblies that map directly to the line card ports of major equipment vendors of SAN directors. The system allows for simple installation and integration of optical components in a data center environment.

The new interactive exhibit will also contain:

Plug & Play Systems Integrated Trunk Module, a pre-terminated 12-fiber MTP Connector trunk assembly integrated into a Plug and Play Systems module, in which the trunk cable is stored in the module and can be pulled out and deployed to meet exact length requirements to eliminate the need for precise pre-planning of cable length.
Plug & Play Systems Media Converter Module, which enables network cabling managers to seamlessly leverage existing copper electronics while taking advantage of the data transport properties of high-density optical systems.
UniCam^®Pretium™ Performance Connectors, offering best-in-class optical performance in a fast, easy field-termination solution.
Keyed LC Solutions, based on the standard LC single-fiber connector, the keyed LC solution includes modules, panels, field-installable connectors and cable assemblies, and provides physical separation for networks, applications or organizations.
Secure Ruggedized Information Outlet (RIO), used in applications where a robust and tamper-proof outlet is required, including high traffic workstations, industrial/manufacturing environments and hallways.

www.corning.com/cablesystems.

Developing And Marketing Commercial Real Estate Is Changing Focus.

January Issue of Broadband Properties Magazine.

http://www.broadbandproperties.com/2008issues/january08/Jan_Carlini.pdf

"The main focus is that developing commercial real estate and marketing it has changed. Economic Development equals Broadband connectivity. And, broadband connectivity equals jobs. This is becoming a universal truth as intelligent business campuses or intelligent industrial parks are being built around the world offering gigabit connectivity and other intelligent amenities to support new business growth in a global economy." JAMES CARLINI james.carlini@sbcglobal.net

EXFO Acquires Navtel Communications

EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering Inc. (NASDAQ: EXFO; TSX: EXF) announced today that it has acquired all the shares of Navtel Communications Inc., a leading provider of Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) test solutions for Network Equipment Manufacturers (NEMs) and Network Service Provider (NSP) labs.

Consideration paid consists of C$11.0 million in cash, subject to adjustments on working capital. The deal is expected to be neutral to EXFO's earnings for the remainder of fiscal 2008 and accretive in fiscal 2009, excluding amortization of intangible assets to be accounted for in the acquisition.

Navtel Communications, a privately held company in the Toronto area, specializes in testing next-generation IP networks that are increasingly combining wireline and wireless technologies. Its InterWatch^® platforms, offering the highest performance in the industry, are fully scalable simulation and analysis test stations available in rack-mountable and portable formats. These solutions can perform several critical tests - capacity, performance, stress and load testing - on various network devices to assure their ability to perform under real-life, IP-based, multi-media traffic conditions. Test modules can be hosted inside Navtel's platforms for characterizing next-generation switches, routers, session border controllers and media gateways.

IMS, which is being touted as the new technology that will merge the Internet with the telecom world, allows wireline and wireless carriers to use a common IP application system to deliver new multi-media services that can be combined with legacy services across a number of different access technologies. IMS has been developed to become the overlaying architecture that will enable the efficient management and deployment of quadruple (voice, video, data and mobile) IP services.

Navtel has positioned itself as a leading-edge supplier of IMS test solutions. It also offers a comprehensive suite of VoIP and Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching (GMPLS) test solutions, as well as a wide range of legacy test protocols that have been developed over its 30 years of existence.

Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, estimates that the IMS test and monitoring market will grow from an estimated $274.1 million in 2007 to $1.2 billion in 2013 for a compound annual growth rate of 27.9%. Navtel currently addresses approximately $130 million of this market.

"This acquisition fits strategically with our long-term plan to deliver strong growth in our Protocol test business, which posted a compound annual growth rate of 64% in the last two years and continues to deliver solid growth at the mid-point of fiscal 2008," said Germain Lamonde, EXFO' s Chairman, President and CEO. "Navtel' s cutting-edge technology strengthens our offering for NEMs and NSP labs which, in turn, have a significant influence on product selections made by NSPs."

"This acquisition also enables us to expand into the high-growth IMS and VoIP test markets, whose technologies are currently in their early stages," Mr. Lamonde added. "We intend to leverage these technologies throughout their entire lifecycle, especially as they mature into portable test solutions for the NSP market in which EXFO is the world's second-largest supplier. We also plan to take advantage of Navtel' s strong relationships with Tier-1 NEMs and leverage our own worldwide sales presence with NSPs to accelerate sales growth, while positively impacting earnings since Navtel's software-intensive test solutions generate high gross margins."

Navtel Communications posted sales of C$5.7 million in calendar 2007. Joe Sutherland, founder and CEO of Navtel Communications, and his senior management team will ensure a seamless integration into EXFO. No restructuring is planned with all 35 Navtel employees expected to remain with the company.

"We are pleased to become an integral part of the EXFO family," Mr. Sutherland said. "Our technological leadership in IMS and VoIP testing is a good fit with EXFO' s protocol test strategy. Combined with EXFO's global sales channels, market positioning and brand equity, we envision a bright future with strong synergies lifting our product offering and market presence to the next level."

About Navtel Communications Inc.

Navtel Communications was founded in 1976 and is a leading supplier of test solutions for IMS and VoIP networks. www.navtel.com.

About EXFO

EXFO is a Tier-1 test and measurement expert in the global telecommunications industry, especially in the portable test market segment. www.EXFO.com,

Back to content listing

Best Practices for Fiber Optic Installation Start With Inspection & Cleaning

For centuries, optics have been inspected and cleaned to ensure the proper passage of light. The advent of fiber optic cabling systems resulted in one more application where optical care and cleanliness are important. While inspecting and cleaning fiber connectors is not new, it is growing in importance as links with increasingly higher data rates are driving decreasingly small loss budgets. With less tolerance for overall light loss, the attenuation through adapters must get lower and lower. This is achieved by properly inspecting and cleaning when necessary. Yet there is no reason to feel intimidated by these tighter loss budgets because inspecting and cleaning connections is straightforward and easy.

What's The Problem - Fiber Basics

Fiber optic cabling carries pulses of light between transmitters and receivers. These pulses represent the data being sent across the cable. In order for the data to be transmitted successfully, the light must arrive at the far end of the cable with enough power to be measured. Light loss between the ends of a fiber link comes from multiple sources such as the attenuation of the fiber itself, fusion splices, macrobends and loss through adapter couplings where end-faces meet.

In lower data rate networks with shorter lengths, loss budgets may be generous enough to allow for significant attenuation throughout the link and still the link will function properly. However, there is one perpetual trend in structured cabling: the constant push for greater bandwidth. As fiber links are pushed to carry higher data rates, loss budgets get correspondingly smaller, requiring all loss events to be minimized.

Enemy #1 - a dirty face

Among key sources of loss that can bring a fiber network down, dirty and damaged end-faces are the threat most underestimated. In a survey commissioned by Fluke Networks, dirty end-faces were found to be the #1 cause of fiber link failure for both installers and private network owners. Contaminated end-faces were the cause of fiber links failing 85% of the time. It's astounding and yet easy to prevent. Nevertheless, there continues to be a lack of appreciation for this crucial issue and lots of misinformation about proper techniques.

What To Look For And When

Network professionals need to know what to look for when evaluating end-face conditions. There are two types of problems that will cause loss as light leaves one end-face and enters another inside an adapter: contamination and damage.

Contamination

Contamination comes in many forms from dust to oils to buffer gel. Simply touching the ferrule will immediately deposit an unacceptable amount of body oil on the end-face. Dust and small static-charged particles float through the air and can land on any exposed termination. This can be especially true in facilities undergoing construction or renovation. In new installations, buffer gel and pulling lube can easily find its way onto an end-face.

Ironically, protective caps - also called "dust caps" - are one of the most common contributors to contamination. These caps are made in high-speed production processes that use a mold release compound that will contaminate end-faces on contact. Further, as the plastic cap ages the plasticizers deteriorate resulting in an outgas residue. Last, airborne dust itself will find its way into the protective cap and will move to the end-face when the cap is pushed onto a ferrule. It's a very common mistake to assume that end-faces are clean when patch cords or pre-terminated pigtails are removed from a sealed bag with protective caps in place.

Inspection of the end-face should verify that no contaminants are within the field of view. The most crucial area to ensure is clean is the core of the fiber, followed by the cladding. Yet contamination on the ferrule - outside of the end-face - could slide towards to core as the fiber is mated or handled. Therefore, all visible contamination should be removed if possible.

Damage

Deciding to mate every connection first and then inspecting only those that fail is a dangerous approach as the physical contact of mated contaminants can cause permanent damage. This permanent damage would require more costly and time consuming retermination or replacement of pre-terminated links.

Damage will appear as scratches, pits, cracks or chips. These end-face surface defects could be the result of poor termination or mated contamination. Regardless of the cause, damage must be evaluated to determine if action is required as some of it can be ignored or remedied. Up to 5% of the outer edge of fiber cladding generally may be chipped as this is a common result of the polishing process. Any chips on the core are unacceptable. If scratches or excess epoxy bleed is found, repolishing with fine lapping paper can eliminate the problem. If the end-face is cracked or shattered, then the fiber must always be reterminated.

In every instance, all end-faces should always be inspected before insertion. If a connector is being mated to a port, then the port should be inspected as well. Inspecting one side of a connection is ineffective as contamination inside a port can not only cause damage but also migrate to the connector being inserted. Too often equipment ports are overlooked not only as contaminated themselves but also as a source of contamination for test cords.

How To Inspect - Fiber Microscope Choices

From the first days of fiber optic cabling, microscopes were used to inspect end-faces. Initially stereo bench top microscopes were modified to handle the task in manufacturing environments. Over time new microscopes were designed specifically for the task, resulting in smaller units that could be taken down the hall to the cabling closet or outside into the field.

Microscopes can be divided into two basic groupings: optical and video. Optical microscopes incorporate an objective lens and an eyepiece lens to allow you to view the end-face directly through the device. Today, the barrel shaped microscopes are ubiquitous in termination kits and used to inspect patch cords during troubleshooting. The best feature of these microscopes is their price as they are the least expensive way to see end-face details. Their drawback is that they are unable to view end-faces through bulkheads or inside equipment. As a result, you will sometimes here these microscopes referred to as "patch cord scopes."

Video microscopes incorporate both an optical probe and a display for viewing the probe's image. Probes are designed to be small so that they can reach ports in hard-to-access places. The screens allow images to be expanded for easier identification of contaminants and damage. Because the end-face is viewed on a screen instead of directly, probes eliminate any chance of harmful laser light from reaching a person's eye.

Microscope Evaluation

What matters most about a microscope is what it shows the user. In the case of fiber optic inspection, the goal is to identify all contaminants and damage of a minimum size and within a critical area. Users must first identify the appropriate minimum size contaminant or defect that will affect their system. The smallest-sized item that a microscope can detect is referred to as its detection capability. Next, look for the microscope that has the largest field of view while also maintaining the necessary detection capability. It is preferable to see as much of the surface area as possible while maintaining requisite detection capability. Detection capability and field of view require a trade-off as improving on one dimension tends to require a detriment to the other.

If detection capability and field of view are the most appropriate measurements of a microscope, then why is magnification the prevalent metric. Magnification is perfectly applicable to optical microscopes as their performance is a direct function of the objective and eyepiece lens inside the device. Where magnification becomes less applicable is in video microscopes where the size of the image is a function of both the magnification of the lens as well as the size of the screen. Complicating matters further is the effect of contrast on the ultimate goal of detection capability. Magnification specifications for video microscopes are a vestige of the historical prevalence of optical microscopes. Though magnification is directly related to detection capability, it is a less precise measure of a fiber microscope's capabilities than detection capability and field of view.

How To Clean - Beware of bad habits

Because cleaning has been part of fiber maintenance for years, most people have their own approaches for cleaning end-faces. However, beware of bad habits as many have developed in the industry over time. With an evolving base of knowledge, the industry has moved recently towards new best practices. One common approach to cleaning end-faces is to blast them with canned air, either on a connector or inside a port. Canned air is only effective on one type of contaminant: large dust particles. Canned air is ineffective not only on oils and residues but also on smaller, charged dust particles. Moreover, canned air will tend to blow large particles around inside ports rather than carefully remove them.

Use of solvent

Another suboptimal approach is to clean without use of a solvent. Solvents provide multiple benefits, the most being their ability to dissolve contaminants that have dried or adhered onto the end-face. In addition, solvents will envelop particles and debris to effectively lift them from the ferrule surface so that they can be carried away without damaging the end-face. Last, solvents will prevent a static charge from developing during cleaning with a dry wipe or reel. There are many stories of end-faces becoming statically charged during solvent-free cleanings such that they were strongly attracting static-charged dust floating in the air. The developed charge can be so strong that static dust accumulates on the end-face during the short move from a microscope into port.

Solvent selection

Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) has been used for years in the fiber cabling industry to successfully clean end-face and continues to find broad use today. But there are solvents now available specially formulated for fiber end-face cleaning that are far superior to IPA in every way. These new solvents are more effective at dissolving virtually every contaminant than IPA. Further, these custom solvents will dissolve non-ionic compounds such as pulling lube and buffer gel that IPA will not. With a specified lower surface tension, the specialized solvents will do a better job of enveloping debris for removal than IPA. When cleaning inside ports, evaporation rates become important as lingering solvents can become trapped during mating, resulting in a harmful residue. Fiber-specific solvents have tailored evaporation rates that give them time to work yet disappear before mating. Last, IPA is highly hygroscopic which means it will draw water moisture from the air and onto the end-face. This water mixes with the IPA and leaves a residue if it dries on the end-face. To be safe, leave the IPA in the medicine cabinet.

Cleaning Tools

There are a wide variety of tools available to clean end-faces. The most basic tools are wipes and swabs used to clean patch cords and inside ports, respectively. More involved approaches include mechanical, hand-held contraptions designed to make easier work of cleaning. The most complex devices incorporate blasted solvents or ultrasound in water to achieve the best result. While the more complex systems may achieve better results, they cost far more money. Individuals should determine the best approach for their application and budget. The one key criterion for wiping materials is that they be lint-free. Shirtsleeves are unacceptable!

Best Practices

Whatever approach is selected, certain truisms apply to fiber optic end-face inspection and cleaning. First, inspection must occur not only before but also after cleaning to ensure a good result. If a post-cleaning inspection shows remaining contamination, then a second cleaning must follow. Second, both sides of any connection need to be inspected as every mating involves two surfaces coming into contact. And last, it is almost always easier and cheaper to inspect and clean as a preventative measure than as reactive response. Consistent inspection and cleaning up front will avoid unexpected and costly downtime in the future.

For more information on Fluke Networks and to view a demonstration, please visit www.flukenetworks.com.

DSP To DTX Trade-Up Program

Purchase a DTX CableAnalyzer™ Between March 17, 2008, & June 27, 2008, And Choose From 3 Cash Rebate Or Free Product Offers.

Now is the time to move to the DTX-1800. Faster test times, Tier 1/Tier 2 fiber certification, and compliance to the latest 10Gbps standards are just three reasons to take advantage of this opportunity to trade-up to the DTX-1800.

Promotion Details

Trade in a DSP-4000, DSP-4100, DSP-4300, or OMNIScanner® , II and purchase one of the DTX models below to participate in offers 1, 2, or 3.

Offer #1	Offer #2	Offer #3
Purchase DTX -1800, DTX -1800-M, or DTX -1800-V and receive:	Purchase DTX -1800-MS and receive:	Purchase DTX -1800-MSO and receive:
$2,000 or	$2,500 or	$3,000 or
DTX-AXKIT Alien Crosstalk Kit and CIQ-100 CableIQ™ (value: $2,570)	DTX-AXKIT Alien Crosstalk Kit and FT500 FiberInspector ™ Mini (value: $2,990)	DTX-AXKIT Alien Crosstalk Kit and CIQ-GSV CableIQ™ Gigabit Service Kit (value: $3,970)

This offer is valid in the U.S. only on purchases between March 17, 2008 and June 27, 2008. All forms and trade-in products must be received by July 31, 2008. This offer is subject to change without notice. A dated DTX invoice, and promotion form must be submitted. Note: A completed W-9 with tax identification number is required only if selecting cash rebate option and will not be used for IRS reporting.

Download a promotion form.

Download a W-9 form.

www.flukenetworks.com

Graybar Appoints Two New Senior Vice President Positions

Company Focuses on Enhancing Strategic Market Alignments

Graybar, a leading distributor of electrical and communications products and related supply chain management and logistics services, approved at a recent board meeting the appointment of two new senior vice president positions.

Further enhancing market alignments, Richard D. Offenbacher will now serve as the senior vice president - sales and marketing, electrical, and Kathleen M. Mazzarella will fill the position of senior vice president - sales and marketing, comm/data. In their new roles, Offenbacher and Mazzarella will drive strategic development initiatives and continue to create growth plans with leading suppliers.

"We are pleased to announce Dick and Kathy's new roles and are confident in their ability to create innovative solutions for our customers and suppliers," said Robert A. Reynolds Jr., chairman, president and chief executive officer of Graybar. "Their strategic focus, experience and commitment to these key markets positions Graybar well for continued growth."

Most recently, Offenbacher served as senior vice president - sales and marketing, and Mazzarella was senior vice president - human resources and strategic planning. http://graybar.com/.

Graybar Introduces New Security Catalog

Publication addresses growing demand for converged IP technology solutions

Graybar, a leading distributor of electrical and communications products and related supply chain management and logistics services, announced that it has published a new catalog of security solutions.

The Graybar Security Solutions Catalog will debut at two upcoming events in Las Vegas, Nev. - AFCOM^®DataCenter World^®Spring 2008, March 30 - April 3, and ISC West, April 2 - 4. The 132-pagecatalog features more than 1,400 products from 44 brand-name suppliers in six categories: surveillance; access control; intrusion; audiovisual notification; cabling, installation and tools; and fire systems. It also includes products incorporating the latest IP technology solutions.

"The physical security market and associated products are a strategic focus at Graybar and an important extension of our comm/data and electrical businesses," said Michael Dumas, vice president, comm/data business, Graybar. "Security has been a high-growth area for Graybar over the past two years and continues to offer significant upside potential. Our new security catalog features many commonly used products and security solutions, making it an excellent resource for our customers and our internal sales and service representatives."

Graybar Security Solutions Catalogs will be available at the Graybar booth at AFCOM Data Center World Spring 2008 and ISC West or through your local Graybar representative or 1-800-GRAYBAR (472-9227). A PDF of the catalog is available for viewing or download from the Markets Served - Security section of www.Graybar.com.

HAI Now Shipping New Line of Video Surveillance Products

HAI's new Surveillance product line will be demonstrated at HAI's Booth 18120 at the ISC Show in Las Vegas, NV April 2 - 4, 2008

HAI (Home Automation, Inc.), leading manufacturer of integrated automation and security products since 1985, is now shipping a new line of Surveillance products, including a Network Digital Video Recorder (NDVR) and two high resolution cameras, along with various accessories.

HAI' s NDVR has 4-channels and can be installed stand-alone to view video via its embedded web server or used in conjunction with an HAI home control system where cameras can be viewed on HAI' s family of Touchscreens, over the Internet, or Smartphone.

HAI' s NDVR records video based on motion or any other chosen event. Recordings may be viewed on or offsite using a standard web browser. Included client software allows you to view live and recorded video for up to 16 cameras at the same time on a split screen. You may implement multiple NDVR' s in one installation. Two optional parts allow it to be securely mounted in a structured wiring can.

"What' s really unique about this NDVR is the form factor," explains Thomas Pickral Jr., HAI Business Development Manager. "It mounts directly on a wall or securely locked away in a structured wiring enclosure eliminating the need for a costly rack or unsightly shelf. It makes for a much cleaner, easier and secure installation."

Also included in the Surveillance product family are two high resolution cameras. The cameras are available in a dome-style or bullet-style.

All products in HAI's Surveillance line are now shipping and are available through a worldwide network of Distributors and installing dealers in over 80 countries. www.homeauto.com

Back to content listing

ECO ™ from HCM.

The Category 6 cable the world's been waiting for.

The engineers at Hitachi Cable Manchester (HCM) maintain a long history of developing products that other cable manufacturers have found too challenging to produce. From our 25-pair Category 5e cable to our GoldLANTM Category 6 24-pair hybrid cable, HCM identifies the needs of its customers and develops products to fulfill those needs. The same holds true for the latest product from HCM.

Our customers were seeking a Category 6 cable with a smaller outside diameter (OD) to reduce the installation costs associated with conduit. A smaller OD cable means you can use smaller diameter conduit and smaller cable tray, which saves money. They also demanded that the cable provide reliable performance that was verified by UL and have a construction that would be robust enough to handle the toughest of installations.

HCM responded with the Category 6 ECOTM.

The UL verified Category 6 ECOTM is the culmination of HCM efforts to provide a high performance Category 6 cable with not only a smaller outside diameter, but also a smaller impact on the environment.

To develop a Category 6 cable that has a smaller outside diameter and no shaped center filler, you have to start from the ground up. Simply removing the filler from a Category 6 cable will result in numerous crosstalk failures. Unlike Category 5e cables, which have no internal pair separator and are tested to 100 MHz, Category 6 is tested out to 250 MHz. The higher frequencies required for Category 6 cable create a greater dependence on pair construction and separation to ensure proper performance. The shaped filler, or "star" filler, was originally developed by HCM to counter crosstalk and ensure performance beyond 250 MHz.

The ECOTM's performance is a direct result of knowledge gained while developing our UL verified 10 gigabit cable, the Supra 10GTM. The Supra 10GTM, tested to 500 MHz, owes its exceptional performance to a patented jacket construction as well as other unique design features. The materials and processes utilized during the development of the Supra 10GTMprovided the foundation for the Category 6 ECOTM.

But, performance wasn't the only goal in mind when HCM began development of Category 6 ECOTM. We also wanted a more environmentally friendly cable.

HCM, and all Hitachi companies worldwide, are dedicated to the practice of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). CSR addresses the fact that corporate stakeholders, and consumers, expect more from manufacturers. High quality, performance and price are important, but equally so are the manufacturer's commitment to environmental preservation, human rights and to be being a good corporate citizen. With CSR in mind, HCM is making strides to be the most environmentally friendly manufacturer of copper and fiber optic communications cables.

For example, HCM utilizes over 35,000 gallons of water a month in the cooling of products and equipment. Virtually all of that water is recycled. HCM utilizes a closed-loop system that feeds water to the equipment. During manufacturing, the equipment raises the water temperature. When the water leaves the manufacturing line, it is sent to a cooling tank located outside the facility. Once the water cools, it is drawn back into the system, filtered and re-used. Only water that is lost to evaporation is replaced with water from the local water supply.

HCM also recently replaced over 300 light fixtures throughout our 300,000 square foot facility with high efficiency fluorescent lighting. Replacing all the light fixtures, coupled with additional energy saving measures, allowed HCM to reduce its overall energy consumption by an amazing 11%. In addition, the light bulbs in these new fixtures contain 75% less mercury than the previous bulbs, making them less harmful to the environment when they are disposed of. All office and warehouse lights also operate on motion detection sensors. So, aisles in the warehouse are not lit unless someone enters an aisle and triggers a motion sensor. And, to assist electrical lighting, there are 90 skylights spread throughout the manufacturing and warehouse areas.

When HCM develops any new product, the impact of that product's life plays a major role in its development. The life cycle of the product starts at production, includes its use and ends with its final disposal. HCM saw the development of the new Category 6 ECOTM cable as an ideal opportunity to develop a product that not only performs beyond our customer's expectations, but has the smallest impact on the environment possible. We believe the Category 6 ECOTMsucceeds at both goals.

The new Category 6 ECOTM uses less material than any other HCM Category 6 cable. It is 100% compliant to the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive and it is packaged in a box made of 100% post consumer material.

Since HCM manufactures hundreds of millions of feet of Category 6 cable annually, the use of 100% recycled materials for the packaging alone can have an immediate impact on the consumption of natural resources. HCM also strongly encourages those who use this product, and all of our products, to recycle all discarded packaging.

For more information about HCM products or our commitment to the environment, visit http://www.hcm.hitachi.com/

Henkels & McCoy Awarded Construction Contract With AmerenUE

Henkels & McCoy, Inc. announced that it has been selected to provide construction services for the southern portion of AmerenUE's "Project Power On" Reliability and Environmental Improvement Program.

Under a three-year alliance agreement, Henkels & McCoy will provide construction resources including labor and equipment to AmerenUE's "Project Power On". AmerenUE plans to invest $300 million over three years for undergrounding of aerial circuits for reliability improvement. Henkels & McCoy, Inc. estimates the scope of work for the Southern Region to be approximately $90 million over the three-year period. The project is the single largest distribution system investment project undertaken in AmerenUE's history. The project is estimated to start November 2007 with an estimated completion December 2010.

"We are committed to helping AmerenUE realize their goals for reliability and environmental improvement," said Rod Henkels, President and CEO.

The Network Systems & Solutions Division (NSS) provides structured cabling solutions for voice, data, and video applications. Copper and fiber optic cabling systems are areas of specialty. We provide solutions ranging from design/build projects to ongoing maintenance (moves, adds, and changes).

We are strategically located to service every major metropolitan area in the United States. Each local and regional office is fully staffed with trained technicians who understand that voice and data network reliability is crucial.

Our National Accounts group meets the unique needs of clients with multi-site / multi-state projects. As a contractor with a true national footprint, we execute nearly 90% of our work with technicians directly employed by Henkels & McCoy. Centralized project management provides 24x7, single point-of-contact coverage and streamlined communication.

For government customers, Henkels & McCoy has two contract vehicles available for use. Our General Services Administration IT Services Contract (GS-35F-0651K) has been used by many satisfied federal agencies (list available upon request). We are also partnered with L-3/EER Corporation on the ANSWER Program (GSO9K99BHD005), which provides an even broader array of services. Henkels & McCoy also supports the Small Business Administration with our growing Small Business Program.

Our dedication to performance starts with our customers' needs. These often include requirement definition, execution of cutting edge installation practices, and comprehensive follow on support.

History
Henkels & McCoy, founded in 1923 by John B. Henkels, Jr., started with tree-trimming, landscaping and building tennis courts, none of which we do today. The Great Depression nearly drove the company to ruin, but a hurricane in New England in 1938 proved to be the turning point in our history. While the storm was still blowing its way through the Northeast, Henkels & McCoy rallied, recruiting teams of linemen to send to the area. Just hours after the winds subsided, Henkels & McCoy crews rolled in to restore utility services.

Today, Henkels & McCoy is one of the largest privately held engineering, network development and construction firms serving the communications, information technology and utility industries in the United States. We offer one of the largest networks of qualified individuals available in the industry - through over 80 permanent offices and operation facilities strategically located across the nation. Henkels & McCoy has the necessary personnel, expertise and financial wherewithal to handle a broad range of projects.

We consistently rank at the top of the Engineering News-Record list of Specialty Contractors. With an uninterrupted history of family leadership since our inception, our commitment to excellence and continuous improvement is personal as well as professional. www.henkels.com

The Light Brigade's May 2008 Training Schedule

Fiber Optics 1-2-3

This course focuses on how to design, install, test and maintain fiber optic communication systems for voice, video and data applications. The course consists of two days of classroom content and two optional days of hands-on practices. Course material and techniques taught are based on ITU, TIA/EIA, IEEE, Telcordia and ANSI standards. Class participants will learn to understand and effectively use any manufacturer's equipment or product designed to conform to these widely accepted standards.

May 5-8	Hartford, CT
	Bismarck, ND
May 12-15	Washington, DC
May 19-22	Raleigh, NC
	Columbus, OH

Advanced Hands-on Modules

These intensive one-day fiber optic training courses were developed as the next level of training for those who require more advanced skills and experience with major fiber optic disciplines and equipment. Each of the five modules focuses on a specific discipline and incorporates concentrated hands-on exercises.

Module 1: Fiber Optic Cable Preparation, Patch Panels & Splice Closures

Module 2: Fiber Optic Connectorization

Module 3: Optical Loss Testing, Troubleshooting & Documentation

Module 4: OTDR Theory, Operation & Emergency Restoration

Module 5: Fiber Optic Splicing (Fusion & Mechanical)

May 5-9	Seattle, WA
May 19-23	Orlando, FL

Fiber Optics for Intelligent Transportation Systems

This course offers a practical understanding of how fiber-optic technology is integrated into modern intelligent transportation systems. The content covers basic optical theory, the outside plant, system design, the impact of component choices on your system, optical loss and bandwidth budgets, video transmission, real-time video, compressed video over IP, FM and digitally encoded video, FDM, TDM, multi-channel and high-density video, control systems, traffic controllers, fiber architectures, and next generation systems.


May 28-30	Seattle, WA

Fiber Characterization: PMD, CD, and ORL

Polarization mode dispersion (PMD) and chromatic dispersion (CD) are complex phenomena that can impose severe limitations on fiber-optic system performance. As network speeds increase, optical dispersion compensation becomes more critical in order to maintain high signal quality and low bit error rates. This three-day course not only provides the classroom instruction necessary to understand the theory and principles of fiber characterization, it also includes hands-on instruction on fiber-optic splicing, connector inspection, span testing, and documentation.


May 12-15	Seattle, WA

For more information or to register, call (800) 451-7128 or visit www.lightbrigade.com .

Why Intertek For RoHS

Wireville.com called on Intertek to check on their efforts to guide the market to GREENER Solutions, particularly for wire & cable. Their responses were impressive and certainly explain why many cable manufacturers are turning to Intertek for Environmental safe validation.

Business partnership
"We work together with our clients to develop a unique regulated and restrictive substances compliance solution. We identify and, most importantly, understand our clients' needs - drawing on our expert knowledge of the market and manufacturing trends."

Unrivalled expertise
"We follow the best International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) industry-standards and internationally recognized practices. We are also an active member of the IEC TC111 ad hoc RoHS Testing Working Group and the ASTM F40 International Technical Committee on Declarable Substances in Materials - which equates to greater peace of mind and confidence for our clients."

Global reach - unique coverage
"We have over 20 accredited Restricted Substances centers worldwide and hundreds of specialists equipped with state-of-the-art analytical equipment. And we have a unique track record in the industry with a heritage dating back to Thomas Edison in 1889. As a result, we're able to provide a first class service - wherever our clients are based."

The complete solution
"We have been offering total product and system certification for over 100 years to clients across the globe. We take pride in successfully offering the entire package of services our clients' desire when they need it most. We follow a product from concept to final distribution working with our clients every step of the way to ensure all areas of the business process are accounted for, addressed and successfully monitored by our expert staff."

Contact your Wire and Cable account representative: steve.comer@intertek.com or vicki.stafford@intertek.com to discuss solutions to provide RoHS compliance assurance for your cabling products. They are glad to assist in developing a strategy that suites your company's needs.

http://www.intertek-rohs.com/why_intertek/?lang=en
www.intertek.com

Back to content listing

Invista Files $1B Lawsuit Against DuPont

"A billion here. A billion there. Pretty soon, we're talkin' big bucks" Sen. Everett Dirksen

Invista, a producer of polyester and nylon products, has filed a $1 billion lawsuit against chemical maker DuPont Co.

Invista's lawsuit alleges that DuPont in 2004 sold Invista 14 manufacturing plants in 5 countries for $4 billion that were noncompliant with safety and environmental laws and regulations

According to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York, Invista is seeking compensatory damages of at least $800 million, plus punitive damages to deter future conduct.

"We're reviewing the lawsuit, and it appears to be grossly exaggerated," DuPont spokesman Anthony Farina said in a telephone interview.

The facilities that are located in the U.S. include plants in South Carolina, Tennessee and Delaware.

A NEW CAN OF ENVIRONMENTAL WORMS FOR "POOR OLD DUPONT"

DuPont cries "Foul" over new complaint filed by INVISTA

The following statement is in response to today's allegations made by INVISTA in a complaint filed in U.S. federal court in the Southern District of New York. The statement is to be attributed to DuPont General Counsel Stacey J. Mobley.

"INVISTA's allegations lack merit and cannot be supported by evidence or the law. DuPont intends to vigorously defend itself against INVISTA's grossly exaggerated and misguided allegations, and is confident that it will be vindicated when all of the evidence is examined in a court of law.

"INVISTA's allegations are based purely on a contract dispute - plain and simple. Not a single person was injured or placed at unreasonable risk in connection with any of INVISTA's indemnification claims. Instead, four years after subsidiaries of Koch Industries acquired the facilities at issue from DuPont, INVISTA's current allegations appear to be opportunistic efforts, including funding for INVISTA's production capacity expansions and other earmarked capital improvement projects.

"DuPont claims to be recognized as a global leader in workplace safety and voluntary environmental footprint reduction, going beyond regulatory requirements and pursuing a 'goal of zero' safety and environmental incidents. www.dupont.com

MOHAWK Announces The Addition Of Eagle Marketing To Their Sales Force

Mohawk, a leading manufacturer of fiber optic and copper cable products, would like to announce the addition of Eagle Marketing to their sales force covering MN, ND and SD.

Since 2000, Eagle Marketing has been a manufacturer's representative specializing in high performance copper networking and fiber optic product sales for the data communications and telecommunications markets. Their focus is on providing outstanding service to their manufacturers and customers with integrity, dependability, and professionalism. www.eaglemarketing.net

About Mohawk
Mohawk, a division of Belden, is headquartered in Leominster, Massachusetts, and has been providing fiber and copper cable innovations for over 50 years. Their headquartered location dedicates 210,000 square feet to today's most advanced facilities for the design, development and production of copper, fiber optic, and hybrid wire and cable. Mohawk, an ISO 9001 certified company, develops products to meet and support TIA/EIA, ISO/IEC, ICEA and NEMA standards. As part of the global Belden operations, Mohawk is supported with worldwide management, financial resources, and distribution capabilities.

www.mohawk-cable.com

Motorola News

1. Motorola Brings the Power of Touch to Mobile TV Device

Motorola Mobile TV DH02 incorporates touch screen for feature-rich multimedia entertainment, TV and navigation on the go

ARLINGTON HTS., Ill. -- 26 March 2008 - Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today unveiled the latest addition to its Mobile TV devices portfolio - the Mobile TV DH02 - a personalized TV, multimedia entertainment on the go and navigation device featuring a touch screen user interface.

For full text, please visit: http://www.motorola.com/mediacenter/news/detail.jsp?globalObjectId=9425_9354_23&pageLocaleId=2026

2. Motorola Demonstrates CDMA Femtocell Solution at CTIA

Extends Motorola's femtocell portfolio and approach to broadband everywhere

ARLINGTON HTS, Ill. - 26 March 2008 - Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) will demonstrate its expanded femtocell portfolio, including its CDMA solution, at Motorola's booth #1806 at CTIA Wireless 2008 Apr. 1-3 in Las Vegas. An expansion to its current line of femtocell customer premises equipment (CPE), including the company's first 3G UMTS femtocell CPE announced at Mobile World Congress last month, the CDMA-based femtocell enhances the company's end-to-end femtocell portfolio.

For full text, please visit: http://www.motorola.com/mediacenter/news/detail.jsp?globalObjectId=9426_9355_23&pageLocaleId=2026

3. Motorola Long Term Evolution (LTE) Demos Join Personal Media Mobility Experience at CTIA Wireless 2008

ARLINGTON HTS., Ill. - 26 March 2008 - From access technologies, home networks, services and applications, and enterprise mobility, Motorola, Inc. (NYSE:MOT) will showcase its personal media experience -- including demonstrations of its Long Term Evolution (LTE) solutions -- at CTIA Wireless 2008.

For full text, please visit: http://www.motorola.com/mediacenter/news/detail.jsp?globalObjectId=9421_9350_23&pageLocaleId=2026

4. Motorola Announces Common Wireless Broadband Platform to Support Both WiMAX and LTE

Continues delivering innovative, new products that help operators bring personal media experiences to consumers

ARLINGTON HTS., Ill., 26 March 2008 - Motorola, Inc. (NYSE:MOT) today announced a new common wireless broadband platform that will be used to support both WiMAX 802.16e access points and the Long Term Evolution (LTE) evolved Node-B (eNodeB). The new common platform is physically smaller than the first generation WiMAX product, further reducing operators' deployment and operating costs. Motorola's flexible modem technology allows the common platform to be software configurable to support either WiMAX or LTE.

For full text, please visit: http://www.motorola.com/mediacenter/news/detail.jsp?globalObjectId=9424_9353_23&pageLocaleId=2026

5. Motorola Demonstrates Industry's First CDMA/EV-DO Rev-A to LTE Network Handoffs

Lab innovation accelerates next-generation network selection for CDMA carriers

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. - 26 March 2008 - Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today announced the first successful packet-switched network handoff between CDMA EV-DO Rev-A and Long Term Evolution (LTE) technologies in a demonstration with VoIP calls and streaming video. Motorola's handoff technique illustrates how service providers using CDMA-based networks today can smoothly integrate broadband OFDMA and IP packet-based wireless broadband technologies like LTE into their network, enabling the roll-out of more interactive services like HD mobile blogging and broadcasting, HD video-on-demand and online gaming.

For full text, please visit: http://www.motorola.com/mediacenter/news/detail.jsp?globalObjectId=9422_9351_23&pageLocaleId=2026

6. Motorola Showcases New Wave-2 Ready CPEi 150; Mobile WiMAX Demonstrations at CTIA Wireless 2008

Powers WiMAX experience at Motorola, XOHM™ locations and for ecosystem outdoor WiMAX mobility demo

ARLINGTON HTS., Ill., 26 March 2008 - Motorola, Inc. (NYSE:MOT) today introduced the plug-and-play desktop CPEi 150 for indoor fixed WiMAX deployments, the latest 802.16e-compliant Wave-2 ready addition to Motorola's award-winning WiMAX consumer product portfolio.

For full text, please visit: http://www.motorola.com/mediacenter/news/detail.jsp?globalObjectId=9423_9352_23&pageLocaleId=2026

OFS Demonstrates EZ-BEND™ Optical Technology At The FTTH Council Europe Conference In Paris

New Technology Can Improve Bending Performance by up to 100 times to Help Avoid Service Disruptions and Lower Installation Costs

OFS announced it will demonstrate its new EZ-Bend™ Optical Cable Technology at the FTTH Council Europe Conference. Supporting multiple dwelling unit (MDU) and in-home wiring applications, the ground-breaking EZ-Bend Technology addresses the critical need to speed and simplify installations by allowing cables to be bent and routed in ways never before feasible using traditional optical drop cables, to facilitate rapid deployment of fiber to and within the residence.

Service providers need drop cables that support tight corner bends and stapling. The EZ-Bend Technology enables in-residence optical cable installation with the same simple practices used for copper or coaxial cables. Cables using EZ-Bend Technology can be stapled in place utilizing existing copper cable installation tools and routed around corners. Its bending loss performance represents up to a 100-fold improvement over conventional single-mode fiber (SMF) type cables.

The demonstration shows a live video stream supported over optical cables using EZ-Bend Technology bent around numerous corners with no degradation in picture quality. In contrast, a conventional cable subjected to far less bending shuts down the video and "freezes" the screen. This is because the EZ-Bend Technology enables negligible video signal loss (0.1 dB maximum at 1550 nm) for one turn at 5 mm radius, while conventional fibers under the same assumption lose nearly all the signal and shut down service to customers.

"OFS' EZ-Bend Technology integrates a new bend-optimized fiber design in a new cable construction," said Finn Mogensen, Executive Marketing & Sales Director for FTTH & Cable in EMEA. "This innovative technology is the first to provide such performance using a solid glass fiber construction, while being fully splice and performance compatible with typical installed fibers," Mr. Mogensen added.

OFS will provide EZ-Bend Technology in the V-Linx™ drop cables used in its V-Linx Spool & Play Solution for MDU deployments. A key component of OFS' FOX™ Solution for FTTX applications, the V-Linx Solution can simplify MDU installations and lower installed cabling system costs by up to 50%. The V-Linx drop cables are expected to be commercially available in the first half of 2008.

About OFS

OFS is a world-leading designer, manufacturer and provider of optical fiber, optical fiber cable, FTTX, optical connectivity and specialty photonics products. Our manufacturing and research divisions work together to provide innovative products and solutions that traverse many different applications as they link people and machines anywhere in the world. Between continents, between cities, around neighborhoods, and into homes and businesses of digital consumers we provide the right optical fiber, optical cable and components for efficient, cost-effective transmission.

OFS' corporate lineage dates back to 1876 and included technology powerhouses such as AT&T (NYSE: T) and Lucent Technologies (now Alcatel-Lucent, NYSE: ALU). Today, OFS is owned by Furukawa Electric, a multi-billion dollar global leader in optical communications.

Headquartered in Norcross (near Atlanta, Georgia), U.S., OFS is a global provider with facilities in Avon, Connecticut; Carrollton, Georgia; Somerset, New Jersey; and Sturbridge, Massachusetts. In Europe OFS has facilities in Augsburg (Germany), Brondy (Denmark) and Voronezh (Russia).

For more information, please visit www.ofsoptics.com.

Back to content listing

New QuickNet™ Plug Pack Assemblies Minimize Network Downtime During Switch Installation And Maintenance

PANDUIT^®QuickNet™ Plug Pack Assemblies facilitate quick and easy connection and disconnection of patch cords to a variety of switches, reducing time and cost associated when installing and maintaining structured cabling links. Innovative design features of the plug pack allow multiple patch cords to be installed simultaneously with one hand for speed of deployment, while providing flexibility and ease to identify and remove individual cable links without disrupting service to the other network connections.

QuickNet™ Plug Pack Assemblies are constructed of 100% performance tested PANDUIT patch cords and assembled in a factory-controlled environment for more consistent connections with optimum reliability. Engineered for design flexibility and high-density utilization, QuickNet™ Plug Pack Assemblies are available in Category 6A, 6, or 5e performance levels. An optional lock-in device prevents unauthorized removal of plug packs from the switch, providing an additional level of security. www.panduit.com

Preformed Line Products Announces Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2007

Preformed Line Products Company (Nasdaq: PLPC - News) tod reported financial results for the fourth quarter and the full year 2007.

Net income for the quarter ended December 31, 2007 was $1,568,000, or $.29 per diluted share, compared to $2,044,000, or $.38 per diluted share, for the comparable period in 2006. Net income for the quarter ended December 31, 2007 included non-cash, after-tax charges of $537,000 for goodwill impairment and the write off of tax loss carryforwards, both related to our Thailand operation. Net sales in the fourth quarter 2007 improved 32% to $68,224,000 compared to last year' s $51,765,000.

Net income for the year ended December 31, 2007 increased 22% to $14,766,000, or $2.72 per diluted share, compared to the prior year's $12,103,000, or $2.14 per diluted share. Net sales for the year 2007 improved 17% to $254,607,000 compared to last year's $216,937,000.

Currency had a favorable impact on sales for the year and fourth quarter of $10 million and $4 million, respectively. Currency favorably impacted net income for the year and quarter by $.6 million and $.3 million, respectively.

Rob Ruhlman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, "I am pleased with the growth and progress of our domestic business. Improvements in our domestic sales are allowing us to successfully leverage our expenses. Our international businesses maintained their positions after strong gains experienced in 2006. Our acquisitions were successfully integrated and provide exciting expansion of our product lines. Sales from our newly acquired companies contributed $17 million for the year and $7 million for the quarter. I see a strong future for Preformed Line Products."

Founded in 1947, Preformed Line Products is an international designer and manufacturer of products and systems employed in the construction and maintenance of overhead and underground networks for energy, communications and broadband network companies.

Preformed's world headquarters are in Cleveland, Ohio, and the Company operates four domestic manufacturing centers located in Rogers, Arkansas, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albemarle, North Carolina, and Asheville, North Carolina. The Company serves its worldwide market through international operations in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, England, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa, Spain and Thailand. www.preformed.com

iMemories T Launch New Online Video Sharing Web Site Using Qwest Metro Optical Ethernet Solutions

Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q) today announced it signed a 3-year data networking agreement with iMemories, an Arizona-based company that uses state-of-the-art technology to convert home movie films and videotapes into full length online videos, and professionally published DVDs.

Qwest will install Qwest Metro Optical Ethernet (QMOE) at iMemories' Scottsdale, Ariz., headquarters where the company operates its 11,000 square foot studio. The Ethernet technology will give iMemories scalable bandwidth and a secure and reliable network to provide its customers to share online video. Because of the flexibility and scalability of QMOE, iMemories will use only the amount of bandwidth it needs at a certain time.

Founded in 2006, iMemories has already transformed more than 100,000 old home movies, photos and slides into a modern digital format. "Moving to a Web-based video experience has been our key value proposition and differentiator as a brand, one that gives iMemories the ability to provide online "home movie" video sharing and editing, and provide our customers with highly customized DVD merchandise," said Mark Rukavina, founder and CEO of iMemories. "Our premium online video experience sets the new standard for what consumers will required in the media conversion market."

"The beauty of Qwest Ethernet is that it starts at 10 Megabits per second (Mbps) but can easily scale to reach 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps), giving iMemories the flexibility to grow to meet the anticipated demand for their product," said Tom Richards, executive vice president of Business Markets for Qwest. "These scalable bandwidth increments also mean that iMemories only pays for the bandwidth they use, which is particularly attractive to a young, rapidly growing company."

QMOE service combines the power of Ethernet and optical technologies across metropolitan area networks to provide scalable and secure bandwidth at a low relative cost. QMOE service is available in 32 national markets with bandwidth profiles ranging from 5Mbps to 1 Gigabit per second. Qwest backs its products and services with a Quality of Service (QoS) commitment that gives customers assurance of application, integrity and performance in their network. www.qwest.com.

Peter O' Connor Promoted To Principal Of RTKL

RTKL Associates Inc. has promoted Peter O' Connor, RCDD, to principal. O'Connor is based in the firm' s Chicago office and leads the healthcare practice of RTKL's Special Systems Design Group. In this new position, O' Connor will lead the growing practice focused on designing technology infrastructures for the healthcare marketplace, furthering the firm's commitment to provide design expertise to its clients with a multi-disciplined and integrated design approach.

"Peter joined our group three years ago as an associate and has contributed greatly to the rapid growth and success we've experienced in this market," said David P. Labuskes, RTKL vice president and director of the Special Systems Design Group. "Since then, he's taken on the leadership of a national consulting team as we provide technology solutions to some of the largest healthcare facilities, both in the United States and internationally. We're pleased to recognize his success with this promotion."

Specializing in the integration of operating rooms, patient entertainment systems and nurse call systems, O'Connor uses his 17 years of experience with hospital communication systems to ensure clients' needs are met with the proper scheme.

"Our design is only successful when it takes into account an overlay of the technological opportunities with the clinical processes that exist", said O'Connor. "RTKL is committed to designing a solution that meets the needs of healthcare facilities for both today and tomorrow."

O'Connor is currently designing the technology infrastructure for a 1.2 million-square-foot patient care pavilion at the University of Chicago Hospital. The project includes integrated operating rooms, audio visual systems, voice, data and nurse call systems, all linked to an existing hospital facility. O'Connor's portfolio also includes work at Silver Cross Hospital, a 289-bed replacement hospital in New Lenox, Ill.; West Chester Medical Center, a technologically advanced hospital now under construction in Cincinnati; and a twelve-story bed tower that will be integrated into the existing communication infrastructure at Northwest Community Hospital in Chicago.

O'Connor is a Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD) and holds Building Industry Consultant Services International (BICSI) certification, which is recognized worldwide as a key designation of professional expertise and experience in the design of information transport systems. He is also a planning committee member of the Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) Patient Care Device Initiative and a member of the Health Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS), as well as a charter member of its Clinical Engineering- Information Technology Convergence special interest group.

www.RTKL.com

Massive Need for New Electrical Workers Predicted
for U.S.

America will need to train ore than 270,000 new electrical and power line workers by 2016, according to statistics recently released by the U.S. Department of Labor. Predictions are that, between 2006 and 2016, an annual average of 27,000 new electricians will be necessary to accommodate growth in the industry and to replace those leaving the workforce - with a total turnover rate of nearly 27% of the workforce. By 2016, the number of electrical and power line workers is expected to reach 877,000, with an increase of 66,000 jobs beyond the 2006 level of 817,000.

The figures are reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in its 2008-2009 Occupational Outlook Handbook, released online in December 2007 (http://www.bls.gov/), with a print version available by spring 2008.

Says Ed Hill, president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), "It's imperative that we recruit and train the next generation of electricians today, because many electrical jobs require years of classroom and hands-on training before the necessary levels of worker quality and safety can be achieved. And being taught by experienced craftsmen is by far the best way to convey those skills."

Notes E. Milner Irvin, president of the National Electrical Contractors Association(NECA), "The need for skilled electrical workers to meet the growing demands of our high-tech society is a concern that cuts across geographical borders. That's why IBEW and NECA are actively recruiting new workers nationwide, using tools such as job fairs, DVDs, websites like http://www.electrifyingcareers.com/ , even sponsoring a NASCAR racer to alert young people to the job opportunities in our industry. And through our National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, we offer young people the unmatched educational resources of America's largest electrical training program -and the chance to join the best-trained, most up-to-date electrical apprentices and journeymen in the country."

ABOUT IBEW AND NECA

Through their joint marketing organization --the National Labor-Management Cooperation Committee (NLMCC) of the organized electrical construction industry

--Reach customers with accurate information about the industry; and

--Achieve better internal communication between labor and management.

Voice of the $100 billion industry responsible for bringing lighting, power and communications to buildings and communities across the United States, the National Electrical Contractors Association was founded in 1901. NECA's national office and 120 local chapters advance the industry through advocacy, education, research and standards development.

With 725,000 members who work in a wide variety of fields --including construction, utilities, telecommunications and manufacturing --the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers is among the largest member unions in the AFL-CIO. The IBEW was founded in 1891.

http://www.thequalityconnection.org/ and http://www.electrictv.net/

Web site:
http:/

HEARD ON THE STREET

Monthly column on www.wireville.com

Contributing Publications:

BISBEE'S BUZZ

USGBC Under Attack By Commercial Interests

CCCA joins VI & SPI against USGBC LEED-HC

Industry News

Come To The 2008 BICSI Spring Conference

A Classic Publication For The Information Age Has Closed It's Doors.

Telecommunications Industry Veteran Lonnie Martin Named CEO At AKTINO

Belden Appoints Steve Biegacki As Vice President, Global Sales And Marketing

Belden Will Close Manchester, Connecticut Plant - 132 Lose Jobs

Canadian Manufacturer, Alpha Technologies Ltd., Acquires Ontario Repair Facility

Corning Cable Systems Introduces LANscape® Pretium™ Integrated Solutions Design Guide

Corning Cable Systems Offers Free Seminars Focused on Latest Fiber-to-the-Home Technologies

Corning Cable Systems to Highlight Innovation In LAN And Data Center Applications At 2008 FOSE Conference And Exposition

Developing And Marketing Commercial Real Estate Is Changing Focus.

EXFO Acquires Navtel Communications

Best Practices for Fiber Optic Installation Start With Inspection & Cleaning

DSP To DTX Trade-Up Program

Promotion Details

Graybar Appoints Two New Senior Vice President Positions

Graybar Introduces New Security Catalog

HAI Now Shipping New Line of Video Surveillance Products

ECO ™ from HCM.

Henkels & McCoy Awarded Construction Contract With AmerenUE

The Light Brigade's May 2008 Training Schedule

Why Intertek For RoHS

Invista Files $1B Lawsuit Against DuPont

MOHAWK Announces The Addition Of Eagle Marketing To Their Sales Force

Motorola News

OFS Demonstrates EZ-BEND™ Optical Technology At The FTTH Council Europe Conference In Paris

New QuickNet™ Plug Pack Assemblies Minimize Network Downtime During Switch Installation And Maintenance

Preformed Line Products Announces Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2007

iMemories T Launch New Online Video Sharing Web Site Using Qwest Metro Optical Ethernet Solutions

Peter O' Connor Promoted To Principal Of RTKL

Massive Need for New Electrical Workers Predicted for U.S.

A Classic Publication For The Information Age
Has Closed It's Doors.

Telecommunications Industry Veteran
Lonnie Martin Named CEO At AKTINO

Belden Appoints Steve Biegacki As Vice President,
Global Sales And Marketing

Belden Will Close Manchester,
Connecticut Plant - 132 Lose Jobs

Canadian Manufacturer, Alpha Technologies Ltd.,
Acquires Ontario Repair Facility

Corning Cable Systems Introduces LANscape® Pretium™
Integrated Solutions Design Guide

Corning Cable Systems Offers Free Seminars Focused
on Latest Fiber-to-the-Home Technologies

Massive Need for New Electrical Workers Predicted
for U.S.