200-Meter; 50° C
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Begin with the End in Mind By Jerry L. Bowman
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Cable
FIGURE 1 : 1000BASE-T Link Quality Test Results. Source: Leviton
to ~60 °C (140 °F) while still supporting up to 90 W PoE transmission.
detail around evaluating, designing, and implementing copper cabling systems beyond the traditional 100 m limit while maintaining acceptable performance and reliability. Until this TSB is published, organizations considering extended distance implementations should proceed with careful attention to the factors outlined in this article, ensuring thorough testing and validation of their specific equipment combinations and environmental conditions. The future of extended distance cabling looks promising, with technical guidance on the horizon that will make these applications more predictable and reliable for years to come. AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY : Todd Harpel has more than 30 years of experience in communications infrastructure design and specification. He holds an M.S. in telecommunications from the University of Colorado, and has designed and implemented communications infrastructure for a variety of clients nationwide. During his career he has managed marketing, product management, technical support, and training staffs for several structured cabling industry manufacturers. Todd is the current chairman for the CCCA Communications Committee.
Since the first telegraph was sent and followed by the evolution of standards bodies in the early 1900’s, the development of ICT over the last century has led to establishing uniform engineering or technical performance criteria, methods, processes, and practices for the manufacturing, interoperability, safety, installation, and policy for ICT devices and infrastructure. Since the rise of networking and the Internet, the rapid development, release, and adoption of new ICT equipment and infrastructure have not included the development of installation, integration, and Day 2 management standards and best practices. Current ICT standards focus on the manufacturing and installation of ICT, or Day 1, without considering the impact of installation on the management of technology for Day 2 operations. The result is the inability to consistently manage technology due to a lack of standardization, naming, and interoperability from site to site—even within the same company. This is further complicated by regional, national, and global differences. The cost is high with modern ICT professionals managing problems ranging from the inability to make fact-based, real-time decisions about their systems; handling a collection of dissimilar networks or systems; or even establishing service level agreement (SLA) baselines for managed service providers (MSP) to provide consistent business
outcomes across a regional, national or global enterprise. Further, as modern technology is installed over old with no lifecycle-driven management consideration, technology can become the problem instead of the solution. The answer is for designers and installers to consider the full lifecycle of each ICT system for each of the phases of the system, including planning, design, administration, operations, and the end of life. IT installation trends are moving towards increased reliance on management frameworks and standards, automation, cloud-based solutions, and enhanced cybersecurity measures. AI and machine learning are integrated to streamline processes, predict failures, and optimize performance. It should be noted that only about 20 percent of C-Level leaders find that IT investments show business value. The following trends will impact ICT installations as we move through 2025 into 2026: • Integration of AI and automation • Compliance with standards and best practices for ICT installation
LOOKING AHEAD: STANDARDLIZING EXTENDED DISTANCE SOLUTIONS While the challenges of extending copper cabling beyond 100 m are well-documented, the industry is not standing still. Organizations worldwide continue to face the reality that IoT expansion, security requirements, and facility layouts often demand ubiquitous connectivity solutions that stretch beyond traditional boundaries. Recognizing this growing need, the information and communications (ICT) industry is actively working to provide clearer guidance and standardized approaches to extended distance applications. The TIA TR-42.7 Extended Distance Task Group has been developing comprehensive guidelines that will help network designers, installers, and facility managers make better informed decisions about extended distance implementations. This important work promises to bridge the gap between theoretical possibilities and practical, reliable solutions that organizations can deploy with confidence. Network professionals should watch for the upcoming Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) from the TIA TR-42.7 Extended Distance Task Group. This publication will offer practical guidance and technical
• Sustainable IT practices • Lifecycle management • Outcome based selling • Advances in technology hardware
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ICT TODAY
July/August/September 2025
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