CCCA’s testing of 379 copper patch cords from lesser known offshore manufacturers revealed that 85% of the samples failed NEXT, and 78% failed by a margin of 3dB or more! Of the 120 patch cords from major manufacturers, none failed NEXT.

http://www.cccassoc.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/CCCA-Press-release-CAT-6-patch-Cords.pdf

Clearly, off-brand patch cords can be a very weak link if each component is not properly manufactured and/or assembled. But here’s an interesting question to ponder… Can a really good permanent link compensate for a bad patch cord and still result in a channel that meets specifications?

Fluke recently did some excellent work to answer that question and the result might surprise you.  A poor quality patch cord can knock out even a very good permanent link and cause the entire channel to fail.  You can access Fluke’s study, and other useful information on testing patch cords, from their webcast “The Truth about Twisted Pair Patch Cords”.

http://cabling.flukenetworks.com/?elqpurlpage=719&document=9826811

The Communications Cable and Connectivity Association (“CCCA”) has found that certain imported communications cable does not comply with National Electrical Code (“NEC”) standards. Contractors that install this noncompliant cable, whether known to the contractor or not, may be exposed to liability for violating applicable building codes and in civil lawsuits for damages caused by the installation of noncompliant cable. Background about this issue and an overview of potential liability are provided herein.

Read Full Article

The National Electrical Code is published by the National Fire Protection Association with revisions on a three-year schedule. The 2011 NEC^®, which replaces the 2008 NEC, was released by NFPA in August 2011. There were many changes of interest to manufacturers, installers and users of communications cable and connectivity products.

The purpose of this document is to educate and communicate those relevant changes in the NEC^®.

Read the full White Paper here.

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 2, 2010 - The Communications Cable and Connectivity Association, Inc. (CCCA) applauded action by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) to stem the flow of non-compliant communications cable being imported into the North American market. (See UL Public Notice link.) UL has taken strong actions to maintain the integrity of its UL Mark and cable performance certifications by publicly identifying manufacturers and their distributors who are supplying substandard and unsafe cable products into the market. In addition, UL has established further initiatives to verify the integrity of UL Listed cables through detailed analytical testing of cable component materials and new marketplace surveillance. These efforts by UL are, in part, a result of CCCA sharing information and encouraging each of the two independent testing/certification agencies to develop stronger measures to assure compliance to national fire safety codes and telecommunications industry standards for transmission performance. 

Read more »

There was both good news and bad news to report regarding the flow of offshore-manufactured telecom cable to North America. The bad news is that the Communications Cable and Connectivity Association, Inc. (CCCA) reported at IWCS that, a year after its initial field-test report found that eight of nine randomly selected samples from Asia failed to meet the minimum requirements for fire safety, its follow-up field test showed that the U.S. cable marketplace continues to receive sub-standard cables. The good news, however, also reported at IWCS, is that UL announced a series of steps it plans to take in response to that situation.

Read Full PDF Article