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

“Serious Fire Safety Concerns with Many Communications Cables from Offshore Manufacturers … and What You Should Know.”

WASHINGTON, D.C., November 2, 2009 – The Communications Cable and Connectivity Association, Inc. (CCCA) announced today that the prevalence of offshore-manufactured communications cable products which fail to meet industry fire safety requirements continues to plague the industry and marketplace. In July 2009, the CCCA commissioned an independent test laboratory to again analyze whether eight offshore-manufactured cable samples met National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) minimum requirements for fire safety. Test results showed that six of the eight samples failed to meet the minimum NFPA code requirements for low flame spread and/or smoke generation for installation in commercial buildings, schools and multi-tenant residences. All of the failing samples exhibited catastrophic results, indicating an unacceptable public safety hazard still exists.

Read more »