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TELECOM Digest Supplement Monday, 29 November 1982 Volume 2 : Issue 133A Today's Topics: New England Telephone's Customer-Provided Inside Wire Program ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 22 Nov 1982 1952-EST From: Dave Mitton <SCHRIESHEIM.MITTON at DEC-MARLBORO> Subject: New England Telephone's Customer-Provided Inside Wire Program An Introduction to Providing Your Own Telephone Wiring How to Do It Yourself, Including Technical, Material and Workmanship Standards. New England Telephone [Transcriber's Notes: There was no copyright notice, reference number or order number on this pamplet. I have corrected a few typos that I found. The page numbering in the original Table of Contents was preserved, but I have repaginated this transcription to fit on standard 66-line line printer paper. DJM 22-Nov-82 ] WARNING: Limitations of Liability o The customer is responsible for the installation of CPIW and standard jacks in the accordance with the tecical standards furnished to the Public Utilities Commission. o In the event that the customer installs, maintains or attempts to maintain inside wire, the customer assumes the risk of loss of service, damage to property, or injury of the customer or the customer's agent. The customer will save the Company harmless from any and all liability, claims, or damage suits arising out of the customer's wire installation or maintenance activity. o Where CPIW is maintained by the customer, the customer is responsible for correcting any service difficulty that is causing harm to the telecommunications network upon notice from the Company that such wire is causing the difficulty. o In those instances where the Company makes a repair visit to the customer's premises and the service difficulty or trouble results from the CPIW that is not installed or maintained in accordance with the technical standards for such wire, the customer will be responsible for the payment of the Maintencance of the Service Charge in the accordance with Company tariffs filled with the Public Utilities Commission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction.................................. 1 What Is Inside Wire?.......................... 2 What Is A Network Interface................... 2 Means Of Connection To The Network............ 2 General Considerations........................ 3 Technical and Safety Considerations......... 3 Limitations................................. 4 Connecting Your Telephone..................... 4 Workmanship And Material Specifications For Customer-Provided Inside Wire (CPIW)........ 6 How To Install Your Own Telephone Wire........ 8 Wiring Components........................... 8 Planning Your Wiring Job.................... 9 When Planning Remember......................10 Caution: Safety First!......................12 Installation Steps..........................13 Testing.......................................14 Troubleshooting...............................14 Quick Installation Checklist..................15 Table A.....................................16 Table B.....................................16 Table C.....................................16 Table D.....................................17 Appendix A - Definition of Terms..............18 Notes.........................................21 CUSTOMER PROVIDED INSIDE WIRE (CPIW) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction The New England Telephone Company now offers the option for customers (or their agents) to install their own residential or multi-party* and individual line cusiness wiring for use with Federal Communications Commision (FCC) registered or grandfathered nonbutton and/or single button telephone sets and associated equipment. *NOTE: Party-line service must have Telephone Company provided terminal sets. Customer provided equipment may not be used with PARTY LINE SERVICE. Customers with (semi-public) coin telephones or multi-line equipment on their exchange service are not eligible for this option. This pamplet contains minimum technical material and workmanship standards for the installation of inside wire by customers. It contains guidelines that a customer must follow. It will explain how to plan your wiring project, what components are available and necessary to do the job. Further, it explains how to safely install wiring, what safety percautions to take, and how to test your wiring when you complete it. Also, it explains how your telephone is connected to the telecommunications network. Customers must comply with all building and electrical codes in the jurisdiction served by The New England Telephone Company and Article 800, entitled, Communications Circuits of the Electrical Code, relevant sections of which are incorporated by reference in this booklet. The standards in this document are subject to change as technology, installation and maintenance methods change. The New England Telephone Company reserves the right to revise these standards when the need arises. Customer safety and the safety of our employees is a great concern of The New England Telephone Company. Appendix A provides a definition of the terms used herein. WHAT IS INSIDE WIRE? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Inside Wire is all telephone wire that is inside a telephone company customer's premises and is located on the customer's side of the Network Interface (NI). Customer Premises Inside Wire can be installed by the customer of the customer's agent, other than The New England Telephone Company. WHAT IS A NETWORK INTERFACE? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Network Interface (NI) is the physical and electrical boundary between Customer Premises Inside Wire and the telecommunications network. The NI can be any telephone Company-provided modular jack. Your telephone line runs from your home or business to the local telephone company switching office. There it is connected to equipment that hooks you up with the nationwide telephone network. [A figure shows the modular jack type with a swinging cover on the front. A label on the jack reads: NETWORK INTERFACE o CAUTION Disconnect plug from this jack during installation and repair of wiring o TESTING Plug working phone directly into this jack. If phone operates, Fault is in wiring. If phone does not operate, call Repair service. ] MEANS OF CONNECTION TO THE NETWORK ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The line will enter your home and terminate in an NI which is installed by the Telephone Company when you establish telephone service. Generally, the telephone wiring entry to a structure will be located at the same place as electrical wiring. The NI will be placed near this entry. If an NI is not in place, any existing telephone company-provided modular jack may be used to connect newly installed customer-provided inside wire to existing inside wire. The NI must be located inside the customer's premises at an accessible point. There are several reasons for this: o Connection through a telephone company-provided modular jack is required by the Federal Communication Commission's (F.C.C.) Registration program. o Utilization of a jack makes it easier to connect or disconnect customer equipment or wire to the telecommunications network. o Having the jack inside the customer's premises helps assure the customer's privacy of communication and helps to prevent unauthorized use. o Utilization of a jack forms a boundary for the ending of the network service and the beginning of the inside wiring and equipment. The point of location for the NI will be determined by The New England Telephone Company. It's important to note that if you plan to add to existing wiring or to wire your premises from scratch, you must have either an NI or other telephone company-provided modular jack that has been installed by The New England Telephone Company. When you complete the wiring, you'll plug your wiring directly to the NI or other telephone company-provided modular jack. The end of your wire must have a modular plug on it to enable you to connect to the NI or telephone company- provided modular jack. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Technical and Safety Considerations Wiring may only be use to conduct the operating signals, voltage and currents normally found on telephone network service lines. Customer-Provided Inside Wire must be capable of withstanding without damage, exposure to induced lightning surges and 60 Hz power line disturbances. This standard requires that such wiring and its associated hardware be designed, installed and maintained so as to operate safely when conduction these signals, surges and disturbances. Limitations Any Customer-Provided Inside Wire that does not conform to the standards published in this booklet will neither be connected to the network nor maintained by The New England Telephone Company until it is in compliance with tariffs on file. CONNECTING YOUR TELEPHONE ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Connecting points between your inside wire and your telephones may be of several types, depending on when your phones were installed: o Modular - Most recently installed telephones are connected to the inside wire via a modular system, which, for desk type phones, consists of a miniature plug at the end of the telephone cord and a matching jack on the wall or baseboard. (see Fig. 1). Wall mounted phones have a pair of slots and a sliding modular plug on the back. The phone is attached to a "connecting block" on the wall, which has two rivets that fit into the slots and a modular jack which accepts the plug located on the back of the phone. (see Fig. 2). [Fig. 1 shows a wall surface plate with a modular jack in it.] [Fig. 2 shows the back of a standard modular wall phone and the appropriate modular wall phone plate with the slots and guides labeled.] o Permanently Wired - The telephone is connected directly to the inside wire and cannot be unplugged. The connection point is usually a small, square plastic box near or on the baseboard by the floor. [A figure shows a 42A block with a cord running out of it.] o Four-Prong - On some desk-type telephones, there is a round or rectangular four-prong plug at the end of the telephone cord. The four-prong plug plugs into a jack with four holes. Telephones equipped with such plugs may be plugged in and unplugged easily, enabling you to move them from room to room as needed. [A figure shows a four-prong connector and plug.] To convert permanently wired phones or those with four-prong plugs to a modular system, you will need a converter kit from the Telephone Company or a retail store that sells telecommunications products. (Note: Any converter which is to be used as a NI must be Telephone Company provided.) WORKMANSHIP AND MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR CUSTOMER-PROVIDED INSIDE WIRE (CPIW) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The specifications contained in this document apply to Customer-Provided Inside Wire, which is used in conjunction with Residence and Individual Line Business telephone service that are used with non-key terminal equipment. 1. Building and Electrical Codes a. All building and electrical codes applicable in your state to telephone wiring shall be complied with. b. The requirements set forth in Article 800 of the National Electrical Code, entitled Communication Circuits and other sections of the code incorporated therein by reference shall be complied with. 2. Wire a. Wire shall be of a gauge no thinner that 24AWG; it shall be flexible annealed copper or its equivalent; it shall contain a minimum of 2 conductors each insulated by a semi-rigid polyvinyl cloride or its equivalent; and should be constructed in a twisted pair configuration. See Table A for additional information. b. Insulated conductors shall have a jacket or sheath with a 1500 volt rms minimum breakdown rating. c. Wiring shall be installed so that there is adequate insulation of telephone wiring from commercial power wiring and grounded services. See Table D from additional information. d. Wiring must be sheathed in an insulating jacket in addition to the insulation enclosing individual conductors, or it must be enclosed in conduit. In either case, it shall be assured that this physical and electrical protection is not damaged or abraded during placement of the wiring. e. Removal of the wiring jacket or individual conductor insulation for connections or splices shall be accomplished by removing the minimum amount of insulation necessary to make connection or splice. Insulation equivalent to that provided on the wire and its jacket shall be suitably restored, either by placement of the splices or connections in an appropriate enclosure, or by using adequately insulated connectors or splicing means. f. Any point where the sheathing, insulation or enclosure for wire has been removed shall be accessible for inspection. If such points are concealed they shall be accessible (e.g., by removing a cover) without disturbing permanent building finish. 3. Physical Protection a. In addition to the general requirements that wiring insulation be adequate and not damaged during placement of the wiring, wiring shall be protected from adverse effects of weather and the environment in which it is used. b. Where wiring is attached to building finish surfaces (surface wiring) it shall be suitably supported by means which do not affect the integrity of the wiring insulation. See Table C for additional information. 4. Electrical Protection Lightning or other hazardous voltage protectors placed by the Telephone Company shall not be disturbed, removed, or otherwise modified by the customer. 5. Limitations on Electrical Signals a. Only signals which emanate from the local telephone company central office, or which are generated by telecommunications equipment at the customer's premises which are "non-hazardous voltage sources" [see Federal Communications Commission (F.C.C.) Rules Part 68 Section 68.306(b)(4)] may be routed in premises telephone wiring. b. Electrical current on individual wiring conductors shall be limited to values which do not cause an excessive temperature rise, with due regard to insulation materials and ambient temperatures. HOW TO INSTALL YOUR OWN TELEPHONE WIRE ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wiring Components Before you buy any wire, plan the whole wiring job to decide how many of the various components you'll need. There are several types of components associated with telephone wiring: o Modular Outlets - These are the jacks or connecting blocks, into which modular phones are plugged. There are two basic types: jacks for desk telephone sets, and jacks for wall telephone sets. In shopping for wiring components, you may find several variations for modular jacks. Some attach to the surface of the baseboard or wall, while others are flush-mounted, requiring a hole in the wall. Some also provide a spring-loaded door to cover the jack opening when nothing is plugged into it. This protects the inside of the jack from dust or dirt, which can damage the electronic contacts. These outlets must meet the Federal Communications Commission's (F.C.C.) Registration Program requirements. o Bridges - The purpose of a bridge is to connect two or more sets of telephone wires. Some bridges include a cord with a modular plug on the end, which can serve as an entrance plug in connecting your wire to the telephone company-provided NI or modular jack. Other bridges are designed to be placed at a junction where several telephone wires meet. Proper use of bridges will minimize the amount of wire required for the job. [A figure shows an outside line that connects to a Protector Block, which connects to a Network Interface, which connects to an Entrance Bridge, which connects to a jack and a Line Bridge, which connects to several jacks.] o Telephone Wire - Wire used should be should be solid copper, 22 to 44 gauge, and have four insulated conductor wires, colored red, green, black and yellow. The wire should have an outer plastic coating protecting all four conductors, all must meet Federal Communications (F.C.C.) requirements (the package should indicate that the material contained therein meets such standards). Wire staples generally are used to secure wire to a wall. PLANNING YOUR WIRING JOB ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Determine where you want to place the modular outlets. Determine which type of outlet is best for each location. If the jack is likely to be exposed to excessive dust or dirt, use jacks with protective covers. Determine the best path to run the wiring from the NI or other existing telephone company-provided modular jack to each of the new outlets. Place bridges where two or more paths come together. Inventory the tools you'll need to do the wiring job, such as: - Screwdriver with insulated handle - A pair of diagonal cutters with insulated grips, to cut wire - A tool to strip the wire coating off without damaging any of the four conductors - Hammer or staple gun for staples used to attach wire to wall or baseboard - Drill, with appropriate sized bits, to drill holes for screws, anchors and toggle bolts - Key hole saw, if a hole in the wall is necessary, and a drill with a large enough bit to make a hole for the saw blade For best results, you should follow these guidelines and observe these restrictions. In addition, your wire must comply with technical, material, and workmanship standards approved by state regulatory bodies and any local building codes. If the wire is not in compliance, the result could be poor telephone service, and your safety and the safety of others may jepardized. The Telephone Company will charge a Service Charge, if a service technician is called to your premises and the trouble is located in your wire and/or if they are required to repair it. WHEN PLANNING, REMEMBER ... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- o DO NOT place connections to wiring in outlet or junction boxes containing other electrical wiring. o When wiring, avoid: - damp locations - locations not easily accessible - temporary structures - wire runs that support lighting, decorative objects, etc. - hot locations, such as steam pipes, furnaces, etc. - locations that subject wire and cable to abrasion o Place telephone wire at least six feet from bare power wiring or lightning rods and associated wires, and at least six inches from other kinds of wire (e.g., antenna wires, wires from transformers to neon signs, etc.) steam or hot water pipes and heating ducts. See Table D for additional information. o Do not connect any external power sources to your inside wire or outlets. o Do not run wire between seperate buildings. o Do not expose wire to mechanical stress, such as being pinched when a door or window closes on it. o Do not place wire where it would allow a person to use the phone while in a bathtub, shower, swimming pool or other dangerous locations. o Do not try or pull or push wire behind walls when electric wiring is already present in the wall area. o Use only bridged connections if it is necessary to establish a splice of two or more wires. o Place connecting blocks and jacks high enough to remain moisture-free during normal floor cleaning. o Do not attach jacks so that the opening faces upward - this increases the potential for damage from dirt and dust. o Wires should run horizontally and vertically in straight lines, and should be kept as short as possible between bridges and other connections. o Run wiring along door and window casings, baseboards, trim, and the underside of moldings, so it will not be conspicuous or unsightly. o Wood surfaces are better for fastening wire and attaching connecting blocks, jacks, and bridges. When attaching hardware to walls, place fasteners in studs (wooden beams behind the walls) whenever possible. o If drilling through walls, floors, ceilings, be careful to avoid contacts with concealed hazards, such as electrical wiring, gas pipes, steam or hot water pipes, etc. o If installing wire next grating, metal grillwork, etc., use a wire guard or two layers of friction tape to resist abrasion. o Always fasten wire to cement or cinder blocks with screw anchors, drive anchors, or masonary fasteners. o Avoid running wire outside whenever possible. If exterior wiring is necessary, drill holes through wooden window or door frames and slope entrance holes upward from the outside. Try to use rear and side walls so the wire will not be as noticeble; place horizontal runs out of reach of children and family members; and avoid placing wire in front of signs, doors, windows, fire escapes, "drop wires" and across flat roofs. o When fastening wire to metal siding, the type of fastener used depends on the type of siding and the method used to install it. Check with the vendor who sold you the wiring materials. Look out for voltages coming from the telephone line before starting and work involving metal siding. Extra caution should be used when working on mobile homes. Mobile homes should be properly grounded. Other voltages (e.g. electrical) are usually higher and can therefore present an extreme danger working around metal. Therefore, proper grounding is very important. CAUTION: SAFETY FIRST! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Telephone connections may have varying amounts of electrical current in the bare wires and terminal screws. Therefore, before you begin installation, make sure the entrance point of any existing wire is unplugged from the NI or telephone company-provided modular jack while you are working. This will disconnect any wiring from the telephone network. If you're just connecting a new modular outlet to existing wiring which you cannot disconnect, take the handset of one of your telephones off the hook. This will prevent the phone from ringing and reduce the possibility of electrical shock. Disregard messages or tones coming from the handset signalling you to hang up. In addition: o Use a screwdriver with an insulated handle. o Do not touch screw terminals or bare conductors with your hands. o Do not work on wiring while a thunderstorm is in the vicinity. INSTALLATION STEPS ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Once you've planned your wiring job, acquired the necessary components, and observed the safety precautions you're ready to start the installation. For each component you use, be sure read thoroughly any instructions accompanying the component before you begin. Follow these simple steps to complete the wiring job: 1. Install a bridge or some other component to act as an entrance plug for your wire. This plug will connect to the NI or telephone company-provided modular jack. The bridge should have a modular-type cord with a plug at the end to insert into the NI or modular jack. Another acceptable type of entrance plug is a length of telephone wire with a modular plug on the end. Do not ever insert the entrance plug into the NI or modular jack until your wiring is completed. 2. Attach each modular jack to the wall or baseboard. Use wood screws on wooden surfaces. Drill holes slightly smaller than the diameter of the screws being used to make installation easier. To fasten components to plasterboard walls, use screw anchors or toggle bolts. 3. Run wire to each modular jack stapling it to the wall or baseboard about every 8 inches. Be sure to not pierce or pinch the wire with staples. Allow enough wire to make the electrical connections to the modular jack attached to the wall or baseboard. See Table C for additional information. 4. Strip the plastic coating on the phone wire as needed and connect the colored conductors (e.g. red, green, black, and yellow) to the terminals for each modular jack. Trim excess wire and attach the modular jack cover (if any) to the base. See Table B for additional information. 5. When you've completed your wiring job, place the plug on the end of your bridge into the NI or telephone company-provided jack. TESTING ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- After installing the wiring, test it. Lift the handset of a phone plugged into one of the new outlets, listen for dial tone, then dial any single number other that "0". Listen. If you hear a lot of excessive noise, or if dial tone cannot be interrupted, you have a problem. Attempt to locate it by using the following "Troubleshooting" guidelines. If you cannot locate or repair the trouble yourself, disconnect the defective wiring until you can get the problem repaired. TROUBLESHOOTING ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- If testing indicates problems in the wiring you've installed, or if problems develop with the phone service later, try to determine if the problems are being caused by your own wire and equipment, or by the telephone line. Here are some of the things you can do to try to identify the nature of the problem: o Unplug the wire you installed from the NI or telephone company-provided modular jack. Plug any phone (other than the one used when you detected the problem) directly either of these jacks. o If the problem persists, the telephone company lines or equipment may be faulty and you should: - Dial the telephone company's repair service bureau listed in your directory. - Describe the problem you are experiencing and be sure to state that you have installed your own wiring. o If the problem no longer exists when you plug another phone into the NI or telephone company-provided modular jack, it probably is being caused by your wire or equipment. You may be able to localize the source of the problem by plugging the working phone into different outlets and testing each separately as before. Among the possible sources of trouble are broken wires, worn insulation, incorrect (e.g. red and green conductors reversed) or loose connections and staples put through the wire. Note: If you have Touch-Tone(r) Service and after lifting the handset of a phone plugged into the new outlet you installed you hear dial tone, but the Touch-Tone(r) dial does not operate, unplug the wire from the NI or other telephone company-provided modular jack, reverse the red and green conductors at the outlet, then plug it back into the NI and check the phone again. If you still can't locate the problem, call the telephone company's repair service bureau. QUICK INSTALLATION CHECKLIST: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- o Be sure the entrance plug is unplugged from the NI or telephone company- provided modular jack. o Attach each component securely to the wall or baseboard. o Run wire to each component allowing enough extra wire to make electrical connections. o Make electrical connections and put covers on components. o Plug the entrance plug into the NI or telephone company-provided modular jack. o Plug in telephones and test (see "Testing" instructions). o See "Troubleshooting" instructions if problems occur. TABLE A - Selection of Wire --------------------------------------------------------- | Type of Wire |Pair No.| Pair Color Matches | --------------------------------------------------------- | 2-pair Wire | 1 | Green | Red | | | 2 | Black | Yellow | --------------------------------------------------------- | 3-pair Wire | 1 | White/Blue | Blue/White | | | 2 | White/Orange | Orange/White | | | 3 | White/Green | Green/White | --------------------------------------------------------- TABLE B - Inside Wire Connecting Terminations --------------------------------------------------------- | Wire Color | Wire Function | --------------------------------------------------------- | 2-pair | 3-pair | Service w/o | Service with | | wire | wire | Dial Light | Dial Light | --------------------------------------------------------- | Green | White/Blue | Tip | Tip | | Red | Blue/White | Ring | Ring | | Black | White/Orange | Not Used | Transformer | | Yellow | Orange/White | Ground | Transformer | --------------------------------------------------------- TABLE C - Typical Fasteners and Spacing Intervals --------------------------------------------------------- | Fasteners | Horizontal | Vertical | From Corner | --------------------------------------------------------- | Wire clamp | 16 in. | 16 in. | 2 in. | | Staples(wire) | 7.5 in. | 7.5 in. | 2 in. | | Bridle Rings* | 4 ft. | | 2-8.5 in.* | | Drive Rings** | 4 ft. | 8 ft. | 2-8.5 in.* | --------------------------------------------------------- * When changing direction of wire runs the fasteners should be spaced to hold the wire at approximately a 45-degree angle. ** To avoid possible injury do not use drive rings below a 6 foot clearance level, use bridle rings. TABLE D - Separation And Physical Protection For Premises Station Wiring This table applies only to telephone wiring from the Network Interface or other telephone company-provided modular jacks to telephone equipment. Minimum separations between telephone wiring whether located inside or attached to the outside of buildings and other types of wiring involved are as follows. Separations apply to crossing and to parallel runs (minimum separations). ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Types of Wire Involved | Minimum | Wire Crossing | | | Separations | Alternatives | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Electric | Bare light or power wire | 5 ft. | No | | Supply | of any voltage | | Alternative | | | Open wiring not over | 2 in. | See Note 1. | | | 300 volts | | | | | Wires in conduit or in | None | N/A | | | armored or nonmetallic | | | | | sheath cable, or power | | | | | ground wires | | | | | | | | | Radio & | Antenna lead-in and | 4 in. | See Note 1. | | TV | ground wires | | | | | | | | | Signal or | Open wiring or wires in | None | N/A | | Control | conduit or cable | | | | Wires | | | | | | | | | | Comm. | Community Television | None | N/A | | Wires | systems coaxial cables | | | | | with grounded shielding | | | | | | | | | Telephone | Using fused protectors | 2 in. | See Note 1. | | Drop Wire | Using fuseless protector | None | N/A | | | or where no protector | | | | | wiring from transformer | | | | | | | | | Sign | Neon Signs and associated | 6 in. | No | | | wiring from transformer | | Alternative | | | | | | | Lightning | Lightning rods and wires | 6 in. | See Wiring | | Systems | | | Separations | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE 1: If minimum separations cannot be obtained, additional protection of a plastic tube, wire guard, or two layers of vinyl tape extending 2 inches beyond each side of object being crossed must be provided. APPENDIX A DEFINITION OF TERMS ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Armored or Non-metallic Sheathed Cable An assembly of two or more insulated conductors having an outer sheath of moisture resistant, flame retardant, non-metallic materials. Bare Wire An electrical conductor having no covering or insulation whatsoever. Bridle Ring A device used to loosely hold telephone wiring where appearance is not a factor. The bridle ring screws into the supporting surface. It is usually used where the wire is run below six feet and contains no sharp or hazardous edges. The telephone wire is inserted after the ring is in place. Cleats Porcelain fasteners which are used to fastend electric power wires that insulated but do not have an outer protective jacket. Coaxial Cable A two conductor cable for transmitting electrical signals that consists of a tube of conducting material surrounding a second centrally located conductor which is held in place by insulators. Conduit A plastic or metal pipe or tube used to carry telephone or electrical wiring. Connecting Block A device used for terminating premises telephone wiring and a means of connecting telephone sets to such wiring. Customer-Provided Inside Wire Is that wiring which is inside the premises from a Network Interface (NI) to the telephone hardware and is provided by the customer. Dial Light A small light bulb powered by a low voltage and used to illuminate a telephone set dial in dark locations. Drive Rings A device used to loosely hold telephone wiring in place where appearance is not a factor. The nail in a drive ring is driven into the supporting surface and the ring is open to permit placing or wires. A drive ring must be at leaset six (6) feet from the floor so that its nail will not present a hazard. Drop Wire Wire used to transmit telephone service into a customer's premises. It may be aerial or buried. Knobs Porcelain fasteners used to affix electrical power wires which are insulated but do not have an outer protective jacket to a surface. Modular The term "modular" as used herein applies to the connection of a telephone set mounting cord to a telecommunications network via plugs located on the end of such cords and jacks used to terminate premises inside wire. Network Interface The physical and electrical boundary between customer premises inside wire and telecommunications network. The Network Interface can be any telephone company provided modular jack. Non-Modular The term "non-modular" as use herein applies to the connection of a telephone set mounting cord to the telecommunications network via a four(4) pin plug and matching jack, or via hardwiring. Open Wiring A wiring method using cleats, knob, and tubes, or flexible tubing for the protection and support of insulated conductors run in or on buildings and not concealed by the building structure. Party Line A basic telephone exchange service line whose use is shared by two or more residential subscribers. Protector A device used as protection from hazardous voltages. It may be mounted either inside or outside the premises. If mounted outside it will be covered with a plastic or metal housing. Raceways A metal or plastic channel used for loosely holding electrical and telephone wires in buildings. A raceway is usually located in the floor and is usually encased on three or four sides by concrete. Registered Terminal Equipment Terminal equipment which is registered for connection to the telecom- munications network in accordance with Subpart C of Part 68 of the F.C.C.'s rules. If a terminal device has been properly registered it will have an identification number permanently affixed to it. Ring As used herein "ring" refers to that side of a two wire telephone circuit which is connected to the negative side of a battery located at the Telephone Company Central Office. It is like the "hot" side of a residential lighting circuit. Telecommunications Network The public switched telephone network. Tip As used herein "tip" refers to that side of a two wire telephone circuit which is connected to the positive side of a battery at the Telephone Company Central Office. It is like the ground side of a residential lighting circuit and its color code is green. Transformer As used herein, a transformer is an electrial device which reduces the voltage in electrical house wiring to a low voltage in order to operate a dial light. It plugs into a electrical outlet and has externally located low voltage connections which are extended by inside wiring to the telephone set dial light. Wire Clamp A device used to secure telephone wires to a surface. One end is U shaped for placement over the wire. The other end contains a tab which is affixed to the mounting surface with a nail or a screw. Wire Guard A length of plastic (round or U shaped) use to protect telephone wiring from abrasion or foreign voltages. NOTES ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest Supplement ********************************