Related Links

TIA (Telecommunications Industry Association) USA

BICSI: A non-profit telecommunications association that is a resource for technical publications, training, conferences, and registration programs for low-voltage cabling distribution design and installation.

Cabling Business Magazine

Cabling Installation & Maintenance Magazine

Communications News Magazine

Electrical Contractor Magazine

Fiber Optic Association: A non-profit professional society for the fiber optic industry that develops educational programs, certifies fiber optic technicians, provides lists of approved fiber optic training courses and promotes fiber optics.

FTTDnow: This new web site from Pearson Technologies outlines reasons why Fiber to the Desk is a viable approach for customer-owned LANs today.

Global Engineering Documents: Source for standards and related documents.

KMI Corporation: Conducts worldwide fiber optics research.

Lennie Lightwave's Guide To Fiber Optics

Light Brigade, Inc. is a training organization for the fiber optic industry that focuses exclusively on design, installation and maintenance.

Lightwave Magazine

Network Magazine

Network World Magazine

Sage Research: A full service market research firm that focuses on information technology markets.

The Tolly Group: An independent test lab that evaluates products and technologies

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. My department needs to deal with a lot of moves, adds and changes (MACs). How can I accomplish these cost-effectively and still use fiber?

2. Does it cost more to install fiber cable than UTP cable?

3. How can I effectively incorporate VOIP into an all- fiber network?

4. Is a patch panel required in the TR?

5. In your cost model, environmental controls are a significant expense. Are they really necessary?

6. Is fiber more difficult to install than copper?

7. Is it easy to test fiber links?

8. Are there any applications that require fiber?

9. I have an existing copper infrastructure, what's the most cost-effective way to upgrade to fiber?

10. What's the difference between 62.5 micron and 50 micron fibers?

11. Why do I need to install optical fiber?

12. I already have TRs in my building, is Centralized Cabling appropriate for an upgrade?

13. Aren't fiber solutions more expensive than UTP copper solutions?

14. Do media converters add a point of failure to the network? Why would I want to use them?

15. What are SFF connectors, and why should I consider them?

16. Since fiber is made of glass, will it survive harsh conditions?