Improved Cable Entry Solutions for Telecom Shelters Eliminate Copper Theft and Damage from Lightning Strikes

摘要

Telecom is an industry that relies on innovative products that offer safety, reliability and provide proven performance. Yet, there are two major challenges that continue to face the telecom industry, lightning strikes and copper theft. Both of these issues cost the telecom industry billions of dollars. Lightning causes millions of dollars damage to cellular radio and telecommunications installations each year. Damage to telecommunications equipment in the US alone was estimated to $1.0 billion annually, before including the loss of productivity from industrial and business downtime. Hazards posed by lightning strikes can involve fires, personnel injury, damage to property and electronic equipment. This is why regulations require telecom systems to be bonded and grounded. TIA-607-B is an American National Standard created by the Telecommunications Industry Association that facilitates the design and installation of telecom grounding/bonding systems. TIA-607-B requires that each and every metallic component making contact with a telecom cabling infrastructure be bonded, even if it is merely touching another metal component that is directly attached. Among TIA-607-B's list of metallic components in need of bonding are racks, enclosures, ladders, surge protectors, cable trays, routers, switches and patch panels.