Cabling for your voice and data networks
We are relocating to a new office space, What are my options for connecting our phones, PC and servers?
Cabling options are wide-ranging and diverse. Depending on your company's phone and computer requirements, the choices are numerous. In general, we install 1 Category 3 cable for voice, and 2 Category 5e cables for data to each user location.
What do you recommend we have installed for use in our LAN(local area network)?
In most circumstances we currently recommend Cat 5e. The 5e product we use has been tested by the manufacturer to the 300Mhz level which will leave adequate bandwidth for current and future applications while helping to keep installation costs down. However if cost is less of an issue and you're seriously concerned with higher data rates for future applications then we recommend Cat 6 installation with a rating of 500Mhz.
What products and services do you offer?
We provide everything needed for your cabling infrastructure need. This includes the cable, the jacks, the patch panels and the voice termination field. We also install cables and equipments (i.e. server racks, cable sleeves, cable ladder...etc.) for wiring closets, server rooms and data center. Artisan Communications can perform every aspects of a cabling infrastructure project for computer and voice wiring. You deal with a single company, avoiding delays, confusion and extra expense.
What about fiber optic cable?
At most organizations, 80 percent of business is dependent on the network. In the last 5 years, network traffic has increased tremendously. With users sending and receiving graphics-heavy files and multimedia applications, fiber is playing a larger role in many networks. We install, terminate and test multi-mode and single-mode fiber. We've kept abreast of advances in the manufacture, termination and testing standards of fiber optic cable.
How do we extend our dial tone and T-1 circuits?
Along with the horizontal cabling, we install the cables, called "feeders", from your building's demarcation point into your PBX or server room. These cables are usually Category 3 rated and come in increments of 25 pairs, the most common being 100 pair.
What type of testing do you do? Do you provide certification reports?
We tests and certifies all of our installations to meet or exceed industry standards, meet all of the manufacturer's specifications as well as meet all the warranty requirements. We use scanners made by XXXX to test CAT 3, 5 and 6 cables. For fiber optic cables, we use the XYZ fiber scanner from Avaya. All our scanners are periodically calibrated, and updated to assure that the latest standards are utilized. Certification reports are available on disk or in reports. For voice cables we use a standard pair scanner from HP instruments.
I need both voice and data cable installed; is there any advantage to installing Cat 5e or Cat 6 for my phone system?
One of the newest innovations in the telephony industry is VoIP, but even without VoIP, many features such as unified messaging, ACD and CTI will benefit from the higher standard cable. Having Cat 5e or 6 installed for both your data and phones offers you the flexibility to use your phone jacks as network jacks in the future or in case of an emergency. While there is a price difference between Cat 3 and Cat 5e/6 it is getting slimmer and labor to install cat3, or cat6 is the same, so the actual savings is minimal while the restrictions are huge.
Will I receive an As Built Drawing?
All cabling installations are performed in a timely and professional manner and are tested 100% to ensure Zero Defects. Test reports and as-built drawings are provided at the completion of each installation.
At what point during a construction project do I bring the cabling contractors in?
One of the biggest, potentially costly, mistakes is not brining in the cabling contractors during the planning phase of a project. Planning for your communications cabling should be done at the same time that you plan for your electrical and furniture needs. Bringing Artisan Communications in during early phase of the planning project will ensure your cabling infrastructure is designed correctly and avoid costly last minutes changes and/or addition.
How can I make sure that the cabling I'm installing now will meet future business requirements?
This may sound a little technical, but I'll try to keep it as simple as I can. Since the first cabling standard was introduced in 1991 for unshielded twisted pair (UTP), there has been a series of changes and updates. To keep up with ever increasing network speeds, new transmission specifications have been promoted by the manufacturers and endorsed by the standards community. We've seen network speeds increase from 10 Megabits/sec (10 million bits per second) in the 1980's to 1 Gigabit/sec (1 billion bits per second) in the late 1990's, all over UTP. Today, standards are being discussed for 10 Gigabit/sec. ethernet (although maybe not over copper).
Where to from here?
We could go on for many pages detailing the different discussions about future protocols and standards. The Category 6 standard was finally approved in June of 2002. The current standards require that you install CAT 5e for usable bandwidth up to 100 Mhz. The new Category 6 standard calls for usable bandwidth up to 250 Mhz. Since most of our customers are running 100 Megabit/sec networks at 100 Mhz, we recommend a minimum of CAT 5e cable. Doing so assures that your cabling is ready for most current applications.
Our cabling consultants are available to meet with you to review your requirements and audit your current system. For voice and data cabling estimates, please call Artisan Communications at 212.555.1212 to speak with an experienced consultant.