TELECOM ACCESS STANDARDS NEWSLETTER NO. 111 March 1999 CONTENTS 1. NEWSLETTER PUBLICATION 2. TELEPERMIT REGISTER 3. VISUAL MESSAGE WAITING INDICATION (VMWI) AND CALLER DISPLAY DEVICES 4. YEAR 2000 COMPLIANCE 5. PTC 100 AMENDMENT TO COVER NEW REQUIREMENTS 6. FINALISATION OF PTC 222: RESIDENTIAL-TYPE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CABLE 7. PHASING OUT PTC 204 CABLES 8. CORDLESS TELEPHONE REQUIREMENTS 9. C-TICKS FOR EMC 10. MINISTRY OF COMMERCE WEBSITE FOR INFORMATION ON ELECTRICAL WIRING RETURN TO MAIN INDEX 1. NEWSLETTER PUBLICATION Now that our website is up and running and many of our publications, including these Newsletters, are available on-line, we are keen to reduce the time and effort spent in printing and distributing paper copies of these documents. As there are many readers using the internet in place of paper copies, and most of our readers are likely to have internet access in any case, we are now proposing to further reduce the number of copies of this Newsletter which have to be posted. In time, we expect to either drop the posted versions completely or re-introduce a charge for this service. A change to internet publication will have the advantage that we will not be constrained by "monthly" issues. Instead, we could go over to a more timely arrangement whereby we publish individual articles on the internet, as and when the need arises. Such frequent issues are not practicable with the paper-based version, as the effort of printing, addressing and posting takes so much time. While we want to start the move towards full electronic publishing, we do not want to inconvenience the few readers who do not yet have internet access. All such readers are now invited to request that we continue to post their copies. Failing receipt of specific requests, we will assume that all readers on our mailing list are happy to use the internet from this issue onwards. Note that should we adopt more frequent internet publication of individual articles, the paper version would still be issued at approximately monthly intervals. It would simply "catch up" on any new articles published since the previous paper issue. 2. TELEPERMIT REGISTER In 1987 we undertook to maintain and publish a public register of all Telepermits issued. This was done partly as a means of demonstrating the openness of the Customer Premises equipment market and partly as a service to equipment suppliers who wanted the industry to be aware of their products. The current version, showing Telepermits issued at 31 December is the 54th we have published. Its "paper" publication represents a good deal of formatting effort each 3 months, as we hold the register in several separate parts. Also, of course, the majority of each issue covers the Telepermits issued since day one, and only repeats what was published in earlier issues. Another problem is that a permit granted the day following publication is not published for another three months. Telecom's aim is to "move to the on-line world" and we took a step forward this month by extending the look-up facilities so that trade enquirers can obtain limited product information in blocks of the next 20 Telepermits from the specified starting number. This means that someone in the CPE business can reasonably easily keep track of what is happening in his particular product sector. We will no longer be up-dating details every three months. Instead, we will re-load the data each month. While we are still willing to supply paper copies, it is likely that the demand will fall significantly once this web-based service is in full use. This means that the costs incurred in publishing the paper register will have to be borne by fewer subscribers and the per issue cost will no doubt have to rise to compensate. Since we are meeting our obligations to publish the register by doing so "on-line", I would be interested to learn whether this form of publication is meeting actual industry requirements. We do not know what each reader uses the register for and it is none of our business anyway. What I would like to know is whether or not the on-line arrangements now in place are meeting industry requirements. 3. VISUAL MESSAGE WAITING INDICATION (VMWI) AND CALLER DISPLAY DEVICES With the introduction of Caller Display, several different CPE items have been put into service in quite large numbers. Some devices, which are dry cell powered to save battery capacity, are "woken up" by the initial burst of ringing voltage. Our network then sends caller display signals after the first and before the second ring cadence. We have now found that some CPE types, originally designed for the North American market and intended to be used here only as Caller Display indicators, also have the capability of detecting Visual Message Waiting signals while they are "woken up". The wake up function is done in many North American networks by either a 150 - 350 ms line break or by a brief burst of ringing. We were not aware of this capability when the products were originally tested, some two years before we introduced VMWI. Our subsequent introduction of VMWI has brought to light an intermittent problem with some Caller Display CPE. It arises only where the Caller Display customer also subscribes to Message Manager or Call Minder. Also, it only occurs if a VMWI "on" signal is transmitted during the "wake up" period following an incoming ring. Unless the same situation also arises with the subsequent "off" signal, which is extremely unlikely, the indicator continues to flash or "message waiting" stays on the display, thus giving a false indication. In most units, the indicator can be turned off only by briefly disconnecting the device from the line and removing the battery at the same time. Needless to say, this is not a particularly suitable situation, even though it is unlikely to happen very often. It is not practicable to prevent our network sending a VMWI signal during a Caller Display device's wake-up period, nor is it practicable for our network to send a wake-up signal before each VMWI "on" or "off" signal. The preferred option is to disable the message waiting indicator on any Caller Display devices having a VMWI feature dependent on a "wake-up" signal. As explained above, the signal may be totally unreliable in any case. Where this is not done and the indicator could be switched "on", it is recommended that some sort of simple override be provided to switch off the indicator should it be flashing when there is no stutter dial tone to indicate a waiting message. Because we do not send either form of "wake up" signal with our VMWI signals, true VMWI devices need to be "on line" continuously, with no requirements for wake-up signals from the network. The following requirement will be the included in the proposed PTC 200 amendments covering VMWI and Stutter Dial Tone detection requirements". "Because of the possibility of a VMWI signal following soon after ringing, any VMWI-capable device which can be activated by ringing shall be introduced into the Telecom network only if it also provides a cancel facility". 4. YEAR 2000 COMPLIANCE I remind Telepermit applicants that under the terms of clauses 5.3.1 (8) and 11.8 of PTC 100, we have required a clear statement of the Year 2000 compatibility of products being submitted for Telepermit since 1 January 1999. This is still being omitted in some applications. Our legal department has advised that all products now offered for sale should be fully operable after 1 January 2000. Otherwise, the product will not comply with the fitness for purpose provisions of New Zealand consumer protection legislation. We are anxious to get as much information as possible on Y2K compliance included in the Telepermit Register, especially now that it is available on-line to any member of the public. Suppliers and testing laboratories are also reminded of our offer to publish their website URL's on our "telepermit.co.nz" site and provide direct links to them. Our aim is to make our website information as comprehensive and helpful as we can. Where the supplier publishes actual product information, such as specification sheets, user manuals, installation and service manuals on product-specific web pages, we are able to show the specific URL for those pages. This can be published with the other Telepermit information for the product concerned. 5. PTC 100 AMENDMENT TO COVER NEW REQUIREMENTS No adverse comments have been received on the proposal to amend clause 3.4 of specification PTC 100 - "Telecom Telepermit General Conditions". As explained in Newsletter No. 110, the amendment only formalises the practices we have applied for the past several years to cover "Matters not defined in Specifications", so we will now include the revised wording in PTC 100. With the rapid developments in new technologies, but relatively slower standardisation process for these technologies, it is apparent that our PTC specifications will not be able to cover every feature or parameter in a permanent way. Our preference is to align with the established standard, preferably that defined by the ITU, ISO or IEC. However, we cannot delay the connection of new products until the formal standard is in place - unless, of course, connection would have some adverse impact on our network or the network is unable to support the particular mode of operation. Readers who do not have a current copy of PTC 100 are reminded that they may download a copy from our internet site. 6. FINALISATION OF PTC 222: RESIDENTIAL-TYPE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CABLE No comments have been received on the proposed changes to the draft specification, so this document will now be finalised incorporating the changes outlined in Newsletter No. 110. One additional change is that we will be mandating the striping or marking of the white wires with the colour of the other wire of the pair. We have found that some installers are fully untwisting the stripped wires and ending up with the pairs crossed. Marking the white wires makes tracing easier, especially where two or more cables are terminated at the same jackpoint. In due course, copies of PTC 222 will be forwarded free of charge to those readers who have purchased the draft version. 7. PHASING OUT PTC 204 CABLES Telecom now proposes to phase out the 3-pair 0.4 mm conductor cable designed for use with 3-wire jackpoints and used by Telecom from 1983 until 1996, when we moved to 2-wiring. While it still has applications for customers adding 3-wire extension jackpoints to existing 3-w systems, this will reduce rapidly with the current phasing out of these 3-wire jackpoints and cancellation of their Telepermits on 1 January 2000. PTC 204 cable has poorer transmission performance than the current 2-pair cable to PTC 222, but actually costs more to produce. Also, its continued use is causing a few problems with wire colour allocations as some installers have been connecting the blue and white wires as the speech pair, as shown in the wiring instructions for the new 2-pair cable and 2-wire jackpoints. In doing so, they are crossing the wires of the "red/white" and "blue/green" pairs, resulting in more serious transmission problems. As part of the move towards improving wiring performance, it is now proposed that the Telepermits for PTC 204 cable also be cancelled within the next year or so. Suppliers are asked to comment on the time needed to clear their current stocks and forward orders. 8. CORDLESS TELEPHONE REQUIREMENTS Two cordless telephone suppliers recently suggested that the Ministry of Commerce has changed their requirements with respect to cordless telephones. I am assured that this is not correct. Under the Radiocommunications (Radio) Regulations 1993, cordless telephones are required to comply with either RFS 30 (Issue 1, February 1996, which applies for the usual short range cordless telephones) or with RFS 29 (Issue 8, February 1998, which applies for the longer range cordless phones and other restricted radiation radio apparatus). The full texts of these two RFS specifications are available from the Ministry of Commerce Radio Spectrum Management website via URL: http://www.moc.govt.nz/rsm There is now a joint Australia/New Zealand Standard, AS/NZS 4281: 1995. This is not mandatory, but compliance is recommended. For Telepermit purposes, we require a copy of the test report to PTC 200 (for devices connected to the analogue network, either directly or via a PABX). We also prefer to have a copy of the Ministry of Commerce acceptance letter submitted with the Telepermit application. However, we are willing to have this forwarded later in those cases where a Declaration of Conformity still has to be submitted and there is a need to avoid delaying the Telepermit process. 9. C-TICKS FOR EMC The C-tick labelling scheme for electro-magnetic compatibility applies in both Australia and New Zealand, and the same standards apply. However, there is not yet joint acceptance of New Zealand Declarations of Conformity in Australia, or vice versa, as this requires amendments to the legislation. However, the necessary changes are expected by 1 January 2000. Most CPE requires testing to AS/NZS 3548 to ensure that it complies as regards non-interference with radio services. Test reports to this Standard or its equivalent, CISPR 22, and showing full compliance may be used as the basis of Declarations of Conformity in both countries, but each importer in each country needs to file a separate declaration to the Ministry of Commerce (or the ACA in Australia). 10. MINISTRY OF COMMERCE WEBSITE FOR INFORMATION ON ELECTRICAL WIRING The Office of the Chief Electrical Engineer at the Ministry of Commerce has set up a new website, on which the NZ Electrical Codes of Practice and other information relevant to electrical wiring issues are available. The new website is:- http://www.ocee.moc.govt.nz There are also numerous links to other New Zealand and overseas sites covering testing, certification, standards, etc. DOUG BURRUS Manager Access Standards