TELECOM ACCESS STANDARDS NEWSLETTER NO. 118 DECEMBER 1999 CONTENTS 1. ISDN: TNA 134 AMENDMENT No. 2 2. TELECOM ISDN: SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS 3. PROVISION OF ALPHA-NUMERIC KEYPADS 4. CHARGES FOR TELEPERMIT RESERVATIONS 5. ELECTRIC FENCES AND DATA COMMUNICATIONS 6. CONNECTIONS IN CUSTOMER PREMISES CABLING 7. STAFF CHANGES AND VACANCY FOR AN ENGINEER IN ACCESS STANDARDS 8. CHRISTMAS/NEW YEAR ATTENDANCE 9. SEASON'S GREETINGS RETURN TO MAIN INDEX 1. ISDN: TNA 134 AMENDMENT No. 2 Our Layer 3 ISDN specification, TNA 134, is being advanced to Amendment No. 2 to cover the inclusion of "Date and Time" indication within the Connect and Setup Messages as an additional optional subscription service to both the calling user and the called user. Modifications have been made to the redirecting number information element to align it with ITU-T Recommendations and ETSI Standards and to clarify the coding used. The amendment is being sent free of charge to all registered purchasers of this Specification. However, our records cover the company names and addresses of puchasers at the time the specification was originally ordered. As such, it is likely that there have been changes since that time. If you have NOT received a copy of the Amendment by 17 January, please contact Access Standards. As a service to suppliers, Telecom is offering to test PABX and other systems to confirm compliance with the changes covered by Amendment No. 2. By using Telecom's test suite, the reasons for any apparent discrepancies can be more easily traced than would be the case when connected to any ISDN line in the network. To arrange appointments for this testing, suppliers are invited to contact:- Ronnie Alban, Phone: 0-9-355 3854 Fax: 0-9-377 3843 Email: ronnie.alban@telecom.co.nz Paul Aitken Phone: 0-4-495 1535 Fax: 0-4-473 9134 Email: paul.aitken@telecom.co.nz 2. TELECOM ISDN: SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS Co-incident with or following on from the issue of Amendment No. 2 to TNA 134, Telecom will be introducing a number of enhancements to its ISDN service. These enhancements are as follows:- 1. Call diversion busy on primary rate. This is now in the network and available. 2. Call diversion immediate on primary rate. This is now in the network and available. 3. Any number of Primary rate lines can be provided in a primary group with numbers shared across all lines. 4. The blocks of DDI numbers that can be allocated on Primary rate lines have been increased from 5 to 50. 5. A D-channel can be included in every Primary rate line of a group. 6. The date and time can be included with all calls made and received. The basic signalling protocols for these services, except for Date and Time, are already covered in TNA 134. The Specification was issued on the principle that the protocols intended to be used for new services would be published with the proviso that such publication did not necessarily mean that all of the services would be offered. This approach meant that ISDN CPE could be set up in such a way that it would be ready for new services as and when they are introduced. 3. PROVISION OF ALPHA-NUMERIC KEYPADS The ITU adopted its standard alpha-numeric keypad layout in 1996 but, from time to time, we still see products being submitted for Telepermit without alpha characters marked on their keypads. Our PTC specifications do not mandate the provision of alpha characters, as we considered this a matter for the supplier to decide. After all, with the many "WordNumbers" now in use for accessing 0800 and 0900 services, it must be a marketing drawback to have only digit markings on keypads. Suppliers are reminded to ask manufacturers to provide them with up-to-date keypads, as there are bound to be alpha-numeric options available for any products on the world market and it appears that non-alpha keypads have been provided only as an oversight. 4. CHARGES FOR TELEPERMIT RESERVATIONS We have, for some time, provided a "Telepermit Reservation" service for those suppliers who have a tight market launch programme and wish to have labelling produced and fitted by the overseas manufacturer before full test results are available. This arrangement involves our team in more work and we have been charging an additional $100, plus GST, for this service. Until recently, we did not charge for the resultant Telepermit until a formal application and submission documents had been processed. However, there have been some cases where the final application has not been made and others where the delay between the reservation and the application has extended for many months. Largely in an effort to ensure that those seeking reservations are genuinely needing to save the nominal three weeks processing time, we will now charge the full amount for all single line CPE reservations at the time the reservation is made. In other words, the fee will be $400, plus GST, with no further charge when the application is finally processed. In addition, the reservation will be valid for ONLY 2 months. If product launch drags on beyond this timing, Telecom reserves the right to levy a further Telepermit fee. These two moves are expected to restrict demand for reservations to those suppliers who genuinely need to make use of this service. In a few cases, we find that the information given at the time of a reservation is subsequently changed, that the product name is changed, or it turns out that there is more than one product. In such cases, we again reserve the right to make additional charges. Once we get back to a full complement of staff (see below), we should be able to get back to our previous performance, with far fewer applications exceeding the three week target and many done within a few days of receiving the documentation. NOTE: With the need to show "RN" numbers on Telepermit labels, the reservation system is already somewhat restricted, as those seeking Telepermit reservations will need to have at least checked out the RN rating of the product in question. 5. ELECTRIC FENCES AND DATA COMMUNICATIONS The growing use of the internet and fax machines in rural areas has put a lot more emphasis on line noise in recent years. Unlike the human ear, which can very efficiently sort out voice sounds from background noise and not even notice some continuous or repeated noise at times, fax machines and modems can be extremely sensitive to both continuous and impulse noise. This is especially the case with 56 kbit/s modems. Telecom's Fault Management people have advised that a very common source of line noise in rural areas is the electric fence. Not only can a fence upset the owner, by degrading data communication, but fences running along roadsides, close to or even directly above a telephone cable, can cause problems for all the customers served by that cable. Needless to say, there is not much Telecom can do to help in such cases, unless the farmer concerned is willing to co-operate. Gallagher Industries Ltd, one of this country's leading electric fence manufacturers, publishes some helpful information on their website. http://www.gallagher.co.nz/p-hints.html. This is particularly useful for those farmers using Gallagher Industries' products. I have included some of their advice in an outline on possible ways of avoiding interference from electric fences, which we have published on the Access Standards website under "Helpful Information". Hopefully, this will prove helpful to CPE suppliers who are receiving complaints of poor data performance from products supplied to rural customers. Overall though, it is largely a matter of tracing the location of the fence and asking the farmer concerned to see what can be done to avoid the interference. The main causes are poor earthing, poor joints and too much leakage due to long vegetation contacting the live wires of the fence. In addition, any fence energisers over about ten years of age are unlikely to meet the current radio frequency interference requirements due to the steep voltage wavefronts of these earlier energisers. Whether or not it proves possible to get rid of or reduce the noise source, it is strongly recommended that affected customers have their internal wiring converted to Telecom's current 2-wire standard, if this has not already been done. This has been found to make a significant difference in data performance in comparison with our earlier 3-wire system, which will no doubt still be in use in many premises. 6. CONNECTIONS IN CUSTOMER PREMISES CABLING Despite free publication of PTC 103, Telecom's Code of Practice for Residential-type Customer Premises Wiring, on our website, regular complaints are received from our field staff that other parties are connecting into cables in inaccessible locations, such as under floors and over ceilings. Telecom's requirement is that all connections in residential customers' premises are made at jackpoints or at Telepermitted connection boxes sited in readily accessible locations. Under no circumstances are cables to be cut into "mid-span" in order to "tee-off" cables to other jackpoints, alarm and security systems, etc. The three slots in our 2-wire jackpoints not only provide for "teeing", where required, but also provide for different wire gauges should it be necessary to terminate them on the same jackpoint. It is worth noting that there is a current need for suitable connection boxes that comply with the design principles set out for 2-wire jackpoints. Above all, the need is for reliability under New Zealand environmental conditions, which means that designs must cater for a high degree of corrosion protection in our relatively humid and potentially salt-laden coastal atmospheres. Telecom has no longer installs its earlier 3-wire "Tee Joint Box", the Telepermit for which expired along with 3-wire Master jackpoints, mainly due to concerns over corrosion and reliability. Any new design needs to keep the "+" and "-" leads well separated, use industry-recognised reliable components, provide plenty of room to terminate and house the cabling, and ensure that there is protection against the ingress of moisture due to condensation due to condensation on walls, water running down cables, etc. In this last respect, some means of ensuring cable entry from the bottom of the box is essential. The other need is for such a connection box to provide for the termination of series-connected equipment, such as alarm and security systems and other line-grabbing devices (ref. PTC 103, clause 3.3). It is appreciated that there is pressure on installers to do a job quickly and at minimum cost, but it is also important that installers consider the maintainer, who may be faced with a lot more difficulty in fixing things. This can be particularly vexing if the fault being looked for is found to be due entirely to poor workmanship in a hidden location. It is likely that Telecom will have to put more emphasis on charging customers where our staff are called in to "maintain" cabling, wiring and jackpoints, which have been installed in a manner that clearly does NOT comply with PTC 103. PTC 103, clause 1.1.5 warns of this. 7. STAFF CHANGES AND VACANCY FOR AN ENGINEER IN ACCESS STANDARDS Paul Armstrong, who has helped us out on a part-time basis over the past few months since Peter Wheeler's retirement, has now moved full-time onto Network Interconnect duties. I take this opportunity to publicly thank Paul for the valuable work he has done for us. We are now on the look-out for a replacement Engineer, with either an Engineering degree or NZCE, or equivalents. The main attributes for work in Access Standards are a wide general experience in telecommunications and the ability to deal with the industry in a friendly and tactful manner. Above all, there is a need for the replacement staff member to be able to investigate technical issues and new developments, and to be able to express any conclusions in a clear and precise way. (At least, that is what we endeavour to do!). We are currently making enquiries within Telecom, but there may be people in the industry interested in applying for the vacancy if it is not filled internally. Any telecommunications engineers with the right sort of background are invited to call me on (04) 382 5345, send a fax to (04) 384 5368, or email me at doug.burrus@telecom.co.nz. 8. CHRISTMAS/NEW YEAR ATTENDANCE Access Standards, along with the rest of Telecom's Wellington Office will be closed from 25 December until 3 January. We will then be on reduced staffing during the early part of January, but someone will be in attendance after 4 January to deal with any urgent matters. All three staff should be back on duty from 25 January and we expect to be back to full strength a little later on when we get our replacement staff member. 9. SEASON'S GREETINGS Once again, the year draws to a close and we "suffer" the last minute flurry of Telepermit applications with requests to process them before Christmas. We'll do our best to meet the requirements, but please don't leave applications until the last week before Christmas! Richard Brent, Janine Jackson and Paul Armstrong (who is still close by, although no longer doing Telepermit work), plus myself, of course, all wish our readers a Happy Christmas and a successful New Year. In particular, we would like to thank those members of Telecom who have assisted us in preparing specifications and amendments, vetted our Newsletters and helped with the many related tasks covered by Access Standards. This, of course, also covers our testing laboratories within and outside Telecom. We hope you all have a pleasant and refreshing break over the holiday period. In conclusion, while I have tried to keep off the infamous "Y2K topic", no doubt it will be on everyone's minds on 31 December. May all your systems perform without any problems on 1 January 2000!! DOUG BURRUS Manager Access Standards