phone prewiring questions

[bill allemann]

I'm rehabbing a light commercial building and I want to install telco access into it to avoid messy installations in the future, so that I can control access locations. The building is now vacant so current telco service is not an issue. One complication is that there is a second building in the rear that is in the path of service drops from the alley where the line poles are located. One possibility would be to bury conduit, but a much easier project would be to run a pass-though conduit right through the rear building. That way the connection box could be back near the alley, and the interfaces could be in the basement of the front building at the end of the conduit. Conduit between the two buildings is already installed. I've tried to get tech info from the local telco (sbc) and spending an hour+ on the phone produced nothing but people who obviously didn't have any tech knowledge and were apparently not allowed to refer me to anyone else. Total dead end!!! I've talked to three installer type people I collared out in the street at different times, and they didn't have any useful information. The type of info I need:

1) PVC conduit OK? 2) Do I need to put cable runs in the conduit now? 3) If telco pulls cable, conduit size? 4) If I install the cable, is CAT5 OK? I want to provide for about a dozen phone lines. 5) CAT5 would be best regarding dsl problems? Length of cable run would be about 90 feet.

Thanks Bill

[John Grabowski]

Usually 2" PVC for telephone. Other building codes may come into play and you may have to use EMT. They want it that big in case they choose to pull fiber optic hose some day. It is usually required to put a pull string in the conduit for the phone company to use. You should also contact the cable TV company and make provisions for them.

The phone company should have field engineers that will come out and survey your building and tell you what they want and what they will do. Unfortunately it is usually a slow process.

Provide a pull string or rope.

2"

You can get a multiple conductor cable.

Cat 6 is now the standard for data lines.

I assume that both buildings are on the same lot and have the same owner.

John Grabowski

[Thomas Horne]

If the buildings are under common ownership you can probably do it that way. If not then no you cannot. PVC conduit is often not permitted inside buildings and is never allowed in plenum ceilings. Your best bet is to install pull lines for the communications wiremen to use when the time comes to install your service. Pull lines don't care if there attached to coax, fifty pair twisted pair, or fiber optic cable. If separate ownership of the two buildings is an issue now or in the future then run a conduit to the base of the nearest telephone pole now.

-- Tom Horne