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Is your data cable company: Using industry approved or premium brand cabling?

Not all structured cabling systems are equal. Industry approved and premium brands offer better performance and longevity. Therefore when choosing a data cable company, the brand and quality of cabling they install can vary.

There are brands of data cabling that do not meet the standard transmission performance requirements, are brittle and don’t last or even worse are a fire hazard

Examples of cheaper branded cabling that has caused clients problem in the past

1)     An electrical wholesaler supplied data cabling solution that had written on the box not to be used over 70m. Furthermore copper cabling systems are certified to 90m so this brand of cabling was failing before it was even installed

2)     A 400 outlet project where every link failed due to wholesaler data modules that failed testing every time

3)     Many examples of copper coated aluminium cabling that would not pass any test result attempts

Additionally industry known cabling system manufacturers will have a warranty program and submission of that warranty should be a request made to all installers

An example of a warranty program can be found at Excel Cabling Systems Website

Euroclass cable

The requirement now required that you have to install a Euroclass cable and is to be compliant with BS 6701:2016+A1:2017

“For new installations and the refurbishment or extension of existing installations within the external fire barrier of the building, installation cables which are subject to the CPR shall as a minimum meet the requirements of Euroclass Cca, s1b, d2, a2.”

Therefore if your chosen data cable company are not installing to this standard then the installation is non compliant. Furthermore the non-compliance is advised to be notified to the building owner so that a fire safety report can be undertaken under BS9999 to look at ways to mitigate the risks

Consequently industry and premium brand cabling will ensure that this guidelines are met in their products

Key Questions to ask your data cable company about the cabling system they install

  • Ask if the system comes with a warranty and what it covers
  • Ask the installer for reference sites of similar cabling systems with that manufacturer
  • Check Euro class cabling is to be installed
  • Request to see the manufacturer’s warranty program for the type of cabling to be installed