On-premises wiring
Encyclopedia
In telecommunication
, on-premises wiring is customer-owned communications
transmission
lines. It is also called customer premises wiring (CPW). The transmission lines can be metallic (copper) or optical fiber
, and may be installed within or between buildings.
Premises wiring may consist of horizontal wiring, vertical wiring, and backbone wiring
. It may extend from the point-of-entry to user
work areas. Any type of communications or information technology
wiring will be considered premises wiring, including telephone
, computer/data
, intercom
, closed-circuit television
, etc.
Premises networks are wired worldwide, across every industry, in both small and large scale applications. Any type or number of topologies
may be used -- star
, bus
, ring
, etc.
falls. This is significant because ownership determines responsibility for maintenance and repair.
In the US
and Canada
, most premises wiring is owned by the customer. There will generally be a demarcation point "as close to the poles" as possible. For many installations, this will be a network interface device
mounted on the outside of the building. In some cases, it will be a minimum-point-of-entry (MPOE) location inside the building.
In the UK
, the demarcation point is in the wall jack, and hence most of the on-premise wiring is the property of the telco
.
Telecommunication
Telecommunication is the transmission of information over significant distances to communicate. In earlier times, telecommunications involved the use of visual signals, such as beacons, smoke signals, semaphore telegraphs, signal flags, and optical heliographs, or audio messages via coded...
, on-premises wiring is customer-owned communications
Telecommunication
Telecommunication is the transmission of information over significant distances to communicate. In earlier times, telecommunications involved the use of visual signals, such as beacons, smoke signals, semaphore telegraphs, signal flags, and optical heliographs, or audio messages via coded...
transmission
Transmission (telecommunications)
Transmission, in telecommunications, is the process of sending, propagating and receiving an analogue or digital information signal over a physical point-to-point or point-to-multipoint transmission medium, either wired, optical fiber or wireless...
lines. It is also called customer premises wiring (CPW). The transmission lines can be metallic (copper) or optical fiber
Optical fiber
An optical fiber is a flexible, transparent fiber made of a pure glass not much wider than a human hair. It functions as a waveguide, or "light pipe", to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber. The field of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of...
, and may be installed within or between buildings.
Premises wiring may consist of horizontal wiring, vertical wiring, and backbone wiring
Backbone Cabling
Backbone cabling is the inter-building and intra-building cable connections in structured cabling between entrance facilities, equipment rooms and telecommunications closets. Backbone cabling consists of the transmission media, main and intermediate cross-connects and terminations at these locations...
. It may extend from the point-of-entry to user
User (telecommunications)
In telecommunications, a user is a person, organization, or other entity that employs the services provided by a telecommunication system, or by an information processing system, for transfer of information....
work areas. Any type of communications or information technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
wiring will be considered premises wiring, including telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
, computer/data
Computer network
A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
, intercom
Intercom
An intercom , talkback or doorphone is a stand-alone voice communications system for use within a building or small collection of buildings, functioning independently of the public telephone network. Intercoms are generally mounted permanently in buildings and vehicles...
, closed-circuit television
Closed-circuit television
Closed-circuit television is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors....
, etc.
Premises networks are wired worldwide, across every industry, in both small and large scale applications. Any type or number of topologies
Network topology
Network topology is the layout pattern of interconnections of the various elements of a computer or biological network....
may be used -- star
Star network
Star networks are one of the most common computer network topologies. In its simplest form, a star network consists of one central switch, hub or computer, which acts as a conduit to transmit messages...
, bus
Bus network
A bus network topology is a network architecture in which a set of clients are connected via a shared communications line, called a bus. There are several common instances of the bus architecture, including one in the motherboard of most computers, and those in some versions of Ethernet...
, ring
Ring network
A ring network is a network topology in which each node connects to exactly two other nodes, forming a single continuous pathway for signals through each node - a ring...
, etc.
Ownership
The ownership of on-premises wiring varies between jurisdictions: It depends where the demarcation pointDemarcation point
In telephony, the demarcation point is the point at which the public switched telephone network ends and connects with the customer's on-premises wiring. It is the dividing line which determines who is responsible for installation and maintenance of wiring and equipment -- customer/subscriber, or...
falls. This is significant because ownership determines responsibility for maintenance and repair.
In the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, most premises wiring is owned by the customer. There will generally be a demarcation point "as close to the poles" as possible. For many installations, this will be a network interface device
Network interface device
In telecommunications, a Network Interface Device is a device that serves as the demarcation point between the carrier's local loop and the customer's premises wiring....
mounted on the outside of the building. In some cases, it will be a minimum-point-of-entry (MPOE) location inside the building.
In the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the demarcation point is in the wall jack, and hence most of the on-premise wiring is the property of the telco
Telephone company
A telephone company is a service provider of telecommunications services such as telephony and data communications access. Many were at one time nationalized or state-regulated monopolies...
.
See also
- Customer-premises equipmentCustomer-premises equipmentCustomer-premises equipment or customer-provided equipment is any terminal and associated equipment located at a subscriber's premises and connected with a carrier's telecommunication channel at the demarcation point...
- Demarc extensionDemarc extensionIn telecommunications, a demarc extension is the transmission path originating from the interface of the access provider's side of a telecommunications circuit demarcation point within a premise and ending at the termination point prior to the interface of the edge Customer Premises Equipment...
- Demarcation pointDemarcation pointIn telephony, the demarcation point is the point at which the public switched telephone network ends and connects with the customer's on-premises wiring. It is the dividing line which determines who is responsible for installation and maintenance of wiring and equipment -- customer/subscriber, or...
- Network interface deviceNetwork interface deviceIn telecommunications, a Network Interface Device is a device that serves as the demarcation point between the carrier's local loop and the customer's premises wiring....
- Riser cable
- Structured cablingStructured cablingStructured cabling is building or campus telecommunications cabling infrastructure that consists of a number of standardized smaller elements called subsystems.Structured cabling falls into six subsystems:...