atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring Worrisome Dmarc Wiring?

Mike L: Yes, there was a BIG wasp's nest inside the upper right corner of the left (large) cabinet. We had to spray and wait about 30 minutes to get close enough to take pictures since the cabinet door hasn't closed completely in years.

AnthonyH: No, the customer decided it was "too expensive" to clean up. There are 14 T1 circuits in there alone and one of the tenants in the building is an interconnect! The tenant's association voted to ride it out, despite the fact that it's been like this for at least 12 years.

Hal: It looks like a piece of 3/8" or 1/2" Greenfield is used from the round box to the NID. I would like to hope that there aren't multiple tenants in that building. No doubt, that's a big-time sparkie job.

I haven't ever seen a telco use Greenfield to sleeve an underground cable though. That certainly doesn't appear to be a Bell thing. The power company in DC and Maryland's immediate suburbs uses Greenfield for underground electrical service risers to the meter. Telcos here either use no cable protection at all or occasional U-guard or PVC conduit.

Like I said, the original picture is actually a pretty clean installation by most standards in these parts. It's mighty tacky to leave a 12" tail of a 14" cable tie just flopping in the breeze. Granted, it's a typical case of a lazy installer who had hundreds of 4" cable ties, but that would have meant having to actually walk back to the truck. Hey, it's OK. It's just the company's money being wasted, not theirs..........for now.

TechHead, I am sorry to say that this is a typical telco installation, and I might add that it's one of the cleaner ones I have seen. Yes, someone can come up and cut the cables and that is a significant concern. Unfortunately, the telco is not required to go any further than what they did. All they have to do is deliver service to the MPOE (Minimum Point Of Entry), usually where the cable comes up out of the ground or out of the air.

Here is the inside of that box.

https://www.digitalsonance.com/datat1.jpg

Honestly, I would be happy just to have the NIU moved inside (if that is what it is), and especially happy to find some leverage to make them do so. It makes me very uneasy having such a business critical resource located externally with wiring exposed. If I were to start such a discussion with Qwest, how would one do so?

That's the T1 interface. I was talking about the building terminal below it. I can't imagine they would even want the T1 interface outside, they must be powering it off the line, can't really tell. It used to cost more to get it powered off the Teleco line.

Sorry about that, here is the inside of the dmarc:

https://www.digitalsonance.com/dmarcin.jpg

Thanks again for everyone's help, this is a bit of a learning experience for me.

Hmmm, unfortuatley that's a legal DEMARK. I was hoping for your sake it was just a building terminal. I'd go for conduit between you and the DEMARK, would be much better and a lot more secure.

What about moving the T1 interface inside? Could I do that, or would I get in trouble? Again, that is my primary concern.

Technically you are not suppose to touch the Teleco side, but what they don't know. Packs have been know to blow when moved, so I'd be a little leary of doing it, unless you know the phone guys.

What is an MC10?

That looks like a nema rated box, the T1 circuit is in. Have never seen one outside a commercial entrance other than refinery or chemical type business. Why not use 2 padlocks and issue keys to business owners, have a sign on boxes reflecting location of keys, can cc notice to telco saying that due to insecure installation key is needed,and location of key is-------.This will give notice to telco that a:paperwork on problem is in customers hand if a problem occurs and b:Key is needed. This could prod telco to move to better location?

It's the "snowball effect". DEMARC was installed outside. Then the T1 was installed and they put it next to the DEMARC because they don't want to be responsible for IW between the DEMARC and the remote unit. The remote unit is the DEMARC for the T1- after that it's the customer's responsibility. So no, you cannot legally move it yourself.

Like I said before, this all goes back to the "intelligence" of the owner or contractor who was present when service to the building was installed. I have found that most times with small commercial buildings telephone service is an afterthought. Build the building, finish all the site work, landscape then expect the TELCO to bring in service. It probably wouldn't have cost much if anything to locate the DEMARC inside at a suitable location with a little planning. But once its installed you are stuck with it unless you want to shell out big bucks to have it moved.

-Hal