Legality of cabling - revisited

[kingsville]

Just to share - I made my own enquiry to the Building Commission and ACMA regarding what htpc cabling I can and can't do myself.

The Building Commission gives us the green light:

Dear Sir/Madam,
I have some questions about the building requirements the surround cabling in my home and which aspects I can do myself in a domestic house. For context, we are about to extend our house and I would like to have in-wall cabling in the new structure.
Am I permitted to install my own:
- outdoor antenna?
- cable between the antenna and rf wall plates?
- audio / visual cables between wall plates?
- data cables between wall plates to patch between two computers that are not connected to the internet?
- data cables between wall plates to connect a home network that connects to the intern et wirelessly?
- data cables between wall plates to connect a home network that connects to the internet using a modem?

I am responding to your email regarding the requirements regarding data cabling in a dwelling.
Under the Building Act 1993 (the Act) and the Building Regulations 2006 (the Regulations) there are no regulatory requirements surrounding the installation of data cabling throughout a dwelling.
The timber framing standard AS 1684 sets out requirements for holes and notching into studs and top and bottom plates. Where you wish to install data cabling through walls, it is recommended that you do it in accordance with those requirements.
I trust this information is of assistance.

The ACMA not so:

Dear Sir/Madam,
I have read the sections on the acma website regarding cabling in a domestic house, but some questions still remain that I was hoping you could answer. For context, we are about to extend our house and I would like to have in-wall cabling in the new structure.
Do I require a licenced cabler to:
Install an outdoor antenna?
Install cable between the antenna and rf wall plates?
Install audio / visual cables between wall plates?
Install data cables between wall plates to patch between two computers that are not connected to the internet?
Install data cables between wall plates to connect a home network that connects to the internet wirelessly?
Install data cables between wall plates to connect a home network that connects to the internet using a modem?

Any equipment in a premises depending on its design may be defined by the Telecommunications Act 1997 (the Act) as customer equipment and means, any equipment that is 'used' 'installed for use' or 'intended for use' in connection with a carrier's service'. With the rapid advancement in technology more and more equipment within premises for example building control and monitoring systems, home smart wired systems etc are all now subject to the Act.

Customer cabling and means, a line that is 'used' 'installed ready for use' or 'intended for use' on the customer side of the boundary of a telecommunications network'.

Cabling Work is defined by the Act as the installation of 'customer cabling' for connection to a telecommunications network or to a facility or the connection of customer cabling to a telecommunications network or to a facility or the maintenance of customer cabling connected to a telecommunications network or to a facility.

All cabling that is a type of cabling work as stated in section 419 of the Telecommunications Act 1997 http://agsearch.ag.gov.au/search/search and connects or is intended to connect to a carriers network is defined as customer cabling (CC) as defined by section 20 of the Act. All cabling no matter where in the 'customers network', the customer cabling is CC.

A line is defined by the Act as 'a wire, cable, optical fibre, tube, conduit, waveguide or other physical medium used, or for use, as a continuous artificial guide for or in connection with carrying communications by means of a guided electromagnetic energy'.

Therefore, any equipment that is 'designed' (make provision) to be connected to a carriers network, can be connected to a carriers network, because that is the 'intent' of the manufacturer of the equipment even though the installer of the system and associated customer cabling may choose not connect it to the network at the time of initial installation. Installing or maintaining the associated customer cabling is defined as cabling work and is captured by the Act.

The Act also requires that any person who perform cabling work must be appropriately registered to do so.

Dave, in regard to your specific situation, antenna installations generally are not captured so are excluded from regulation. However, this is changing because set-top boxes and televisions are starting to have sockets which allow them to connect to telephone lines and the internet (carrier services) which are captured under our regulation.

Audio visual cabling has generally also not been captured in the past. However, this is also changing because of smart wired systems etc which will allow connection to carrier services.

Any computer cabling installed will be captured under our regulation because it will be connected or is intended to be connected or is designed to be connected to carrier services. Just because you may not connect or not intend to connect does not make any difference, it is regulated. Connection to wireless internet services is still a carrier service and is captured under regulation.

Rob - thank you for your very clear and helpful answer.
Only one question remains, clearly any installed data cabling requires a registered installer under the Act and because of the crimping required at wall plates. However, is a registered installer required for the use of approved pre-terminated cables? I'm guessing the Act allows anyone to connect pre-terminated cables that run along the floor in a big tangled mess, but does it similarly let me use pre-terminated cables that happen to travel through the wall rather than along the skirting board?

Pre-terminated leads are associated customer equipment (CE) and are generally designed to be put in place by "end-users". Pre-terminated CE installed (put in place) by end-users are given an exemption under the Telecommunications (Types of Cabling Work) Declaration 1997 (Schedule 1 clause 4) from needing to be installed by a registered cabler.
http://www.acma.gov.au/webwr/telcomm...ted%202005.pdf

However, this exemption only applies if the end-user installs them according to their intended use. It is not intended that they be installed through fixed fittings such as walls or along skirting boards or through doorways etc. To install them in the manner just described is defined as cabling work which is captured under the Telecommunications Act and is not exempted.

[DDH]

Dave, in regard to your specific situation, antenna installations generally are not captured so are excluded from regulation. However, this is changing because set-top boxes and televisions are starting to have sockets which allow them to connect to telephone lines and the internet (carrier services) which are captured under our regulation.

Audio visual cabling has generally also not been captured in the past. However, this is also changing because of smart wired systems etc which will allow connection to carrier services.

Any computer cabling installed will be captured under our regulation because it will be connected or is intended to be connected or is designed to be connected to carrier services. Just because you may not connect or not intend to connect does not make any difference, it is regulated. Connection to wireless internet services is still a carrier service and is captured under regulation.

God these guys crack me up! Wow its becomming an interconnected world and we have this old Act based on even older connectivity logic that now just might apply.

Next thing you know someone will say its illegal to download TV shows via bittorrent or rip DVDs and CDs to my media centre

BTW - nice checking and thanks for posting.

[aanda6]

I run an extension cord from my networked pc to the powerpoint, I wonder if that means I need an electrician to install it if I run it along the skirting board.

[kingsville]

Yeah - I thought that the use of approved pre-terminated cables might be the ticket (to avoid poor colour recognition and crimping skills) but those damn skirting boards caught me out!

Kind of depressing, but that's the ACMA interpretation of the legislation.

(Does this mean that if I change the orientation of my home office I need a registered cabler to place the cat5 along the skirting board?)

[ExtremePC]

My question is how would they come in to my house to check?

[GlenR]

Originally Posted by ExtremePC

My question is how would they come in to my house to check?

And provided you followed the appropriate conventions, how would they know who did it?

The reality is the only thing that requires a licensed tradesperson to install that they can check on is a gas installation. They are required to provide you with a compliance certificate and the gas people do random checks. When you purchase a gas appliance the retailer is obliged to contact the gas company and inform them. They can (and do) random checks to verify the appliance is installed with a valid certificate.

Electrical, data, etc, etc do not have this requirement.

[logifuse]

Originally Posted by ExtremePC

My question is how would they come in to my house to check?

Google "In House" view?

[DDH]

Originally Posted by aanda6

I run an extension cord from my networked pc to the powerpoint, I wonder if that means I need an electrician to install it if I run it along the skirting board.

Covered under different regulations and only relevant if you permanently mount the outlets or wire into the mains using anything other than an approved connector, ie 3 or 2 pin plug. Its still legal to wire up your own consumer device, ie build a power supply for CDC car charging, so long as it has a fuse and a proper 3 pin plug (if you do it commercially I believe you need a class D licence now). If you wired that same charger in permanently in your shed, technically class A or B sparky would be needed.

Originally Posted by kingsville

Yeah - I thought that the use of approved pre-terminated cables might be the ticket (to avoid poor colour recognition and crimping skills) but those damn skirting boards caught me out!

Kind of depressing, but that's the ACMA interpretation of the legislation.

(Does this mean that if I change the orientation of my home office I need a registered cabler to place the cat5 along the skirting board?)

To be fair, I didn't see anything in the response that suggested premade cables such as data or power were included. The question posed was about "in-wall cabling". But seriously, in-wall speaker cables because they go to a device that could be connected to the phone network!

[dgaust]

Originally Posted by logifuse

Google "In House" view?

Have you been reading BBSpot????

[DDH]

Originally Posted by GlenR

And provided you followed the appropriate conventions, how would they know who did it?

The reality is the only thing that requires a licensed tradesperson to install that they can check on is a gas installation. They are required to provide you with a compliance certificate and the gas people do random checks. When you purchase a gas appliance the retailer is obliged to contact the gas company and inform them. They can (and do) random checks to verify the appliance is installed with a valid certificate.

Electrical, data, etc, etc do not have this requirement.

Every electrical job requires a certificate of completion from the licensed sparky. Most are too slack to give it to you, just like the plumber with the gas connection too! In theory your insurance company could ask for it after the electrical fire to check who did the work.

Pity it burnt in the fire though