Low Voltage Media Installation

Campus units planning to install low voltage media should contact Technology Services for coordination and implementation.

Technology Services is responsible for the coordination and implementation of all on-campus low voltage media installations. That Office provides groups with a single point of contact for all installation of intra-building and/or inter-building wiring for telephone and data service.

Actual installation of low voltage media may be performed by Technology Services or external contractors as the availability of staff and appropriate skills allow. In all cases, however Technology Services will be responsible for the timely completion of a given installation. Further, it will insure the integration of a unit’s individual installation with other campus facilities and future campus networking plans.

Purpose

In order to comply with the Emergency Telephone System Act (50 ILCS 750), the University must establish and maintain control over University communications technology and the infrastructure necessary to provide location services to the Enhanced 9-1-1 (E911) system. This includes the management of voice and network wiring, patching between fixed wiring and network switches, and endpoint management of VOIP telephone sets, voice appliances, and desktop computers with voice applications.

Scope

This policy applies to all University infrastructure that carries voice or data signals and includes all low voltage copper and fiber optic infrastructure.

Authority

This policy is under the authority of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost. The Chief Information Officer (CIO) is responsible for the implementation and enforcement of this policy.

Policy

The University shall maintain, in a known and documented state, all voice and network wiring, including patching between fixed wiring and network switches. Any proposed changes, including new installations or disconnections, to the voice and data network copper and fiber optic infrastructure must be approved by the CIO’s delegates in Technology Services and must be performed by Technology Services personnel, or by contractors or personnel expressly authorized by Technology Services.

All changes to University voice and data infrastructure shall be documented by either Technology Services personnel or contracted construction personnel within two hours of any such change through administrative tools available through Technology Services.

Definitions

VOIP or Voice over Internet Protocol
A method and protocol for allowing voice signals, historically transmitted by dedicated circuit pairs, to be transmitted over a digital (TCP/IP) network connection.
Fiber Optic Infrastructure
A single mode or multimode optical cable, installed and maintained on University premises used in the carriage of digital data or voice.
Desktop Computer
A computational device operating from a fixed network location that supports a VOIP application (e.g. Microsoft Skype or Lync).
Voice Appliance
Any endpoint device capable of providing voice communications over a digital network, e.g. Polycom conference telephones.
Low Voltage
Per NFPA 79 Article 6.4.1.1 and 2005 NEC 110.26(A)(1)(b), not higher than 30 Vrms or 60 VDC. Low voltage includes nominally 48 VDC telephone signaling systems.

Processes/Procedures/Guidelines

Unit personnel requiring changes to network voice and data wiring may request such changes via the Technology Services Help Desk or by contacting Network Support at Technology Services.

Exceptions

  1. Low voltage wiring and fiber optic cables for use in research are exempt from this requirement provided that any such wiring:
    1. is not connected physically (electronically) to the University network;
    2. is not positioned in mechanical trays, conduits, or other infrastructure supporting network wiring; and
    3. is not co-located in network Communication Equipment Rooms (CERs).
  2. Low voltage wiring used in door access systems and intrusion alarms.
  3. Low voltage video and video control circuits, such as those used in lecture capture or instructional display, provided that any such wiring:
    1. is not to be connected physically (electronically) to the University network;
    2. is not positioned in mechanical trays, conduits, or other infrastructure supporting network wiring; and
    3. is not co-located in network CERs.
  4. Communications and computational network wiring installed or maintained by a qualified information technology professional, provided that for voice and data systems, wiring, including patching between fixed wiring and network switches, configuration and location data is updated within the time specified in the appropriate administrative tool.

Contact

General: Technology Services Help Desk
consult@illinois.edu
(217) 244-7000
IT-Pros: net-trouble@illinois.edu
(217) 333-1000