[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 47, Volume 3]
[Revised as of October 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 47CFR68.213]

[Page 372-373]
 
                       TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION
 
        CHAPTER I--FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED)
 
PART 68_CONNECTION OF TERMINAL EQUIPMENT TO THE TELEPHONE NETWORK--Table 
of Contents
 
            Subpart C_Terminal Equipment Approval Procedures
 
Sec. 68.213  Installation of other than ``fully protected'' non-system 
simple customer premises wiring.

    (a) Scope of this rule. Provisions of this rule apply only to 
``unprotected'' premises wiring used with simple installations of wiring 
for up to four line residential and business telephone service. More 
complex installations of wiring for multiple line services, for use with 
systems such as PBX and key telephone systems, are controlled by Sec. 
68.215 of these rules.
    (b) Wiring authorized. Unprotected premises wiring may be used to 
connect units of terminal equipment or protective circuitry to one 
another, and to carrier-installed facilities if installed in accordance 
with these rules. The provider of wireline telecommunications is not 
responsible, except pursuant to agreement between it and the customer or 
undertakings by it, otherwise consistent with Commission requirements, 
for installation and maintenance of wiring on the subscriber's side of 
the demarcation point, including any wire or jacks that may have been 
installed by the carrier. The subscriber and/or premises owner may 
install wiring on the subscriber's side of

[[Page 373]]

the demarcation point, and may remove, reconfigure, and rearrange wiring 
on that side of the demarcation point including wiring and wiring that 
may have been installed by the carrier. The customer or premises owner 
may not access carrier wiring and facilities on the carrier's side of 
the demarcation point. Customers may not access the protector installed 
by the provider of wireline telecommunications. All plugs and jacks used 
in connection with inside wiring shall conform to the published 
technical criteria of the Administrative Council for Terminal 
Attachments. In multiunit premises with more than one customer, the 
premises owner may adopt a policy restricting a customer's access to 
wiring on the premises to only that wiring located in the customer's 
individual unit wiring that serves only that particular customer. See 
Sec. 68.105 in this part. The customer or premises owner may not access 
carrier wiring and facilities on the carrier's side of the demarcation 
point. Customers may not access the protector installed by the provider 
of wireline telecommunications. All plugs and jacks used in connection 
with inside wiring shall conform to the published technical criteria of 
the Administrative Council for Terminal Attachments.
    (c) Material requirements. (1) For new installations and 
modifications to existing installations, copper conductors shall be, at 
a minimum, solid, 24 gauge or larger, twisted pairs that comply with the 
electrical specifications for Category 3, as defined in the ANSI EIA/TIA 
Building Wiring Standards.
    (2) Conductors shall have insulation with a 1500 Volt rms minimum 
breakdown rating. This rating shall be established by covering the 
jacket or sheath with at least 15 cm (6 inches) (measured linearly on 
the cable) of conductive foil, and establishing a potential difference 
between the foil and all of the individual conductors connected 
together, such potential difference gradually increased over a 30 second 
time period to 1500 Volts rms, 60 Hertz, then applied continuously for 
one minute. At no time during this 90 second time interval shall the 
current between these points exceed 10 milliamperes peak.
    (3) All wire and connectors meeting the requirements set forth in 
paragraphs (c)(1) and (c)(2) shall be marked, in a manner visible to the 
consumer, with the symbol ``CAT 3'' or a symbol consisting of a ``C'' 
with a ``3'' contained within the ``C'' character, at intervals not to 
exceed one foot (12 inches) along the length of the wire.
    (d) Attestation. Manufacturers (or distributors or retailers, 
whichever name appears on the packaging) of non-system telephone 
premises wire shall attest in a letter to the Commission that the wire 
conforms with part 68, FCC Rules.

[49 FR 21734, May 23, 1984, as amended at 50 FR 29392, July 19, 1985; 50 
FR 47548, Nov. 19, 1985; 51 FR 944, Jan. 9, 1986; 55 FR 28630, July 12, 
1990; 58 FR 44907, Aug. 25, 1993; 62 FR 36464, July 8, 1997; 65 FR 4140, 
Jan. 26, 2000; 66 FR 7583, Jan. 24, 2001]