It was anything but business as usual at the BICSI 2002 Winter Conference, as more than 2,000 attendees learned about changes in cabling standards and practices, and in the organization itself.
The biggest news at the meeting, held at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Fla., Jan. 21-24, was the selection of Albert Feaster as BICSI's new executive director. Feaster is succeeding Jay Warmke, who submitted his resignation in November. Warmke is moving to Europe where he will continue to promote BICSI activities. (See “People” on page 8.)
In other news at the meeting, Bill Albert, vice president, Datacom Rexel USA, Dallas, formerly announced the launch of Rexel's new voice/data initiative. Called Conectis, and initially developed in France for Rexel's European operations, the program is aimed at supporting small- to medium-sized electrical contractors entering the structured cabling low-voltage market. Initially, 23 strategic electrical branches will carry about 100 SKUs (select stock) of datacom products, along with accompanying displays and signage. These branches will also provide product and sales training, and job leads. Eventually, all 307 branches within the U.S. will participate.
On the technical side, conference attendees learned that Ethernet is evolving beyond its local area network (LAN) roots and will continue to develop as a dominant networking technology, and that Ethernet devices are now being powered over data cabling. In fact, a BICSI task group is now developing a standard that will allow DC electric power to ride along the copper cabling at the same time that data signals are being over 10BASE-T, 100BASE-T, and 1000BASE-T twisted-pair cable segments.
Discussions on voice/data standards are always a big part of any BICSI meeting, and a panel discussion entitled “The World of Non-Competing Telecommunications Organizations” brought together four association representatives to discuss their views on the emerging Division 17 standard and the growing need for cross-industry cooperation. The panelists were Chuck Wilson, National Systems Contractors; Dennis Hall, Construction Specification Institute; Ron Zimmer, Continental Automated Building Association, Jim Thurman, president, Independent Electrical Contractors Association; and Brooke Stouffer, National Electrical Contractors Association. Jay Warmke moderated the panel.