Telecommunications Maintenance

Physical Connections. Here are some telecom maintenance tips and tricks from a pro.

By MARCELINO “TITO" ESTRADA, CAS, One Source Realty Advisors

RG6, Category 6 and 6A, RJ45, ethernet, barrel connectors, compression fittings, modems, gateways, and wiring panels, oh my! What do all of these pieces, parts of wiring and connections to the world wide web have in common? Well, without them your Zoom call would start tiling, your remote presentation would freeze, your Wi-Fi call would drop, and you would not be able to stream the Stranger Things finale!

Cumulative Leakage Index

Did you know that most providers have teams that hunt for CLI (cumulative leakage index)? Specifically, when there is an improper connection. This is usually at a multifamily or singlefamily community, where the signal literally leaks into the atmosphere. You may think that this is benign, after all it is not something you can see, smell, or touch, but believe me it is there. It is so important that most service agreements contain language that addresses signal leakage. If excessive CLI is found at the community the provider has the right to discontinue service until it is resolved.

The question then becomes; why does CLI matter? Well, according to the FCC, “Cable systems use broadcast TV, radio, aeronautical radio (Federal Aviation Administration), and other channels. Cable operators are considered secondary users of these frequencies and must not interfere with primary use.” This warns that signal leakage may interfere with other users of the same frequencies. This also states that cable operators are not considered “primary users.”

Scavenger Hunt

Ask yourself, where are all my wires? Where are my modems/gateways? Where are smy central wiring panels and power strips? This could set off alarms. Most people would consider telecommunication a “set it and forget it” service. The reality is quite different. These “tiny” networks are living and breathing entities that we rely on for just about everything. Look at your modem/gateway and you will notice that there is a rhythm to all of those blinking lights. That modem of yours is communicating with your service provider every second of every day, and in return your service provider is also monitoring the health of your modem/gateway.

Birds Nest and Digital Saunas

Now that you have located your wiring and modem/gateway, look around. I recommend tracing each wire and power cord to its origin. You probably notice that the heat is rising from the electronics and wiring. Heat causes the degradation of the wiring. If there is any degrading, then the data will have issues traveling at the promised speed.

Next you should unravel all of the wiring. Specifically, be sure to remove any power (lines or wiring) from the actual wiring that is delivering your services, whether it be phone, internet or television. If there are any kinks in the wiring, then those should be replaced. A kink in coaxial cable or ethernet wiring would almost certainly indicate a broken center conductor or damaged twisted pair wiring. If the actual “path” or “road” that the signal is traveling upon is damaged and continuity is broken, then you will experience slow connection speeds or intermittent connections to your devices and to the internet as well.

Lastly, make sure that your connections are tight. Your RG6, Cat 5 and 6, and twisted pair should all have tight connections for a higher performance level.

Gateways and Modems

After you have found your bird nest of wiring, separated power from the connection and replaced any damaged wiring, it is time to show the heart of your network some love. Modems have a love/hate relationship with heat. Heat is generated because the modem is “working,” but, that same heat can cause your device to overheat. If your gateway overheats, then it will power down until it cools off. Once it powers down you are left without service. Lastly, if this continues then you can shorten the lifespan of the modem/gateway. It will now begin to malfunction more frequently. You will perceive this as a provider issue, a trouble call is placed and the modem is swapped out and it works perfectly again. But give it time, its performance will eventually degrade. So, if possible, place the modem in a place that is ventilated, or at least an area that breathes.

Honey Dos (Telecom Tip and Tricks)

• Locate gateways/modems in common areas, business services or residential. • Locate, store and safeguard passwords. • Check the phone lines (twisted pair), ethernet cable lines and coax cable lines. • Check connections. • Label gateways/modems (i.e., Modem ‘A” serves the lounge.) • Label cable lines including phone, Ethernet, coax, etc. • Check for loose fittings which cause cumulative leakage index. • Check for power, overloaded power strips and faulty racks. • Check for heat. If found move electronics to ventilated areas. • Look for lockboxes, pedestals, trip hazards, exposed cable or flashing. • Run a speed test to confirm speeds are up to the contract standards.

Afterthought

It’s hard to think that oftentimes telecommunications are an afterthought. After all this is a product and service that not only connects us to our businesses and professional lives, but also connects us to our loved ones. Not only that, but telecommunications connect us to fire stations, police officers, ambulances, emergency medical technicians and other lifesaving services. So, use these telecom specific actions to ensure that your network, and its collective devices, function properly for years to come and so you never miss a season finale due to connection issues again.

Marcelino, or Tito as he is known by his close friends, grew up in multifamily and telecommunications. After serving in the United States Marines Corps., he began his career in 1997 with Cox Communications. He began his consulting career in 2018. One Source Realty Advisors was launched in 2019. From due diligence on acquisitions to portfolio reviews, from properly assigning service agreements to revenue audits, One Source Realty Advisors can do it all. Learn more about One Source Realty Advisors by visiting https://www.onesourcera.com.