Tài liệu ADC KRONE Network News - Vol.08 No.6 - 2002 doc

NETWORK
news
December 2001/January 2002
Vol8 No6
AROUND
THE GLOBE
CONNECTING PEOPLE AND TECHNOLOGY
D
ecember 12, 2001 sees the end
of our 20th anniversary year and
we celebrate our 21st birthday. We
have certainly attained our majority
and come of age in the past 12
months.
Besides receiving an Australian
Electrical and Electronic Manu-
facturers’ Association (AEEMA)
award for ‘Excellence in Product
Stewardship’. AEEMA also gave us
special commendations for our work
in Energy Efficiency and
Commercialising R&D.
Another accolade came from GIO
when KRONE Australia won its
Business Star of the Year Award in the Market
Share category. This honour followed not long
after the well-respected global research
organisation, BSRIA UK, confirmed we had the
lion’s share of the structured cabling market in
Australia. We have achieved more than double
the market share of our nearest competitor.

Local skill and expertise in the design,
development, testing, and marketing of
innovative connectivity products has seen
KRONE Australia become the self-sufficient
organisation that we are today and our Berkeley
Vale plant on the NSW Central Coast is the
manufacturing Centre of Competence for the
Asia Pacific region. We design and develop more
than 75 per cent of the KRONE Group’s regional
product
requirements
there and approx-
imately 90 per cent
of the product range
for Australia.
The last three months of 2001 have been
tumultuous, as we have seen the world change
and wage war against terrorism. The IT&T
industry is suffering in the aftershock of job cuts
and declines in profits. The travel and tourism
industry is in decline.
Despite the uncertainty of the moment, we
are looking forward to the New Year and the
challenges it will present.
KRONE succeeds because of its people and its
customers. I’m happy to report that we’re on
track for strong results this year. As always, we
will continue to strive to develop new
technologies to meet your needs. 2002 will be
no different.

Thank you to our people, our partners and our
customers for your support.
We, at KRONE, wish you good health and
prosperity for the future.
Sincerely
Craig Jones
CEO
2

NETWORKnews
Business Articles
5 A Solution for Every Need
Customer Stories
4 City Rail Plays it Safe
Standards and Industry News
12 Boosted Cable Performance Tests
the Testers
KRONE News
3 A Year of Milestones & Accolades
8 New Staff
8 On The Road with Optical Access
9 GIO andAEEMA Vote KRONE
the best
10 KRONE’s International Success
13 Access
NET
Hightime Seminars
16 Club KRONE
Product News
6 Product Watch

14 Lightning Charges Towards
Networks
Website: www.krone.com.au
Email:
CONTENTS
Copyright © 2001 KRONE Australia Holdings Pty. Limited
WE COME OF AGE
NETWORKnews

3
First Quarter: January - March
6 Premis
NET
HIGHLIGHT
®
fibre cable is
introduced
6 Club KRONE introduces bonus redemption
points against training
6 Club KRONE website is launched
Second Quarter: April - June
6 HighTIME Conference held in Port Douglas
6 TrueNet demonstrated at BiCSi and
Networld+Interop, Sydney
6 Premis
NET
Intelligent Building solution showcased
at AEEMA Cleaner, Greener Smarter Conference
6 Win $20 million Telstra Customer Access Network
contract

6 Participate in the Copper Development Council’s
Smart Wired House Project
6 UK BSRIA Report confirms our leadership position
in the Australian structured cabling systems market
6 2000/2001 Catalogue available
Third Quarter:July - September
6 MASTERminder™ rack mountable cable
minder launched
6 Five-ring Patch Cord Minder introduced
6 Fibre range expanded for Access
NET
and
Premis
NET
customers
6 KRONE appointed Australian distributor for
Optical Access wireless solutions
6 Club KRONE introduces online redemption
6 TrueNet demonstrated at Networld+Interop,
Melbourne
Fourth Quarter: October - December
6 Fibre and Optical Wireless products on show at
Optical Networking Conference, Sydney
6 All products on show at Canberra Trade Day
6 Win GIO Business Star of the Year
Award in the Market Share category
6 Win AEEMA Award for Excellence
in Product Stewardship
6 Win AEEMA Special
Commendations for excellence in

Energy Efficiency and Commercialising
R&D
6 All KRONE products certified as
A-Tick compliant
6 AirLAN
™
wireless LAN family
launched
6 BROADWAY
™
4 home
cabling system introduced
6 TrueNet
™
Cat 6 Patch
Cords available
6 ComProtect
™
over-voltage
product launched
A YEAR OF MILESTONES AND ACCOLADES
T
he safety of the hundreds of
thousands of passengers who
use Sydney’s CityRail network is of
paramount importance to the
management team at the State
Rail Authority (SRA). Vandalism
and/or anti-social behaviour is a
major concern.

Philips Projects Australasia (now
Tyco Integrated Systems) was one
of the successful bidders for the
highly contested contract for
what is the largest project of its
type in the world.
In all, more than
5,700 CCTV cameras have
been installed at 302 CityRail
stations and major CityRail
precincts such as
commuter car parks and
bus interchanges.
Images from all cameras
are recorded at two frames
per second, 24 hours a day.
This huge volume of data is
maintained by a digital
recording and storage system that
provides reliable, high quality images for
use in legal prosecution proceedings.
An intranet network links each of the CityRail
stations. Monitoring of the system (including live
video) can take place from designated remote
control room locations.
The success of the CCTV rollout
was evident during the 2000
Sydney Olympics, when the
cameras were effectively used for
security and crowd control.

John Freeland, Philips’ Site
Supervisor for SRA said of
TERMINATOR: “ One particular
advantage of the KRONE
TERMINATOR system was the
ability to add fuse protection with
indication to the camera supply
circuits when required without
having to change terminals and
wiring.”
“ KRONE’s TERMINATOR was the cabling
termination solution specified by Philips
Projects,” said Greg Lankow, Managing Director
of systems integrator, Eurovac. “ Prior to the
CityRail project, we had no experience with the
product and, as a first time user, found it
extremely easy to use. It actually halves the
length of time we would normally have spent on
stripping the wires down and connecting them
to terminals.
“ From an ongoing maintenance point of view,
fusable links can be easily monitored. There are
test points on the KRONE block where a probe
may be inserted to determine the voltage and
gauge the density of the signal. Before
TERMINATOR, we would have had to pull wires
out and test each one individually,” said Mr
Lankow.
“ We were so impressed by all the features the
KRONE TERMINATOR system offers - and the

fact that it is an Australian-manufactured
product - that we are now specifying it for our
other CCTV sites, particularly in the hotel
security area.” 
4

NETWORKnews
WITH TERMINATOR
®
CITYRAIL PLAYS IT SAFE
by Jeff Glen, Manager,
KRONE Australia’s Power
& Control Division
“ We were so impressed by all the
features the KRONE TERMINATOR
system offers that we are now
specifying it for our other
CCTV sites.”
NETWORKnews

5
O
ur Premis
NET
solutions are classified in
Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum levels.
By having four categories of Premis
NET
solutions, we aim to match people’s technical
requirements with their financial expectations.

For instance, we offer 20-year warranties.
Realistically, if you manage the network in an
organisation with a two-year lease on a floor in
a building, why would you need a 20-year
warranty?
Our Premis
NET
Bronze level is a standards-
compliant, Cat 5E solution.
If you don’t have a huge dependence on IT, or
don’t have an upgrade plan, the bronze plan is
probably fine for you. Maybe you are a small
organisation with no desire to move from 10
megabit Ethernet. We would then offer a cost-
effective, bronze level solution that met your
technical requirements.
The Silver level is still standards-compliant to
Cat 5E but we call it ‘Cat 5ET (the T standing for
TrueNet)
™
. Our TrueNet systems (silver and
platinum levels) have cable and connector
components that have been impedance
matched. Therefore we can offers the customer
a five-year warranty during which time we will
guarantee zero bit error rate in the network. It’s
a step up from the basic Cat 5E solution.
At the gold and platinum end, if you are a
large organisation that owns its premises - a
good example would be a university or corporate

headquarters - you are committed for the long
term and probably have a high dependence on
IT. If the majority of your users are still using
10megabit of Ethernet but you have a planned
migration within two years to Gigabit Ethernet,
Voice over IP and videoconferencing, then you
would want to install the best premium products
available.
‘Gold’ is a standards-compliant Cat 6 solution.
As yet, there is no approved standard for Cat 6
but some customers still strive for that level of
performance. Our gold level solution conforms
to the proposed Cat 6 standard as we know it
today.
The next level is our ‘Platinum’, Cat6T solution
(again, the T is for TrueNet). This gives all the
electrical parameters that we know for
Cat 6 and comes not only with a 20-
year parts, labour and service
warranty but also carries a five-
year throughput warranty
guaranteeing zero bit error
rate performance.
For more information or
to taylor a solution to
your needs, contact your
KRONE representative
in your State.

by Peter Davis

Sales and Marketing
Manager
KRONE Australia
A SOLUTION FOR EVERY NEED
KRONE’s Premis
NET
™ structured cabling solutions take into account
the differing needs of our customers and provide unrivalled
flexibility and reliability for every type of network demand.
PREMISNET
By having four categories of
Premis
NET
solutions, we aim to
match people’s technical
requirements with their financial
expectations.
KRONE is A-Tick OK
All telecommunications equipment must carry the Australian Communications Authority
(ACA) A-Tick mark. It has been introduced to give consumers confidence that a
telecommunications product meets the safety and technical standards set by the ACA. The
ACA warns that use of products that don’t carry the A-Tick label is not only unsafe and
potentially damaging to the network, but that penalties may also be imposed.
All components of our Premis
NET
and Access
NET
solutions carry the A-Tick mark in
accordance with ACA regulations and our Product Compliance Folders are easily accessible
at our Berkeley Vale headquarters.

Platinum C6T
TrueNet
TM
CAT 6T
Ultimate system efficiency
and future proofing
Gold C6
CAT 6/CLASS E Channel
Future proofing for
Gigabit Ethernet and
beyond
Bronze C5e
CAT 5e/CLASS D - 2000
Powersum Compliant Components
Silver C5eT
TrueNet
TM
CAT 5eT
Maximum system
efficiency for
Gigabit Ethernet
6

NETWORKnews
THE WIRELESS LAN FOR
ALL ENTERPRISES
Workers on the move, whether they are in large
or medium enterprises, small business or SOHO
situations, can all benefit from KRONE’s new
broadband wireless local area network (LAN)

solution, AirLAN
™
.
We’ve expanded our Premis
NET
product
portfolio into the wireless area and AirLAN will
provide mobile workers with access to e-mail,
the Internet and business networks.
AirLAN is designed as a competitively priced,
easy-to-install, plug-and-play
solution that enables
communication from
anywhere in a building, at
any time.
Based on the IEEE 802.11b
standard for wireless
communications, there are
three products in the KRONE
AirLAN family:

the Access Point acts as a
bridge between wireless and
Ethernet networks;

the PC Card for mobile
notebook computers allows
the user to access in-home
or corporate networks when combined with the
Access Point; and


the USB Adapter plugs into the desktop PC,
enabling the mobile computer user wireless
access to the home PC or network when
combined with the Access Point.
All three products can be used together to
provide expanded wireless communications.
The key benefit of the AirLAN family is that
mobile notebook users have the freedom to
move from room to room, or floor to floor, while
still maintaining a high-speed, 11Mbps wireless
connection to the business or SOHO local area
network.
It is a quick and easy-to-install; plug-and-play
solution that minimises the potential of tangled
cabling
The AirLAN family is ideal for: small office/home
office (SOHO) operators, difficult-to-wire
buildings, frequently changing environments,
mobile users within a corporate network, and
areas that don’t need permanent access to a LAN.
AirLAN’s operating system supports Windows
95/98/NT/2000ME. The product’s external
operating range covers140 metres at 11Mbps,
200 metres at 5.5Mbps and 400 metres at
1Mbps. Inside the building, at close office range,
AirLAN reaches 30 metres at 11Mbps, 35 metres
at 5.5Mbps and 50 metres at 1Mbps.
PRODUCT WATCH
BUSINESS OR HOME, KRONE COVERS IT ALL

by Glen Johnston,
Product Development
Manager, KRONE
Australia
NETWORKnews

7
KRONE’S
NEW BROADWAY STAR
BROADWAY
™
4 is a home wiring system that
links four rooms or areas in the home with
phone, fax, printer and computer lines, as well as
broadband signals for cable and free-to-air TV,
giving residents the ultimate in flexibility for their
information and entertainment needs.
We have seen SOHO businesses emerge as a
solid market force. BROADWAY 4 was designed
to meet the specific needs of this residential
market.
The features included in our BROADWAY 10
and 5 products - for larger-sized residences and
apartments - have been incorporated into
BROADWAY 4, and fine-tuned to suit families
with students or a home business, or both.
Designed to complement the décor of most
homes, BROADWAY is a cavity wall-mounted
control box that achieves Category 5e
transmission performance. It can be situated in a

cupboard, under the stairs, in a garage or cellar
- anywhere the resident decides will give easy
access for the simple plug-and-play redirection
of signals to different areas of the home.
When combined with a hub, BROADWAY 4
delivers an instant Ethernet networking system.
All that is visible in the four designated areas
within the residence is the neat wall outlet
(similar to those seen in most offices) into to
which your communication device (telephone,
computer, TV, VCR) plugs.
One distinct advantage of KRONE’s
BROADWAY range is that it allows new
technologies, like optical
fibre services to be
added later.
By installing
BROADWAY 4, the
owner is future-proofing
the home for the future
requirements of the
family and SOHO business, with the extra benefit
of adding value to the property.
TRUEPATCH GIVES DIY CAT
6 PERFORMANCE
A Category 6 version has been added to our
TruePatch
™
family of patch cords.
Patch cords are the most overlooked

component in the cabling infrastructure system.
However, our test laboratories show that the
overall performance of the network can be
improved simply by replacing existing patch
cords with the high-performance, impedance-
matched TruePatch product. - and the IS team
can do it themselves.
TruePatch is a vital part of our revolutionary
TrueNet cabling channel. In many installations,
cabling is installed as a link only, and the user
adds patch panels as needed - or patch cables
are added to the installation over time as needs
change or older cords fail.
In either case the effect of mismatched or
marginal cords on network throughput can be
disastrous.
TruePatch patch cords are tuned to match all
components in the TrueNet channel for optimum
throughput.
A frustrating reality of the advance of
technology is that new innovations tend to make
the previous generation of equipment obsolete.
Fortunately, network managers can realise some
of the benefits of KRONE’s TrueNet system simply
by adding TruePatch patch cords to their existing
installations.
Manufactured at KRONE’s plant on the
NSW Central Coast, TruePatch Cat6T
patch cords are the best Cat 6 solution
available, fulfilling Cat 6

requirements according to the
relevant ISO/IEC and TIA/EIA
standards. 
8

NETWORKnews
T
revor Kleinert has been appointed as our
National Sales Manager - PremisNET and
Terry Buckridge joins us as New South Wales
Sales Manager -Premis
NET
. Brendan Giles also
has been recruited to the NSW sales team.
Trevor was previously our Business
Development Manager, Fibre Optics and will
continue with his responsibility for that area for
the time being. He brings to his new role 17
years’ experience in the industry across the areas
of sales and marketing and product
management and development; he has been
particularly involved in the fibre optics area for
the past seven years. Trevor holds a BiCSi RCDD
accreditation as a registered com-munications
distribution designer and has been involved in
standards and technical panels for BiCSi in
Australia and the USA.
Terry Buckridge returns
to the fold after spending
four years as a Business

Development Manager
for two of our KRONE
endorsed installers. This
experience will help us
improve our service to
our customers. Terry was
previously a sales
executive with our ACT
office and originally
joined us after managing
a cabling installation contracting company.
Brendan Giles, our new NSW sales executive,
brings with him ten years’ experience in various
sales management positions for distributors and
integrators in the data communications industry.
W
e took to the road recently and exhibited
our Optical Access products at the Optical
Networking Australia conference in Sydney and
held our own Trade Day in Canberra.
Zeev Draer, International Sales Director of
KRONE partner, Optical Access, came to
Australia for both events and gave a
presentation on Free Space Optical networks
(FSO) and showed how his company is deploying
FSO technology in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The two-day Optical Networking conference
was well attended and showed the increased
interest in the subject as companies sought to
assess the future of intelligent optical

networking and learn about the key economic
and technical issues in developing and deploying
the all-optical network.
In Canberra, we had a chance to meet around
100 customers and suppliers and we were able
to show them:

our revolutionary TrueNet solution - the first
end-to-end cabling system specifically
designed to prevent throughput loss in local
area networks;

our HIGHLIGHT fibre portfolio and the
Optical Access range of optical wireless and
advanced switching and routing solutions;

our Premis
NET
range of RJ solutions, patch
panels jacks, patch cords, cable and cable
management products; and

our SOHO and Small Business solutions
comprising the BROADWAY home cabling
management system and the MiniLAN mini
patching cabinet for small workgroups.
We also used the occasion to introduce
AirLAN, our new broadband wireless local area
network (LAN) family of products. (See story on
page 6) 

TAKING KRONE TO YOU
NEW NATIONAL AND NSW MANAGERS
FOR OUR PREMISNET TEAM
by Peter Davis,
Sales and Marketing
Manager,
KRONE Australia
ON THE ROAD WITH OPTICAL ACCESS
Syd
Can
Sydney/Canberra
Terry Buckridge New South
Wales Sales Manager -
Premis
NET
NETWORKnews

9
O
ctober was a rewarding month for KRONE
Australia. We won the GIO Business Star of
the Year Award in the category of Market Share
and, for the second year in a row, we received an
Excellence Award from the Australian Electrical
and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association
(AEEMA) - this time it was for Product
Stewardship.
AEEMA also gave us Special Commendation
Certificates for our work in Energy Efficiency and
Excellence in Commercialising R&D. We were

one of only seven Australian companies to be so
honoured.
The 2000/2001 GIO Business Stars
Programme, conducted through the prestigious
National Business Bulletin magazine, called for
nominations from fast-growing Australian
companies with annual sales of seven figures or
more over the past decade. More than 400
submissions were received.
Philip Thomson, Director of National Business
Magazines and the GIO Awards judging panel,
said: “ With virtually all fixed telephone lines in
Australia using KRONE products and virtually
every significant office building wired with
KRONE connectors, the company is a worthy
winner of the Business Star of the Year Market
Share Award.”
The GIO Business Star Award is certainly
appropriate and much appreciated, coming just
after the respected UK BRSIA research
organisation in its Report into the structured
cabling market in Australia confirmed that
KRONE Australia has the lion’s share of the
sector, which is more than double that of our
nearest rival.
With regard to the AEEMA accolades, it is
gratifying to receive such an acknowledgement
from our peers. Winning the AEEMA Excellence
Award in Product Stewardship is a testament to
our dedication to Australian-designed,

developed and manufactured products.
More than 75 per cent of all KRONE product
sold in Australia meets this criteria. A further 15
per cent of products are made in Australia under
licence.
What’s more, 80 per cent of KRONE’s
automated machinery is made in Australia and a
high portion of that by our own in-house
engineers.
We are committed to best practices in every
aspect of the product lifecycle. This is reflected in
KRONE’s adherence to ISO 9001 quality
procedures and ISO 14001 standards for
Environmental Management Systems.
All saleable products have to pass through a
stringent seven-step milestone process and only
then are released into the market. Every possible
consideration is given to environmental impacts in
this process. Products are made completely from
recyclable materials, as is all packaging. All
cardboard packaging is made from 100% recycled
material and the packaging is re-engineered to
reduce the amount of cardboard used. 
GIO AND AEEMA VOTE KRONE THE BEST
by Craig Jones, CEO,
KRONE Australia
Thanks team
I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate our people at KRONE
- from R&D and product development right through to production,
manufacturing, supply and sales administration. It is their

commitment to excellence that has resulted in our reputation for
quality products and service. These awards belong to them.
KRONE honoured by industry accolades for its Product Stewardship and Market Share.
KRONE CEO, Craig
Jones accepting his
award from
Senator Marise
Payne.
We are committed to best
practices in every aspect of the
product lifecycle.
I
n 140 countries, KRONE provides solutions for
companies ranging from network operators
and industry leaders to medium-sized operators
and small enterprises.
In the case of Access
NET
, these include world-
renowned telecommunications companies such
as the United States’ largest carrier, Verizon,
Germany’s Deutsche Telekom, China Telecom,
France Telecom and our own Telstra.
WALKING WITH
DINOSAURS
Our Optical Access products were instrumental
in providing the network technology used by
UK company, Framestore, for its work on the
BBC’s Walking with Dinosaurs TV series.
Recreating 155 million years of prehistory, most

of it in ‘virtual reality’, required awesome
computing power. Framestore, which created
the digital images and computer animation,
had to deal with a huge amount of data -
creating a single scene might result in a 200
MB file at 1.5MB per frame. Several servers on
a multi-site network might be running all night
to process up to 12,000 frames by morning and
Optical Access provided the switching
technology and fibre-driven backbone to move
this immense payload of information.
WHEN HOLLYWOOD CALLS
In the field of structured cabling, we can boast
equally high-profile connections. For instance,
Steven Spielberg’s Dreamworks SKG animation
studio boasts a powerful KRONE network
infrastructure.
Digital animation requires enormous
computing capacity over fast networks and
KRONE supplied an infrastructure that keeps the
animators focused on drawing the next
blockbuster, without worrying about network
capacity going bust.
LINKING WITH HISTORY
One address, steeped in history and religion
and instantly recognised throughout the world,
is the Vatican City in Rome. Behind its solid,
ancient walls, a Premis
NET
solution is installed

10

NETWORKnews
KRONE’S INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS
CONNECTING PEOPLE AND TECHNOLOGY
Shane McIntosh
Export Manager,
KRONE Australia
linking 1,000 rooms - including the Vatican
museums and the famous library - and 3,000
users in the Papal State.
READY FOR THE FUTURE
The ‘Millennium Dome’ in the London district of
Greenwich is a symbol for the third millennium
and testament to the future capability of KRONE
Technology.
KRONE continues to play a key role in
providing telecommunications solutions for
future technologies. In the deregulated telecoms
markets, new network operators are creating
their own infrastructures with proven KRONE
technology.
In emerging markets, such as South America,
Asia and Africa, KRONE is at the forefront,
reflecting the new dynamism of these
economies with state-of the art installations that
lay the groundwork for the future.
With our network of subsidiaries, four
development and seven production locations
around the globe, you’ll find KRONE speaking

the same global language as our customers and
provisioning networks which meet demands and
exceed expectations.
VERIZON RECONNECTS
LOWER MANHATTAN
“ The terrible events of September 11 presented
Verizon Communications with an enormous
challenge. Perhaps at no time in the last
century has a telecommunications company
been faced with having to quickly repair
widespread damage in an area as densely
populated and so critical to the financial world
as lower Manhattan. As the world watched,
Verizon’s employees proved they could meet
the challenges. These efforts ranged from
helping the New York Stock Exchange resume
trading and handle record volumes less than a
week after the attacks to helping small
businesses survive by transferring their phone
numbers to temporary locations. “ Source:
Verizon website
KRONE is contracted to supply network
connectivity products and solutions to Verizon,
and we pitched in to help by escalating our
manufacturing and delivery processes to meet
emergency deadlines.
KRONE’s Access
NET
solutions for public
networks provide Verizon, the United States’

largest telecommunications company, with the
flexibility, density and reliability it requires to
maintain the high quality of service that its
customers demand.
Visit www.verizon.com and see the special
edition of the company’s Service Standard
newsletter which provides a further look at what
happened in New York. 
NETWORKnews

11
AROUND THE GLOBE
A
pproval and upgrading of new structured
cable system standards will help meet the
needs of high performance systems. The
standards allow for extra testing guidelines to
address performance improvements necessary to
support Gigabit Ethernet (1000 BASE-T) and
improve Fast Ethernet (100 BASE-T)
performance.
The TIA* Category 5e structured cabling
component standard has been approved,
together with an upgrading of the ISO* cabling
system standard. Similar amendments to the
Australian-New Zealand system standard are
expected to follow shortly.
Of particular note is the need to consider the
impact of patch cords on the performance of the
channel with new specifications for patch cord

performance being incorporated into the new
Category 5e component standard.
Standards for patch cords previously didn’t
exist so many of those currently in service may
not meet the new requirements.
With the advent of these changes to the
standards it is important to ensure that hand-
held field testers used to test structured cabling
installations are certified for Category 5e use.
Most existing Category 5 cable scanners have
been effectively rendered obsolete by Category 5e.
The following level 2e testers are
recommended for testing of Cat 5e solutions:

MicroTest PentaScanner 350;

Agilent WS155 (software version 5.2 or
higher); and

FLUKE DSP4000.
The Category 6 standard is still at a very early
stage of implementation, with final ratification
not expected until the second quarter of 2002 at
the earliest.
The two main barriers to Category 6
compliance are currently Return Loss and
backward compatibility interoperability (the
ability to mix and match products from various
vendors at different performance levels), which is
an extremely difficult engineering problem to

resolve.
The following testers are recommended for
Cat 6 solutions:

MicroTest OmniScanner 1 & 2;

Agilent WS350 (formally HP); and

FLUKE DSP 4000/4100.
Return Loss - or signal reflection - is largely
caused by mismatches in components used to
make up the permanent link or channel. The
potential impact of these mismatches is a
moderate to severe reduction in data
throughput. In 1999, this problem was
recognised by KRONE and resulted in the
development and introduction of its
revolutionary TrueNet™ structured cabling
system. This same engineering issue is now
under review by the ISO.
The backward compatibility and inter-
operability requirements of the Category 6 draft
standard are also an area of concern. Most
vendors have their own solution but are still
grappling with the issue of mixing with other
vendors. Existing Category 6 products are largely
proprietary with varying amounts of proprietary
compensation being built into both plugs and
sockets and this does not allow mixing of jacks
and patch cords from different vendors with

different amounts of compensation.

* TIA is the US-based, globally recognised Telecommunications Industry
Association. ISO is the International Organisation for Standardisation;
headquartered in Switzerland - it sets international standards.
12

NETWORKnews
BOOSTED CABLE PERFORMANCE
TESTS THE TESTERS
by Peter Meijer,
Technical Training
Manager, Industry
Liaison
Basic Link
Permanent Link
Channel
Standards for patch cords
previously didn’t exist so many of
those currently in service may not
meet the new requirements.
NETWORKnews

13
F
ree space optics is in growing demand due to
today’s high bandwidth application and
requirements for fast development. During one
of the seminar sessions KRONE’s fibre experts,
Trevor Kleinert and Alan Crawford, gave an

overview of the next generation optical wireless
solutions that are available right now. Trevor
also gave a separate talk on KRONE’s fibre
portfolio, based on our HIGHLIGHT range.
Robert Cross, KRONE’s National Sales Manager
for Access
NET
, gave a presentation on
overvoltage protection. He also took the
opportunity to update delegates on our
Access
NET
portfolio, including some exciting
new tailor made products for special
applications. During this session, Robert talked
about the reliability of KRONE connectivity
compared to that of competitors in the
marketplace. Recent laboratory test clearly
confirms the superiority of the KRONE LSA Plus
connection technique. Should you wish to have
a more in-depth discussion on this subject, we
would be pleased to share the findings of test
with you.
The seminar ended with KRONE’s Technical
Manager, Peter Meijer, giving an update on what
is happening with the fast changing
telecommunications standards.
The informal part of the event gave us all the
opportunity to network on a social level over
dinner and entertainment.

As always, the opportunity to network with
our customers was invaluable. The feedback
received from delegates was excellent and we
will take note of their suggestions as we develop
products and services to suit the Access
NET
market. 
Melbourne delegates
by Robert Cross,
National Sales Manager,
AccessNET
ACCESSNET HIGHTIME SEMINARS
During November, our Access
NET
division held HighTIME seminars in
Sydney and Melbourne for our carriers, service provider and OEM
customers.
Sydney delegates
Wayne Tate, Tenix Alliance, and KirstyMarshall
Arthur Schumann, ETTA, and Robert Cross
T
he issue of protecting networks from security
breaches has attracted considerable attention
but organisations also need to guard against
environmental risks such as lightning.
Damaged or destroyed equipment, which is
integrated into manufacturing or data storage
processes, can cause physical damage, as well as
high consequential losses due to downtime.
Lightning strikes can also delay production

due to data loss and damage process control
computers or computer-based warehouse and
storage systems. Such delays usually cost many
times the amount of the direct damage. While it
is almost impossible to protect against direct
lightning strikes, research indicates that such
incidents are only responsible for five per cent of
damage caused by atmospheric discharges.
The fact is that almost all damage is caused by
indirect lightning hits. When the charge hits the
ground it radiates in a rippling effect through the
earth, like a pebble thrown into the centre of a
pool. This means that networks located within a
radius of one or more kilometres away from the
site of impact can be affected. The annual
damage caused by this in Australia is estimated
to be millions of dollars.
Lightning often enters a network via the
customer local-loop, normally between street-
side telecommunications cabinets and office
buildings. From the point of entry, energy from
lightning travels in both directions - towards
premises and street-side cabinets or telephone
exchanges. In most cases, substantial damage
can be expected.
Some telecommunications companies provide
overvoltage protection in their networks but this
is not usually designed to protect customers. In
most cases, customer premises equipment has
no protection from lightning or power contact

with the telecommunications network.
Awareness of the need for overvoltage
protection has increased in recent years due to
growing demands on modern communications
for voice and data traffic, and organisations’
greater reliance on their networks.
At the same time, rapid developments in
electronics have resulted in miniaturisation of
many communications systems and
components. This has increased the density of
electronics but made them less robust. This is the
reason overvoltage protection between
telephone lines and equipment is needed, in
14

NETWORKnews
LIGHTNING CHARGES TOWARDS
by Robert Cross, National
Sales Manager -
AccessNET, KRONE
Australia
When lightning strikes it blackens corporate reputations as well as
property and sensitive telecommunications equipment. Network
downtime caused by lightning damage can affect customer service,
eroding confidence and revenues.
The fact is that almost all damage
is caused by indirect lightning hits.
addition to surge protection for
sensitive electronic devices such as
PABXs, modems, and faxes.

Lightning is not the only potential
cause of damage to telecom-
munications equipment. Direct or
indirect contact between power and
telecommunications cables can also
pose a threat to equipment and
personal safety.
According to the Australian Bureau
of Meteorology: “ Severe thunder-
storms can occur at any time of the year
and most strike between September
and March when the supply of solar
energy is greatest. Of the many
lightning strike injuries each year, about
80 per cent result from people using
fixed telephones during thunderstorms
when the phone system may become
highly charged near where lightning is
striking. Related injuries may include
hearing damage, burns or even
electrocution.”
KRONE offers systems specifically for
protection of equipment in data and
communication networks and in
measurement and control applications.
The protective circuits guard against
electrical influences due to lightning or
power contact, discharging them on
impact.
For more information about

KRONE’s network protection
technology and other
products and services call
your KRONE representative or
visit the website at:
www.krone.com.au 
In most cases, customer premises equipment has no
protection from lightning or power contact with the
telecommunications network.
GDT
a
a'
bb'
System
Line
3 Stage/5 point
COMPROTECT SAFEGUARDS
YOUR INVESTMENT
ComProtect™, the newest
addition to KRONE’s overvoltage
protection range, gives graded
five—point protection of single
pairs on HIGHBAND 10 or Series
2 disconnect or switching
modules mounted on KRONE
Profil or Backmount frames.
Unlike the majority of
protectors which are destroyed
by the impact of a “power cross”
fault, ComProtect’s unique

circuits restore themselves
immediately to normal operation
once the fault is corrected. This
feature is achieved by careful
selection of the protective
elements used and greatly
reduces the level of maintenance
required.
ComProtect is easy to use - the
compact over-voltage protection
plug is simply attached to the
KRONE disconnection or
switching module. It is also
possible to retrofit ComProtect to
existing KRONE distribution
equipment.
The KRONE range of over-
voltage products is suited to the
latest applications with high
transmission rates such as ASDN
and xDSL.
Besides ComProtect, it.also
includes various arrestor
magazines for over-voltage
protection. All the versions,
HIGHBAND, Profil Series 2 and
NT, have one thing in common -
they are adaptations of the
protective components of
KRONE’s patented LSA-PLUS

and/or LSA PROFIL distribution
systems. MDF 71 and other
related dropwire and PCB
modules are also available.
KRONE ComProtect graded 5-point protection.
NETWORKS
KRONE’s 2001/2002 Product Catalogue
Most of you will already have received a copy of the latest
KRONE Product Catalogue. We trust you have found the
new format easier to use than ever, allowing quick reference
to KRONE product information.
To support the release of the printed edition, we have
recently deployed an online version of the catalogue on
KRONE Australia’s website, www.krone.com.au
The new online catalogue has seen many improvements
from the previous version, now offering…

Seven different methods of searching

Display of related products, as in the printed catalogue.

Colour coding for product families follows the same
standard as used in the printed catalogue.

Higher quality colour images

Descriptive icons showing: performance level, Premis
NET
solution, and network area.
Access the Online Catalogue in the same way as the old

version. From the KRONE.com.au home page just click on
the “ Product Catalogue” link on the left hand side
navigation menu.
Of course, the hard copy version is still available. For your
copy contact us through the offices listed below .
“ In the past, we were probably lazy,” said Scott
Ellard of NewsComm. “ We’ve been members of
Club KRONE but missed out on redemptions
because we just kept on forgetting the
deadlines, no matter how often we were
reminded.
“ It was always a bit of a chore to fill in the fax
form and calculate the number of points. Now,
all we need do is go into the Club KRONE
website, register NewsCom’s ID and we can see
our invoices and points entitlement immediately.
“ The last batch of bonus products we received
included ten of the 27-way covers. They’re
priced at around $80 each so that’s $800 worth
of product. We were able to put them into a
project we were doing and the payment we
received was pure profit on the job,” he said.
“ That’s a great incentive to redeem products
online.
“ We share the bonus products around
between technicians - it’s always handy to be
able to have some spare stock in the van in case
we need it.
Scott also pointed out that, aside from online
redemption, Club KRONE membership is

important for NewsCom. “ It keeps us abreast of
what is happening in the industry via your
newsletter, Network News - and I particularly like
getting the technical updates and new product
releases via your e-mail bulletins.”
NewsCom is based in Bayswater a suburb of
Melbourne. It has 20 people, including 15
technical experts and its main customers are
universities such as the six Melbourne-based
institutions, schools and technical colleges; they
also do commercial fit-outs for customers such
as Westfield. 
Club KRONE member, NewsCom is right behind online redemption
because it is fast, easy and the rewards are great.
ONLINE REDEMPTION
ITS EASY SAYS NEWSCOM
by Mark Meyer
Manager Club KRONE
HEAD OFFICE
2 Hereford Street
BERKELEY VALE NSW 2261
PO Box 335
WYONG NSW 2259
Ph: (02) 4388 4422
Fax: (02) 4388 4499
KRONE NEW ZEALAND
Cnr The Esplanade & Nevis St
PETONE NZ
Ph: +64 4 / 576 9213
Fax: +64 4 / 576 9243

KRONE NSW
1/46-48 Percy Street
AUBURN NSW 2144
Ph: (02) 9749 9200
Fax: (02) 9749 9955
KRONE QLD
Level 1, 67 St. Pauls Terrace
SPRING HILL QLD 4004
Ph: (07) 3236 9233
Fax: (07) 3236 9244
KRONE VIC/TAS
Suite 12, 622 Ferntree Gully Road,
WHEELERS HILL VIC 3150
Ph: (03) 9560 0977
Fax: (03) 9560 0988
KRONE ACT
1/42 Geils Court
DEAKIN ACT 2600
Ph: (02) 6281 4580
Fax: (02) 6281 4453
KRONE SA/NT
Suite 11, 297 Pirie Street
ADELAIDE SA 5000
Ph: (08) 8236 0111
Fax: (08) 8232 6699
KRONE WA
Suite 46,
Como Corporate Centre
11 Preston Street
COMO WA 6152

PH: (08) 9474 6600
FAX: (08) 9474 3898
TOLL FREE TECH SUPPORT:
1800 801 298
Web Site: www.krone.com.au