TOPICAL BRIEF: TELECOMMUNICATIONS

University of Nevada, Reno – Comprehensive Master Plan

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to document the existing characteristics and conditions of the
telecommunication system at the University of Nevada Reno (UNR) and to identify any issues
relating to the telecommunication system.

MAJOR CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

A campus wide telephone system does not exist at the present time. In most cases there is not an
active connection between the individual building telephone systems and the building data systems.
The creation of a central PBX (a university owned telephone switchboard) would help eliminate the
excessive amount of outside lines as well as the numerous amounts of key systems. House phones
to get to a help desk, emergency services and security, which would be independent of the data
system, would be a useful tool.

Fiber optic cable is presently installed on campus in a star topology. The installation and
completion of the fiber optic loop around campus will create redundancy for the fiber optic system.
This will require the installation of telecommunication duct bank around the perimeter of campus.
Telecomm duct bank routing around the campus as well as within the campus shall be carefully
planned out to avoid costly relocation of the duct bank and the fiber optic cable during the
construction of new buildings. Conduit located within duct bank should be supplied with innerduct
or multi-duct that optimizes the maximum capacity of the conduit as well as help remove friction
when adding new cables. Additionally, conduit duct bank locations shall be accurately recorded
with a GPS system and noted on record drawings. A new pathway to get across the railroad
tracks to service the Manogue School and other properties east of the railroad tracks will be
required.

Telecommunications is a constantly changing technology. Older buildings were not designed with
telecommunications in mind. Because of this, in some buildings data system cabling terminates on
wall mounted patch panels in personal offices. Telecommunication room sizes and cabling are not
consistent within buildings. The university is attempting to upgrade buildings to current standards.
However, future efforts should be made to create a minimum telecommunication standard for all
buildings. This would address telecommunication room sizes, grounding, cable trays, air
conditioning, patch panel sizes and cabling types within the buildings as well as workstation
faceplate requirements. This would assist the university with new construction projects as well as
remodels.

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METHODOLOGY AND ASSUMPTIONS

PK Electrical reviewed drawings of the existing telecommunication system, met with

Telecommunication staff and reviewed existing telecommunication cable surveys.

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

SBC Phone Service

At the present time each building or group of buildings is provided with a separate SBC service.
There are more than 80 key systems located on campus. All of the existing outside plant copper
cabling is owned by SBC. SBC duct bank and pullboxes route throughout the campus. There
seems to be an excessive amount of outside telephone lines that could possibly be reduced. The
university presently does not have a central PBX system.

Fiber Optic System – Outside Plant

The university is presently attempting to create a fiber optic loop around the perimeter of the
campus consisting of a 24 strand single mode/48 strand multi mode hybrid cable. At this time a
duct bank with this cable runs from the Howard System Administration Building to the west side of
campus along Virginia Street and into Reynolds school of Journalism.

There are six buildings that currently serve as fiber optic hubs. Those buildings are the Computing
Center, Pennington Medical School, Cain Hall, Getchell Library, Reynolds School of Journalism and
Laxalt Mineral Research. Each of these buildings feed to adjacent buildings with a star topology.
The fiber optic count from the hub buildings range in size from 6 strand multi mode to a hybrid 12
strand single mode/24 strand multimode. There are, however, an estimated seven different fiber
optic cable combinations. The fiber optic cable is routed in telecommunication duct bank which
ranges in the number of conduits contained within the duct bank. In some cases fiber is routed
through one building in order to get to the next building.

There are several systems that run on the campus wide fiber optic system. HVAC controls, security,
alarm and environmental control are among the many systems that relay on the fiber optic cabling
system, besides data transmission. A lot of the multi-mode strands are allocated to non data
circuits.

Building Telecommunications
There are several buildings that presently lack telecommunication rooms to house the data racks,
patch panels, servers and other necessary equipment to efficiently run the data system. Some
buildings have wall mounted racks with patch panels located in offices. This creates both an
access problem as well as a potential security problem. Additionally, most of the data closets are
not suitable to allow for “Voice Over IP” (voice over the data system).

The data wiring within the buildings vary between buildings. For example the Reynolds building is
currently wired to category four standards whereas Clark Administration is wired with category five
cabling, but not installed to professional standards. These are two buildings which are scheduled
for an upgrade. All new buildings that are being constructed or that are being totally renovated

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are being specified with category six cable. Remodels without major additions are being specified
with category 5e.

Other Systems
At one time there was a campus wide coax cable system. Since approximately 1997, this system
has not been used. The existing cabling for the most part has been abandoned in place.

Existing satellite dishes are located by the Channel 5 building and a microwave tower is located by
Cain Hall. The microwave tower is located in the sphere of influence with FAA. FAA would like to
have the tower upgraded to current FAA standards. The microwave tower is utilized for distance
learning, public TV and the radio station.

REFERENCES
• Meeting with Jeff Wolfe on November 12, 2003
• WTC cable assessment, March 12, 2001

FIGURES ATTACHED
• Existing Campus Communication System

End of Topical Brief

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