Internal tie cable

Our internal tie cables link one frame to another. You can use them to join voice communications frames to your equipment inside an exchange. They’re available in 32, 64 and 100-pair variants.

How they work

You can use internal tie cables for local loop unbundling (LLU). They connect access networks at main distribution frame (MDF) sites with LLU co-mingling product handover distribution frames (HDF). 

The internal tie cable can terminate at the PoP:

• on a handover distribution frame (HDF) which is part of the rack we provide. This will be the link between our equipment and yours. The HDF provides a test point facility for the internal tie cable. It can also be part of a co-mingling product like Low Capacity Unit (LCU), Medium Capacity Unit (MCU) or Broadband Britain Umbilical Services Structure (B-BUSS) (as part of our legacy portfolio)
• on a standalone HDF.

Find out more about the standalone HDF and our co-mingling products. You might also be interested in our enhanced internal tie cable.

If you’ve placed an HDF in the customer rack space area, it must meet the same specs as our standard HDF. So it must use 3M Quante terminating modules in blocks of 100 pairs.

Your HDF should also provide a mounting frame for the terminating modules above. You can then order HDF-connected internal tie cables to terminate on your HDF. We’ll provide them in the standard configuration, i.e. the first tie cable to the bottom-left front position.

We’ll have to use the reverse wired-tie process if the HDF you provide isn’t available for tie cables to be terminated as part of the PoP build. Once the HDF is in place, you can order tie cables using the additional tie cable process.

The HDF, whether you provide it or we do, is the link between our equipment and yours.

Internal tie cable variants

Here are the types of internal tie cable variants we have available, along with where they’re specifically connected. At the moment 32, 64 and 100-pair Evolutionary Test Access Matrix (EvoTam) to PoP variants are only available in 21C sites (where an EvoTam exists).

• 32-pair standard specification HDF terminated (EvoTam to PoP for LLUT MPF tie cable and MDF to PoP for LLUL SMPF tie cable).
• 64-pair standard specification HDF terminated (EvoTam to PoP for LLUT MPF tie cable and MDF to PoP for LLUL SMPF tie cable).
• 100-pair standard specification HDF terminated (EvoTam to PoP for LLUT MPF tie cable and MDF to PoP for LLUL SMPF tie cable).
• In 20C sites, 100 pair variants for SMPF service (LLUL or LLUY) will run from MDF to PoP. 

EvoTam connection charge

If you provide an SMPF service and want to use the EvoTam and the test access product, you can ask us for LLUT 32, 64 or 100-pair internal tie cables from the PoP to the EvoTam. These will be in conjunction with LLUL 32, 64 or 100-pair MDF to PoP internal tie cables. This will give you access to the EvoTam and the test access product, which makes it easier to move from SMPF to MPF later on.

If you’re ordering internal tie cables, you’ll also need extra EvoTam equipment. So we’ll add the EvoTam connection charge to each internal tie cable.

If you provide an SMPF service and aren’t planning to move to MPF, you can keep ordering 100-pair internal tie cables (LLUT, LLUL, LLUX and LLUY) directly from the MDF to your PoP at all sites – it doesn’t matter if the site is 21C or not.

When you order we’ll give you:

• an estimate of how long it’ll take
• the internal tie cable identification numbers 
• an estimate of the length of the internal tie cable 
• confirmation of the address for the order
• confirmation of the room licence fee 
• an indication of the access route 
• any floor-loading restrictions 
• any other restrictions at the site.

For an additional internal tie cable request (so if you want internal tie cable to an existing PoP), you must tell us:

• that enough capacity exists on the HDF or the cable management frame (CMF), or
• that you need an extra HDF or CMF and that you’ll order this at the same time as the extra internal tie cables. 

We’ll then give you:

• an estimate for how long it’ll take
• the internal tie cable identification numbers 
• an estimate of the length of the internal tie cable.

Availability

The services mentioned above are available using our standard order process (subject to survey) – you can find these in the revised access network facilities agreement.