No low voltage communication lines in new home?

[lunalilo]

Hello,

I'm probably totally off but I had to install TV outlets on brand new homes that people just moved into just a few days ago, and none of the homes have any kind of telephone or TV communication lines running to any rooms whatsoever. The contractor states that it was not in his contract.

I was actually wondering whether or not there is an NEC requirement to install some kind of TV or telephone cables in a new construction home. I thought this was a must?

 

[jimdavis]

For new construction, the NEC requires a minimum of one communication outlet in a dwelling unit (800.156).

 

[lunalilo]

Thanks I knew I was taught well. Thanks again.

 

[ceb58]

For new construction, the NEC requires a minimum of one communication outlet in a dwelling unit (800.156).

And that is true however there is nothing forcing the HO's to having telephone service brought to the home or have it connected. I stub my cables out near the grounding bridge on the GEC and leave it at that.

The contractor states that it was not in his contract

I include the required 1 in the price any more are per opening along with CATV outlets

 

[kwired]

For new construction, the NEC requires a minimum of one communication outlet in a dwelling unit (800.156).

No required location for that outlet or as mentioned no requirement to bring the communication service to the dwelling, so placing a phone jack in a mechanical room with no cable run to it possibly meets code:roll:

 

[GoldDigger]

 

[zbang]

And no matter where you put the outlets, they'll be in the wrong place .

 

[Sierrasparky]

For new construction, the NEC requires a minimum of one communication outlet in a dwelling unit (800.156).

Don't see that in the California Electric Code.
Is that in the 2014 NEC?

 

[jimdavis]

Don't see that in the California Electric Code.
Is that in the 2014 NEC?

Yes

 

[infinity]

800.156 is an obsolete code requirement that never should have made it into the NEC in the first place, especially for new construction today where it probably will never be used. I wrote a proposal to remove it from the code in 2017, we'll see what happens maybe it will go away. :thumbsup:

 

[kwired]

Don't see that in the California Electric Code.
Is that in the 2014 NEC?

I think it has been in the NEC for quite a while now

 

[augie47]

Don't see that in the California Electric Code.
Is that in the 2014 NEC?

Yes

It first appeared in the '08 NEC

 

[Sierrasparky]

And no matter where you put the outlets, they'll be in the wrong place .

I'd rather it in the wrong place in the room then not at all. You can always extend it.

800.156 is an obsolete code requirement that never should have made it into the NEC in the first place, especially for new construction today where it probably will never be used. I wrote a proposal to remove it from the code in 2017, we'll see what happens maybe it will go away. :thumbsup:

Knowing little about this code. I would not mind it staying. Why should a new purchaser of a new home have to go and tear up things to get phone or cable. Who wants the cable guy drilling through new wiring.

Just saying.
Happy holidays.

 

[infinity]

I'd rather it in the wrong place in the room then not at all. You can always extend it.



Knowing little about this code. I would not mind it staying. Why should a new purchaser of a new home have to go and tear up things to get phone or cable. Who wants the cable guy drilling through new wiring.

Just saying.
Happy holidays.

Simply because it's obsolete. How many people even install hardwired landlines from the phone company in new homes? Besides the requirement doesn't require that the entire house be wired for phone service just one phone outlet which can be installed anywhere.

 

[Sierrasparky]

Simply because it's obsolete. How many people even install hardwired landlines from the phone company in new homes? Besides the requirement doesn't require that the entire house be wired for phone service just one phone outlet which can be installed anywhere.

I don't know the percentages. A customer may not have a phone company line but they may use a Cable phone or internet. Those can still feed through the hardwired lines.
As you stated the code requires one. I see no issue with that. I have a problem with none!, no stubs or empty conduits. You buy a new house. You should not have to do anything but move in.

 

[kwired]

I'd rather it in the wrong place in the room then not at all. You can always extend it.



Knowing little about this code. I would not mind it staying. Why should a new purchaser of a new home have to go and tear up things to get phone or cable. Who wants the cable guy drilling through new wiring.

Just saying.
Happy holidays.

I don't know the percentages. A customer may not have a phone company line but they may use a Cable phone or internet. Those can still feed through the hardwired lines.
As you stated the code requires one. I see no issue with that. I have a problem with none!, no stubs or empty conduits. You buy a new house. You should not have to do anything but move in.

Ever seen what satellite TV installers, cable TV installers, or even telephone company installers typically do if they need to run/extend cables? That one required communications outlet will seldom be where owner desires it, or will be wrong cable type, wrong communication service type, etc, and cables get run after the fact anyway.

Now how about the remote house, cabin, or whatever that is not getting any land line supplied communications services because it is too far away from any infrastructure to be worth the cost of getting the service to the place? Like I said before why not just put a phone jack in the mechanical room with no cable supplying it? If one claims it must have a cable supplying it, how about a one foot whip that doesn't really connect to anything? How are you supposed to connect to a service provider that is non existent? Seems to meet the requirements of 800.156 to me.:roll:

 

[dfmischler]

A customer may not have a phone company line but they may use a Cable phone or internet. Those can still feed through the hardwired lines.

They can only use the wire you pull if it is appropriate for the purpose. How do you know what they will need? RG6? Cat6A? And that is this year. I am starting to wonder how long the Cat5 and RG6 cable I put in when I built my house will be viable (still working OK for IEEE 802.3ab gigabit ethernet, but not going to work for 10GbE).

As you stated the code requires one. I see no issue with that. I have a problem with none!, no stubs or empty conduits. You buy a new house. You should not have to do anything but move in.

I'm sure the thinking when this was put in the code was that you had to have a phone line in order to call 911 for emergency services. Is this still true?

 

[kwired]

I'm sure the thinking when this was put in the code was that you had to have a phone line in order to call 911 for emergency services. Is this still true?

May have been the reason for putting it in, but even when it was put in not all homes had telephone service supplied to them. Some never had telephone service provider within reasonable distance and may never see land line telephone service. How do you connect to what doesn't exist?

 

[ceb58]

I'm sure the thinking when this was put in the code was that you had to have a phone line in order to call 911 for emergency services. Is this still true?

That is what I was told when it came out in the 08 code. The thing was if you called 911 with a cell phone it would not show the correct address for emergency responders. I know where I live if I call 911 with my cell phone it will connect me with the neighboring counties 911 center because I am within 1 mile of the county line. They then have to transfer me to my counties dispatch center.

 

[iceworm]

Eight years ago we wired every room, well except the bathrooms amd laundry with cat5 and coax, two places or more. All was brought to a central closet. No question - worked great. Only had to fool with it 10 (or maybe 50 times) over the years.

We are thinking about another build. Again I'll bring in the outside phone/cable/sat to one location. However, re-transmit for everything else. Maybe one wired ethernet in a common area.

Technology has definitely changed in the last eight years. Unfortunutely it feels like I'm always climbing the wave - not riding it.

ice