Telecommunications (Types of Cabling Work) Declaration 2013

made under subsection 419(1) of the

Telecommunications Act 1997

Compilation No. 1

Compilation date:    2 March 2023

Includes amendments up to: F2023L00151

Prepared by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, Melbourne

About this compilation

This compilation

This is a compilation of the Telecommunications (Types of Cabling Work) Declaration 2013 that shows the text of the law as amended and in force on 2 March 2023 (the compilation date).

The notes at the end of this compilation (the endnotes) include information about amending laws and the amendment history of provisions of the compiled law.

Uncommenced amendments

The effect of uncommenced amendments is not shown in the text of the compiled law.  Any uncommenced amendments affecting the law are accessible on the Federal Register of Legislation (www.legislation.gov.au).  The details of amendments made up to, but not commenced at, the compilation date are underlined in the endnotes.  For more information on any uncommenced amendments, see the series page on the Federal Register of Legislation for the compiled law.

Application, saving and transitional provisions for provisions and amendments

If the operation of a provision or amendment of the compiled law is affected by an application, saving or transitional provision that is not included in this compilation, details are included in the endnotes.

Modifications

If the compiled law is modified by another law, the compiled law operates as modified but the modification does not amend the text of the law.  Accordingly, this compilation does not show the text of the compiled law as modified.  For more information on any modifications, see the series page on the Federal Register of Legislation for the compiled law.

Self-repealing provisions

If a provision of the compiled law has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law, details are included in the endnotes.

1 Name of Declaration

This Declaration is the Telecommunications (Types of Cabling Work) Declaration 2013.

4 Interpretation

In this Declaration, unless the contrary intention appears:

ACA TS 024 – 1997 means the Telecommunications Technical Standard (Broadcaster Interface Standard – ACA TS 024 – 1997) made by the Australian Communications Authority on 10 December 1997, as in force from time to time.

Note This instrument is available on www.comlaw.gov.au.

Act means the Telecommunications Act 1997.

AS 1851-2012 means the Australian Standard, AS 1851-2012 Routine service of fire protection systems and equipment, published by Standards Australia Limited, as in force from time to time.

AS/ACIF S035:2008 means the Australian Standard, AS/ACIF S035:2008 Requirements for installation of temporary field telecommunications customer cabling for defence purposes published by Communications Alliance Ltd, as in force from time to time.

associated customer cabling product means:

(a) customer equipment connecting cords;

(b) pre-terminated patch cords;

(c) pre-terminated patch leads;

(d) adaptor cords;

(e) pre-terminated telephone extension cords;

(f) plug/socket adaptors.

broadcaster means:

(a) the Australian Broadcasting Corporation;

(b) the Special Broadcasting Service;

(c) Broadcast Australia Pty Ltd;

(d) a person holding a licence issued under:

(i) the Broadcasting Act 1942; or

(ii) Part 4, 6, 6A, 7 or 8B, or Schedule 6, of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992;

(e) a person providing a broadcasting service under a class licence determined by the ACMA under Part 8 of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992.

cabling work has the meaning given in section 418 of the Act.

criminal law-enforcement agency means:

(a)     a body that is a criminal law-enforcement agency within the meaning of the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979;

(b)     a body or organisation responsible to the Ministerial Council for Police and Emergency Management – Police;

(c)      the Australian Secret Intelligence Service;

(d)      the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation;

(e)      the CrimTrac Agency.

customer equipment connecting cord means a cord that is usually supplied with an item of customer equipment for use in the connection of the customer equipment.

Industry Guideline G642:2010 means Industry Guideline G642:2010 Installation of Broadcast Cabling and connection of Digital Broadcast Equipment to a Telecommunications Network issued by Communications Alliance Ltd in June 2010, as in force from time to time.

labelled associated customer cabling product means an associated customer cabling product that bears a compliance label in accordance with an instrument made under Division 7 of Part 21 of the Act.

labelled customer equipment means customer equipment that bears a compliance label in accordance with an instrument made under Division 7 of Part 21 of the Act.

manager of a telecommunications network has the meaning given in section 375 of the Act.

narrowcaster means a person providing a subscription narrowcasting service or an open narrowcasting service under a class licence determined by the ACMA under Part 8 of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992.

significant event means:

(a) an event declared by the ACMA under subsection 54A(2) of the Radiocommunications Equipment (General) Rules 2021; or

(b)     if an event (the relevant event) was a significant event (within the meaning of this Declaration as in force immediately before the commencement of the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Significant Event) Instrument (No. 1) 2023) and the whole or a part of the relevant event occurs after that commencement – the relevant event.

Note The Radiocommunications Equipment (General) Rules 2021 and the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Significant Event) Instrument (No. 1) 2023 are available, free of charge, from the Federal Register of Legislation at www.legislation.gov.au.

telecommunications network has the meaning given in section 374 of the Act.

Wiring Rules means the:

(a) the “Australian Standard AS/CA S009:2013 – Installation requirements for Customer Cabling (Wiring Rules)”, as in force from time to time; or

(b) a standard published in substitution for the standard mentioned in paragraph (a), as in force from time to time.

Note A number of terms used in this Declaration are defined in the Act and unless the contrary intention appears, have the meaning given in the Act, including:

•                            ACMA;
•                            connected;
•                            customer cabling; and
•                            customer equipment.

5 Types of cabling work

  Any cabling work which is not of a kind mentioned in Schedule 1 is a type of cabling work for the purposes of Division 9 of Part 21 of the Act.

Note This Declaration relates to cabling work performed on the customer side of the boundary of a telecommunications network. See section 20 of the Act for the definition of customer cabling, and section 418 of the Act for the definition of cabling work.

Schedule 1 Cabling work that is not a type of cabling work for Division 9 of Part 21 of the Act

 (section 5)

 1. Cabling work, if the customer cabling:

 (a) is used, or is to be used, by broadcasters or narrowcasters; and

 (b) has applied to it a label in accordance with an instrument made under Division 7 of Part 21 of the Act; and

 (c) either:

 (i) is connected, or is to be connected, to a telecommunications network:

 (A) by customer equipment which meets the requirements of ACA TS 024 – 1997; or

 (B) in accordance with the written consent of the manager of the network; or

 (ii) is, or is to be, installed and connected to a telecommunications network:

 (A) in accordance with the requirements of Industry Guideline G642: 2010; or

 (B) in accordance with written consent of the kind described in clause 3.1.1 of Industry Guideline G642:2010.

Note ACA TS 024 – 1997 contains requirements relating to the connection of certain analogue equipment.  Industry Guideline G642: 2010 contains requirements relating to the installation and connection of digital equipment and cabling.

 2. Cabling work for customer cabling which is used, or is to be used, by a criminal law-enforcement agency under a warrant issued under a law of the Commonwealth, a State or Territory.

 3. Cabling work:

 (a) for customer cabling for a temporary field telecommunications facility which is used, or is to be used, by:

 (i) the Department of Defence; or

 (ii) the Defence Force; and

 (b) which meets the requirements of AS/ACIF S035:2008.

 4. (1)  Cabling work that involves the connection of an associated customer cabling product that:

(a)     is a labelled associated customer cabling product or forms part of labelled customer equipment; and

(b)     is not concealed in a building cavity.

(2)     Cabling work that involves the connection of labelled customer equipment to other labelled customer equipment using an associated customer cabling product that:

(a)     is a labelled associated customer cabling product or forms part of labelled customer equipment; and

(b)     is not concealed in a building cavity.

(3)     In this item, an associated customer cabling product is taken to be concealed in a building cavity if all or part of the associated customer cabling product is concealed in the wall, floor or ceiling cavity of the building.

Note Examples of the type of cabling work mentioned in this item include:

(a)       the use of leads and cords which have been pre-terminated with a Registered Jack(s) (RJ) plug to connect ‘plug-and-play’ equipment (such as modems, routers and printers) to a home computer network;

(b)       providing cross-connections on a patch panel; and

(c)       the connection of a telephone handset to a telecommunications network with a pre-terminated extension lead.

 5. Cabling work:

 (a) undertaken for the sole purpose of inspecting, testing and maintaining an automatic fire sprinkler system in accordance with AS 1851-2012; and

 (b) that involves the disconnection and reconnection of terminal wiring at any discrete mechanical or electrical interface, or at any peripheral equipment, in doing any of the following:

 (i) checking the correct operation of indicators at the indicator panel;

 (ii) testing water flow alarm switches and water pressure alarm switches, including checking the correct operation at the indicator panel;

 (iii) checking the correct operation of any facilities installed for the continuous monitoring of isolation valves;

 (iv) checking that electrical signal is generated at the output of auxiliary firetrip switches and alarm switches;

 (v) replacing any discrete mechanical or electrical interface, or any peripheral equipment, that is found to be faulty during the checking or testing.

Note This item does not include the installation or replacement of cabling or equipment other than the installation or replacement of any discrete mechanical or electrical interface, or any peripheral equipment, that is found to be faulty during the checking or testing.

 6. Cabling work:

 (a) undertaken for the sole purpose of inspecting, testing and maintaining a fire detection and alarm system in accordance with AS 1851-2012; and

 (b) that involves the disconnection and reconnection of a fire detector and base in an alarm zone circuit in doing any of the following:

 (i) confirming that the fault signal and alarm signal is registered at the appropriate alarm zone facility;

 (ii) replacing any discrete mechanical or electrical interface, or any peripheral equipment, that is found to be faulty during the confirmation testing.

Note This item does not include the installation or replacement of cabling or equipment other than the installation or replacement of any discrete mechanical or electrical interface, or any peripheral equipment, that is found to be faulty during the confirmation testing.

 7. Cabling work:

 (a) undertaken for the sole purpose of inspecting, testing and maintaining an emergency warning and intercommunication system in accordance with AS 1851-2012; and

 (b) that involves the disconnection and reconnection of terminal wiring at any discrete mechanical or electrical interface, or at any peripheral equipment, in doing any of the following:

 (i) testing the equipment;

 (ii) replacing the equipment if found to be faulty during the testing.

Note This item does not include the installation or replacement of cabling or equipment other than the installation or replacement of any discrete mechanical or electrical interface, or any peripheral equipment, that is found to be faulty during the testing.

 8. Cabling work:

 (a) undertaken for the sole purpose of inspecting, testing and maintaining a pumpset system in accordance with AS 1851-2012; and

 (b) that involves the disconnection and reconnection of terminal wiring at any discrete mechanical or electrical interface, or at any peripheral equipment, in doing any of the following:

 (i) checking the operation of any starting devices for pumpsets;

 (ii) checking the operation of any status indicators;

 (iii) checking the correct operation of any facilities installed for the continuous monitoring of isolation valves;

 (iv) replacing any discrete mechanical or electrical interface, or any peripheral equipment, that is found to be faulty during the checking.

Note This item does not include the installation or replacement of cabling or equipment other than the installation or replacement of any discrete mechanical or electrical interface, or any peripheral equipment, that is found to be faulty during the checking.

 9. Cabling work that involves the installation or maintenance of customer cabling that:

 (a) is for use in relation to broadcasting content for the duration of a significant event; and

 (b) is connected, or is for connection to, a telecommunications network in accordance with the written consent of the manager of the network; and

 (c) will be completely removed from the various locations of the significant event at the end of the significant event.

Note Section 375 of the Act defines manager of a network or facility.

Endnotes

Endnote 1—About the endnotes

The endnotes provide information about this compilation and the compiled law.

The following endnotes are included in every compilation:

Endnote 1—About the endnotes

Endnote 2—Abbreviation key

Endnote 3—Legislation history

Endnote 4—Amendment history

Abbreviation key—Endnote 2

The abbreviation key sets out abbreviations that may be used in the endnotes.

Legislation history and amendment history—Endnotes 3 and 4

Amending laws are annotated in the legislation history and amendment history.

The legislation history in endnote 3 provides information about each law that has amended (or will amend) the compiled law. The information includes commencement details for amending laws and details of any application, saving or transitional provisions that are not included in this compilation.

The amendment history in endnote 4 provides information about amendments at the provision (generally section or equivalent) level. It also includes information about any provision of the compiled law that has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law.

Misdescribed amendments

A misdescribed amendment is an amendment that does not accurately describe how an amendment is to be made. If, despite the misdescription, the amendment can be given effect as intended, then the misdescribed amendment can be incorporated through an editorial change made under section 15V of the Legislation Act 2003.

If a misdescribed amendment cannot be given effect as intended, the amendment is not incorporated and “(md not incorp)” is added to the amendment history.

Endnote 2—Abbreviation key

Endnote 3—Legislation history

Endnote 4—Amendment history