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EIA/TIA 569

Design Considerations for

Telecommunications ELCM 254
Pathways and Spaces ©PRGodin @gmail.com
Updated January 2012
EIA/TIA 569
• A communications infrastructure in today’s
commercial buildings is essential. All buildings,
new and old, must have allowance for this
infrastructure.

• This standard addresses the architectural design

elements of cable pathways and dedicated
rooms for telecommunications equipment.
EIA/TIA 569
• The TIA/EIA 569 recommendations include:
▫ Physical Characteristics:
 Backbone and Horizontal pathway systems such as
conduit and tray
 Entrance Facilities
 Room space, size, conditions and design
▫ Installation and Performance Issues:
 Backboard installation
 Electromagnetic Interference
 Firestop
 Cable management and physical support
 Other factors that may affect cable performance
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Entrance Facilities
• Includes service entrance, interbuilding
backbone, alternate entrance and antennae
entrance pathways.

• Consist of a termination field interfacing any

outside cabling to the intrabuilding cabling.

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Service Entrance
• A service entrance is where outside companies
physically bring their services into a building.
▫ Electrical (power, ground)
▫ Communication (Voice, Video, Data)
▫ Alarm (Fire, Security)
▫ Wireless equipment connections (antenna)
▫ Other services outside of communications (water,
gas, etc)

• There may be more than one Service Entrance

facility in a building.
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Demarcation on Service Entrance
• The Demarcation (Demarc) is the separation
between the service company’s cabling and the
building internal cabling structure.

Telco Bldg
Telco Cable Building Cable
Demarc
Telco Ownership Building Ownership
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Room General Guidelines
• Located away from sources of electromagnetic
interference and sources of flooding

• No false ceilings.

• Should have limited, secure access (36” X 80”

single or double lockable doors).

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Room Guidelines
• There are many additional guidelines addressed
specifically in the standards. Factors include:
▫ Humidity, temperature, vibration and dust controls
▫ Physical access issues, security and fire suppression
▫ Lighting and electrical requirements
▫ Ceiling height, construction, paint color
Building Entrance Facility
• Must contain protection against:
▫ Lightning
▫ Water
▫ Humidity
▫ Fire Spread
▫ Tampering

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Entrance Facility Cables and Safety
• Local fire regulations will dictate termination
requirements and fire protection.
▫ Recommendation is terminate as close to the
entrance as possible.
▫ Fire control systems should be implemented.

• If the cable contains metallic elements it must be

lightning protected, even if buried.

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Entrance Facilities
• Includes service entrance,
interbuilding backbone,
alternate entrance and
antennae entrance
pathways.
• Consist of a termination
field interfacing any
outside cabling to the
intrabuilding cabling.
Entrance Facilities (Details)
• Recommendation and Standards:
▫ One wall must contain a ¾ inch sheet of plywood,
painted white.
▫ Must not have false ceiling
▫ Has minimum standards for lighting, door size and
overall space.
▫ The service entrance pathway is either
underground, buried, aerial or tunnel.
▫ Must be secure.
▫ Must avoid electrical cable pathways.

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Entrance Facilities (Details)
• Recommendation and Standards:
▫ Minimum conduit size:
 Minimum 4” conduit of PVC type B,C, or D or
multiple plastic duct or galvanized steel or fiberglass
(all with appropriate encasement)
▫ No more than 2 - 90° manufactured bends (10
times the diameter of conduit)
▫ Drain slope:
 should not be less than 12” per 100’
▫ Conduit fill varies
 should not exceed 40% for more than 2 cables
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 FYI
Entrance Facilities (Details) Only

• For buildings > 20,000 usable square feet, a

locked, dedicated, enclosed room is
recommended
• Buildings greater than 70,000 usable square feet
require such a room with a plywood termination
field installed on 2 walls.
• Up to 100,000 square footage, a wall mounted
termination field may serve as the entrance
facility (3/4 “ and 8” high)
• Beyond 100,000 square footage, rack mounted
and free standing frames may be required.
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Equipment Room
• The Equipment Room is a facility which houses
items of more complexity such as:
▫ Telephone related equipment such as an MDF
(Main Distribution Frame), PBX’s (Private Branch
Exchange), secondary voltage protection, and the
like.
▫ Networking equipment such as switches, hubs,
routers, servers, etc., although a separate but
connected computer room is usual.

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Equipment Room Size
• The rule of thumb is 0.75 square feet of floor
space for every 100 square feet of user area.

• Recommendation:

# Workstations ER Floor Space (ft2)

1-100 150
101-400 400
401-800 800
801-1,200 1,200
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Equipment Room Details
• It should be accessible for delivery of large items
but shall not be used as access to other rooms or
facilities.

• It should contain a wall with ¾ inch plywood.

Equipment Room Guidelines
• Away from sources of electromagnetic
interference
• Avoid sources of flooding
• All surfaces should be treated to reduce dust and
there should be no false ceilings
• Should have limited access (36” X 80” single or
double lockable doors)
• Humidity, temperature , lighting and electrical
considerations must be addressed.

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Typical Telecom Room

Image Source: Anixter.com

Pathways
• Allowances must me
made for the
physical routing of
communication
cabling throughout
the building.

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Cable Pathway Planning
• Building Pathways:
▫ Vertical & Horizontal cable pathways
 walls, ceiling, plenums, floors
▫ Exterior or interior

• Cable Pathway and Support Structures:

▫ Conduit, raceway, tray, duct, sleeves, etc
▫ J-Hook, clamps, cable shoes, waterfall, etc
Backbone Pathways
• Telecommunication Rooms should be stacked
vertically and 3, 4-inch conduit or other cable
pathways provided between these rooms.

• Firestopping is required between vertically

stacked rooms.

• For rooms that are not stacked they should be

connected with a minimum of 4 inch conduit. Fill
should not exceed 40%.
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TIA/EIA 569A Conduit Systems
• Flexible metal tubing is not recognized
• Should not be more than 30 meters
▫ install a pull box for greater distances
• No more than two 90 degree bends
• Typical fill ratio between 30-60%, recommend
40% max
• Diameter of 4” min. should be used underground
▫ manholes within first 150 meters
▫ no more than 300 meters between manholes

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Conduit (continued)
• Flexible metal tubing is not permitted

• Should not be longer than 30 meters

▫ install a pull box for greater distances

• 4” min. should be used underground

▫ manholes within first 150 meters
▫ no more than 300 meters between manholes
Architectural Masterformat
• The Masterformat is a reference document used by
architectural engineers when designing a building.

• The communication infrastructure is part of the

Masterformat under Division 27 (since 2004).

• Other cabling requirements have their own

division numbers:
▫ Security & safety (28)
▫ Electrical (26)
▫ Automation (25)
Conclusion
• The TIA/EIA 569-B is a structured cabling
standard that addresses the physical
requirements and design issues for pathways and
spaces for cable within a building.

• Since each building and installation has unique

challenges, the standard is frequently used as a
guideline and not the rule.

END