Two cabling contractors can submit bids that look alike on paper and deliver very different results. Credentials help you tell them apart before the work starts.
What BICSI is
BICSI is the professional association for the information and communications technology (ICT) industry: the people who design and install the cabling and pathways that networks, phones, cameras and building systems run on. It publishes widely used design and installation references and runs certification programs for installers, technicians and designers.
What BICSI certification means for an installer
BICSI installer and technician credentials require training and exams on how cabling should be installed: pulling and bend-radius limits, termination, grounding and bonding, firestopping, labeling and testing. A certified installer has shown they know the standards, not just how to pull wire.
At J&M Connections, every technician holds BICSI certification.
What an RCDD is
RCDD stands for Registered Communications Distribution Designer. It is BICSI’s credential for the people who design cabling systems: telecom rooms, pathways, backbones and horizontal cabling, coordinated with the rest of the building. Earning it requires documented industry experience and passing a demanding exam, and it has to be maintained with continuing education.
An RCDD matters most on projects that need a formal design: new construction, large renovations, campuses, and jobs where an architect or engineer expects the cabling design to be reviewed by a credentialed designer. J&M’s team includes an RCDD, Ron Herr.
Manufacturer certifications
Cabling manufacturers certify contractors on their own product lines. Installing a complete system from a certified contractor can make a project eligible for the manufacturer’s extended warranty. J&M is certified on CommScope/Uniprise, Leviton, Allen Tel and Flex Tray. See our manufacturer partners.
Questions to ask any cabling contractor
- Are the technicians who will be on my site BICSI certified?
- Is there an RCDD on staff if my project needs design review?
- Which manufacturers are you certified with, and is an extended warranty available?
- Will every run be tested, labeled and documented?
- What does your workmanship warranty cover, and for how long?