Designing, manufacturing and delivering quality drop supplies
Three Goals of a Tagging System

by Jim Marzano
If cable operators are to maximize the efficiency
of their field operations, the cables in the physical
plant that their technicians interact with need to
be properly identified, or tagged.

     A technician's ability to quickly identify the customer and the level of
service is based on proper tagging procedures. These procedures will
eliminate time-consuming tracing of drop cables, simplify connect/
disconnect procedures, reduce accidental loss of service, and most
importantly, inhibit theft of service. Identifying the address that each
drop serves and the services that each customer receives provide
invaluable information about that drop. Some of the more enhanced
tagging systems can also inform the technician who last visited this
drop, and when.
Three Goals
    There are three main goals to a proper tagging system:
            1.  Address Identification
            2. Connect/Disconnect Control
            3. Service Level Identification
    To achieve these three goals, two separate cablemarkers should be
used.While many operators have tried the "one tag fits all" approach,
two tags are recommended in order to enhance efficiencies of outside
plant and security operations. One tag provides permanent address
identification: this tag is applied at cable installation and is never touched.
The second tag acts as a connect/disconnect control marker for active
and inactive subcriibers. The color of this second tag can also provide
additional information on the levels of services the cable delivers.
1. Address Identification
    Permanent cablemarkers indicating the last two digits of the
subscriber's address should be used on every single drop, as soon
as it is installed. Black cablemarkers are the most UV-resistant
and are recommended for aerial drops. Write-on markers are
fine for use inside ground level pedestals, or MDU boxes, where
the ink will not be exposed to the effects of the elements. No
matter what style is used, a technician will know to look for a black
tag to identify the address of the drop. This tag should be applied
as soon as the cable is installed, and becomes a permanent part
of the drop.
    In rural areas served by an aerial system, it may not be
necessary to tag the drop for address identification. Often there
will be only one drop from a tap, and the connect/disconnect control
tag may be all that is necessary in these areas of sparser population.

2. Connect/Disconnect Control
    Every active subscriber should be identified with a serialized
cablemarker. This is the single most important step is identifying
illegal hookups. The absence of one of these markers on a con-
nected drop is an obvious indication of theft of service.
    Disconnect procedures are simple. The field tech, after identifying
which cable to disconnect by checking the address marker, removes
the serialized tag and disconnects the cable according to system
procedures. It is a good idea to have the tech staple the removed
tag directly to the work order, ensuring that the work was performed.
This is especially important when disconnect orders are handled
through a contractor.
    Reconnect procedures are just as simple, with the field tech
applying a new serialized marker to the reconnected drop, and
transcibing the serial number to the work order as a cross reference.

3. Service Level Identification
    The preferred method of identifying level of service is to use a
color coding system with the serialized disconnect control tag. The
color of the tag can be used to indicate what tier of service the
subscriber should receive. Many systems using traps coordinate
the color of the tag with the color markings on the trap, making it
easier to determine if the drop is properly trapped.
    It is recommended that a separate tag be used for both telephony
service and high speed data service. Because the telephony is a
"life line" most agree that clearly identifying this line is vital to avoid
accidental disconnects and loss of service. Many operators mark their
telephony cable with a "Caution Voltage Online" warning marker to
be in better compliance with the National Electric Code, Article 820.
    For systems using low-band filters, a tag to identify high speed
data service should be used on cable modem lines to avoid potential
service loss. Systems should also determine a tagging procedure
for the (rare) subscriber who may choose to receive only telephony
or data.
    With the proper training of technicians and an emphasis on proper tagging, cable operators will significantly
increase the efficiences of their field ops by eliminating time-consuming tracing of drops, and preventing
accidental loss of services. And, most importantly, plant security will be enhanced as techs and contractors
quickly and easily identify illegal activities by non-subscribers.
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