Technical officers, supervisors and engineers who plan transmission networks apply the skills and knowledge in this unit.

Transmission networks for service providers include optical Ethernet, dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) and fibre to the x (FTTx) optical networks and wireless networks, such as microwave, satellite and worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX).

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Scope the project

1.1. Obtain relevant legislation, codes, regulations and standards and follow occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental requirements for the given work

1.2. Obtain project brief from appropriate person

1.3. Evaluate potential transmission options and select the most suitable type of transmission network that meets the criteria outlined in the project brief

1.4. Analyse the limitations of the transmission path characteristics and develop solutions for transmission impairments

1.5. Produce a report outlining the reasons for the selection of a transmission network together with a shortlist of suitable equipment vendors and products

1.6. Obtain the traffic load from network information sources or forecasts and dimension the proposed network service

1.7. Produce a brief on the relationship between transmission network architecturecomponents and the overall network and their impact on the work

1.8. Evaluate the equipment type and technologies to determine availability, cost and compatibility with existing network equipment

1.9. Determine resources and equipment needed for the work according to enterprise procedures and check for correct operation and safety

1.10. Assess the capacity limitation of various platforms in the context of the work to optimise maximum network performance

1.11. Determine product capability and calculate allowable capacity of transmission network to allow for network growth

2. Produce a link budget

2.1. Analyse the transmission system using equipment and vendor's specifications to produce a link budget and assess the resulting margin

2.2. Document the results of the link budget analysis

3. Produce deployment plan for transmission network

3.1. Conduct planning work using current equipment components and complying with transmission network deployment rules and exemption process criteria

3.2. Produce a preliminary plan on the deployment of the network that maintains integrity of the transmission network

3.3. Establish a solution to unexpected situations through discussion with appropriate personnel, with consideration to job specifications, safety and enterprise procedures

3.4. Review plan to ensure that it complies with all standards and codes required when working on network access and make adjustments where appropriate

4. Complete work

4.1. Produce final deployment plan including recommendations agreed with the customer

4.2. Provide a report on network management and performance monitoring system to be incorporated in the transmission network to ensure the network is performing at optimum level

Required skills

analytical skills to:

analyse transmission situations

review and evaluate different options for transmission networks

select and compare benefits and limitations of one transmission method over another

communication skills to:

interact with design team personnel and equipment vendors

maintain a customer focus and consider customer needs

literacy skills to:

read and interpret technical and non-technical documentation

write summary reports in required formats

numeracy skills to undertake link budget calculations, interpret results and evaluate different types of technical data

PC skills to search databases of suitable equipment and vendors

planning and organisational skills to plan and monitor own work and that of others

problem solving skills to manage unexpected situations

research skills to gather data on networks

task management skills to work logically and systematically with required attention to detail

technical skills to identify the technologies that constitute a transmission network

Required knowledge

alternating current and transmission line theory

awareness of emerging telecommunications switching and transmission technologies including microwave radio, optical fibre and satellite

capacity and capability management

capacity limitation of various platforms

commercial considerations of Access Network deployment

common switching and transmission support services

compatibility issues of technology and equipment

currency of technology and equipment use

data transmission

digital multiplexing techniques and hierarchies

enterprise deployment rules

exemption process criteria

network topologies

product capability and availability that are allowable within a transmission network

telecommunications:

alarm management

bearers

performance monitoring systems

transmission:

architectures and geographical categorisation

information sources

technology and equipment

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the ability to:

evaluate potential transmission options and select the most suitable type of transmission network

analyse the effect of transmission path characteristics on transmission systems and develop solutions for transmission impairments

select appropriate testing regimes for transmission technologies

determine key multiplexing features of transmission technologies

develop a transmission network work plan.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure:

site where transmission network may be planned

equipment and system manuals and specifications

legislation and documentation to plan a transmission network.

Method of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

direct observation of the candidate planning the deployment of a transmission network

review of reports completed by the candidate for differing transmission network examples

review of final deployment plan prepared by the candidate outlining recommendations for the customer

oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of equipment and technologies as used within the transmission network.

Guidance information for assessment

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

ICTRFN7182A Produce a radio link budget.

Aboriginal people and other people from a non-English speaking background may have second language issues.

Access must be provided to appropriate learning and assessment support when required.

Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and appropriate to the oral communication skill level, and language and literacy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.

In all cases where practical assessment is used it will be combined with targeted questioning to assess required knowledge. Questioning techniques should not require language, literacy and numeracy skills beyond those required in this unit of competency.

Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with special needs.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Relevant legislation, codes, regulations and standards include:

Australian Communications Industry Forum (ACIF) standards and codes

Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) Radiation Protection Standard - Maximum Exposure Levels to Radio Frequency Fields - 3 kHz to 300 GHz

AS Communications Cabling Manual (CCM) Volume 1

Australian building codes and regulations

Environmental Protection Acts

fire regulations

OHS

relevant international standards

technical standards AS/ACIF S008:2006 and AS/ACIF S009:2006.

Project brief may include:

access to existing services

details of budgeted costs

details of the grade of service required

location of intermediate add-drop points

location of transmission terminals

network topology

presence of existing services

protection methods

traffic bit rate

traffic protocols.

Appropriate person may include:

network engineer

project engineer

project manager.

Transmission network may include:

Core Network

geostationary

long haul network

mesh network

metropolitan area network

optical fibre:

passive optical network (PON)

submarine cable

terrestrial cable

point-to-point link

satellite

ring network

hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) network

terrestrial microwave:

licensed

unlicensed

WiMAX.

Limitations may include:

optical:

chromatic dispersion

four-wave mixing

polarisation mode dispersion (PMD)

satellite:

loss of orbital position

rain attenuation

terrestrial interference

wireless and terrestrial microwave:

atmospheric absorption

fading

terrestrial interference.

Network information sources may include:

network management databases for:

capacity assessment data

network performance data

traffic dimensioning data

network management tools.

Dimension may include:

allowance for future growth

capacity of the channels

number of channels required.

Transmission network architecturecomponents may include:

earth command and control station

earth station

horn antenna

low noise amplifier (LNA)

low noise block (LNB)

multiplexing equipment:

network management system

STM-1 multiplexer

STM-16 multiplexer

STM-192 multiplexer

STM-4 multiplexer

STM-64 multiplexer

synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH)

optical fibre network:

optical add-drop multiplexer (OADM) sites

reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM)

terminal sites and optical add-drop multiplexer sites:

battery backup

dispersion compensation devices (DCD)

dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) system

equipment racks

erbium doped fibre amplifier (EDFA)

optical amplifier

patch panel

power supplies

Raman amplifier

rectifier

regenerator

parabolic reflector

patch antenna

satellite antenna:

fixed

rotatable

satellite network

satellite receiver

satellite transmitter

satellite transponder

terrestrial microwave network:

circulators and isolators

coaxial cable

indoor unit

microwave transmitter and receiver

outdoor unit

parabolic reflector antennas

radio tower, mast, rooftop

waveguide.

Equipment type may include:

asymmetrical

circuit switched

coarse wavelength division multiplexing (CWDM)

DWDM

digital

duplex

IP based

packet switched

simplex

symmetrical

time division multiplexing (TDM)

wavelength division multiplexing (WDM).

Technologies may include:

compression types:

H.264

MPEG-2

MPEG-4

protocols and transport methods:

asynchronous serial interface (ASI)

DVB-ASI

HD-SDI

SD SDI

optical transport network (OTN):

IP/MPLS over OTN/DWDM

optical Ethernet:

fast Ethernet

gigabit Ethernet

10 Gbps

synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH)

synchronous optical network (SONET).

Resources may include:

equipment

hardware

installation platforms

ladders

manpower

materials

safety equipment

software

tools.

Enterprise procedures may include:

asset registration

compliance

preferred suppliers

preferred vendors

procurement agreements

purchase requisition

service level agreements .

Link budget may include:

actual received power level

allowance for splices due to fibre cuts

contingencies

fade margin

margin

path loss

required receive level

transmitted signal power level

transmitter hardware losses.

Network management may include:

administration

alarms

event history

maintenance

operation

provisioning.

Performance monitoring may include:

alerting users that network degradation is underway

gauging the quality of payload signals

power level lower limit

power level upper limit

threshold crossing levels.

Unit sector

Telecommunications

Telecommunications networks engineering

This unit contains employability skills.