Fiber jetting
Installing fiber-optic cable through duct using high-pressure compressed air. When to use it vs pulling, typical run lengths, OTDR baseline practices.
DAS vs BDA
DAS (Distributed Antenna System) is the in-building coverage network. BDA (Bidirectional Amplifier) is the code-mandated public-safety amplifier. How they fit together.
MCA tower upgrade
MCA upgrades modify existing sites to add capacity under the carrier's program requirements: new radios, antennas, spectrum bands, or tenants, without rebuilding.
Level 1-5 commissioning
The 5-level commissioning process used in mission-critical data centers, from factory acceptance test (L1) through integrated systems testing (L5). The project's commissioning plan governs the detailed sequence.
NEPA review
Federal environmental review process that gates FCC-licensed telecom builds. Drives pre-construction timing on most tower programs.
RFDS
RF Data Sheet: the carrier's authoritative drawing package for a wireless site. Defines every antenna, azimuth, tilt, and line, and gates acceptance.
PIM testing
Passive Intermodulation: interference generated at non-linear passive components. Tested at acceptance because it silently degrades site throughput.
ERRCS walk test
In-building public-safety signal survey required by NFPA 1225 and IFC code. Grid-by-grid measurement driving BDA design and AHJ sign-off.
BICSI
The professional body behind North American structured cabling standards (TDMM, NECA/BICSI 568, ANSI/BICSI 002). What 'BICSI-aligned' actually means.
Microduct
Small-diameter HDPE pathway designed for jetted fiber micro-cable. The pathway under most modern OSP and BEAD-funded fiber builds.
RSSI vs RSRP vs RSRQ vs SINR
The four wireless signal metrics on every site survey. What each one means, typical thresholds, and which one to look at when.
Sweep test
RF line sweep that measures return loss, cable loss, and distance-to-fault. Crews sweep RF transmission lines to the carrier's acceptance requirements.