This 5th edition of the BICSI installation manual, now titled the Information Transport Systems Installation Methods Manual (ITSIMM), provides cabling installers around the world with access to the best practices for ensuring a solid foundation of the ITS requirements of their clients. Spanning 958 pages, the ITSIMM includes nine chapters with 320 figures and 55 tables. About 35 percent of the manual consists of new or modified text and about 60 percent of the manual has undergone a formatting change from the fourth edition. The most notable change in terms of formatting is the separation of optical fiber and copper cabling installation methods into two distinct chapters. With ITS forming the new fourth utility and the ever-increasing demand for bandwidth, the proper installation of copper and optical fiber systems has become paramount.

This manual has been produced by a dedicated group of subject matter experts providing their combined talents, knowledge, and insight within a very tight schedule. The review process for this manual was the most comprehensive of any manual produced by BICSI. Starting with a review of the copper and optical fiber components at the 2007 BICSI Spring Conference in Dallas, Texas, and the 2007 Editorial Review in Tampa, a subsequent meeting of the Grounding and Bonding Task Force was held. In addition, a mapping review of the ITSIMM DACUM by members of the RSS Committee, Installation Committee, TI&M Committee, and BICSI staff resulted in a cohesive foundation for the educational and training programs offered to cabling installers around the globe.

Illustrated and indexed, complete with an appendix, glossary, and bibliography, the ITSIMM includes 9 chapters:

• Installation Foundations
• Pathways and Spaces
• Grounding (Earthing), Bonding, and Electrical Protection
  
• Firestopping
• Copper Structured Cabling Systems
• Optical Fiber Structured Cabling Systems
• Field Coordination
• Retrofits
  
• Specific Applications
• Codes, Standards, and Regulations