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BICSI Technician (INSTT or TECH) Certification
Exam ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS LATEST
UPDATE THIS YEAR
BICSI Technician (INSTT or TECH) Certification Exam
SUMMARIZED EXAM COVERAGE (point form)
• Materials handling & storage – Cable reel inspection, pull-eye orientation, stacking limits,
temperature/humidity protection.
• Cable pulling – Lubricants (compatibility), maximum pulling tension (copper 4-lb per 25-pair
group, single 25-lb max, 4-pair UTP ≈25-30 lbs; Coax per manufacturer), bend radius rules (4x
diameter for 4-pair UTP, 10x for backbone coax/fiber, 20x for single-mode fiber during pull),
pulling speed (max 100 ft/min to avoid kinking).
• Cable termination & testing – 568-A vs. 568-B pinout, minimum length of horizontal cable (29
ft?), maximum 90 meters (295 ft) plus patch cords, continuity, NEXT, PS-NEXT, ACR, length
measurement (NVP setting), insertion loss (attenuation), Return Loss, Power Sum Alien
CrossTalk (PS-AXT), TCL, ELTCTL, resistance unbalance, propagation delay, delay skew.
• Grounding & Bonding – NEC Article 250 requirements, telecommunications bonding backbone
(TBB) sizing, TGB (Telecommunications Grounding Busbar) 6 AWG min to TMGB
(Telecommunications Main Grounding Busbar), bonding conductor for racks (6 AWG), resistance
to ground < 5 ohm (or <25 ohms per NEC), no series connections, single point ground.
• Firestopping – Penetrations in fire-rated walls, firestop systems (UL listed), pillow/putty/mortar,
fire-rated caulk, intumescent materials, maintaining firestop rating after cable additions,
pathway survivability (2-hour fire rating).
• Wireless (DAS & Wi-Fi) – Coaxial cable (1/2″, 7/8″), VSWR, passive vs. active DAS, cell tower
signal sources (off-air, bi-directional amplifier), antenna types (omni, directional, panel),
downtilt, ERP (Effective Radiated Power), regulatory (FCC part 15).
• Outside Plant (OSP) – Cable types (gel-filled vs. dry), pulling eyes (swivels), maximum pulling
tension (fiber ~600-1200 lbs), bending radius (20x diameter for SMF), mid-span entry, grounding
of OSP cable at building entry (protector/primary protector).
• Fire Alarm & Security Systems – Power-limited and non-power-limited circuits, separation from
communications cables, pathway requirements (EMT, etc.), NAC (Notification Appliance Circuit)
voltage drop calculations.
• Safety & Codes – NFPA 70 (NEC) Article 800 (communications circuits), Article 725 (Class 2/3),
Ladder safety (OSHA 1926.1053), one-third extends, 3-feet above roof, harnesses and lanyards,
lockout/tagout.
• ICT Cabling Identification – Plenum (CMP), riser (CMR), general purpose (CM), outside plant
(CMX); color coding (orange = riser, blue = general, green = outdoor, gray = plenum),
indoor/outdoor rating, selective use of plenum in air handling spaces.
QUESTION 1: A technician is pulling a 50-pair copper backbone cable using a pulling rope attached to a
pulling eye. What is the maximum recommended pulling tension for this cable?
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A) 150 lbs (50 pairs × 4 lbs per pair? The rule is: 25-pair groups at 4 lbs per group; 50 pairs = 2 groups = 8
lbs; plus 25 lbs max per single cable; total 33 lbs. But conservative approach: 4 lbs per 25-pair group + 25
lbs = 29 lbs maximum.
Answer: B – Per BICSI, maximum pulling tension for copper backbone is 4 lbs per 25-pair group + 25 lbs
per cable, or manufacturer’s limit.
QUESTION 2: While installing a 4-pair UTP horizontal cable, the technician notices the pull box has a
divider that separates the cable from a power cable. What is the minimum separation distance required
from non-shielded power cables (0-600V) in a metal tray?
A) 2 inches
B) 5 inches
C) 12 inches
D) 24 inches
Answer: B – NEC Article 800.133(A)(2) requires 2 inches for non-metallic trays with a metal divider;
without a divider the distance increases; metal tray with divider reduces separation to 2 inches? Let’s
check: The question says “metal tray with a divider” – the separation can be 2 inches (NEC
800.133(A)(2)). The 5 inches is typical for open non-metallic trays.
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QUESTION 3: A plenum ceiling space requires cables that are listed as:
A) CMR
B) CMP
C) CM
D) CMX
Answer: B – CMP (Communications Plenum) is required for use in air-handling plenums.
QUESTION 4: The minimum bend radius for a 4-pair UTP cable (Category 6) during installation is:
A) 1 inch
B) 2 inches
C) 4 times the cable diameter (approx. 1″)
D) 6 times the cable diameter (approx. 1.5″)
Answer: C – TIA/EIA 568 – 4 times cable diameter for 4-pair UTP.
QUESTION 5: When performing a return loss test on a Cat 6 channel, what is the primary cause of return
loss failures?
A) Impedance mismatches along the link (poor termination, damaged cable, kinks)
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B) Crosstalk from adjacent pairs
C) Cable length too short
D) Improper grounding
Answer: A – Return loss measures signal reflections caused by impedance variations.
QUESTION 6: A BICSI technician is preparing to terminate horizontal cable at a work area outlet. The jack
is wired to T568A. Pin 1 should be:
A) White/Blue
B) White/Orange
C) White/Green
D) White/Brown
Answer: A – T568A: Pin 1 = White/Blue, Pin 2 = Blue, Pin 3 = White/Orange, Pin 6 = Orange.
QUESTION 7: When installing a telecommunications main grounding busbar (TMGB), the bonding
conductor to the building grounding electrode must be no smaller than:
A) 6 AWG
B) 3 AWG
BICSI Technician (INSTT or TECH) Certification
Exam ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS LATEST
UPDATE THIS YEAR
BICSI Technician (INSTT or TECH) Certification Exam
SUMMARIZED EXAM COVERAGE (point form)
• Materials handling & storage – Cable reel inspection, pull-eye orientation, stacking limits,
temperature/humidity protection.
• Cable pulling – Lubricants (compatibility), maximum pulling tension (copper 4-lb per 25-pair
group, single 25-lb max, 4-pair UTP ≈25-30 lbs; Coax per manufacturer), bend radius rules (4x
diameter for 4-pair UTP, 10x for backbone coax/fiber, 20x for single-mode fiber during pull),
pulling speed (max 100 ft/min to avoid kinking).
• Cable termination & testing – 568-A vs. 568-B pinout, minimum length of horizontal cable (29
ft?), maximum 90 meters (295 ft) plus patch cords, continuity, NEXT, PS-NEXT, ACR, length
measurement (NVP setting), insertion loss (attenuation), Return Loss, Power Sum Alien
CrossTalk (PS-AXT), TCL, ELTCTL, resistance unbalance, propagation delay, delay skew.
• Grounding & Bonding – NEC Article 250 requirements, telecommunications bonding backbone
(TBB) sizing, TGB (Telecommunications Grounding Busbar) 6 AWG min to TMGB
(Telecommunications Main Grounding Busbar), bonding conductor for racks (6 AWG), resistance
to ground < 5 ohm (or <25 ohms per NEC), no series connections, single point ground.
• Firestopping – Penetrations in fire-rated walls, firestop systems (UL listed), pillow/putty/mortar,
fire-rated caulk, intumescent materials, maintaining firestop rating after cable additions,
pathway survivability (2-hour fire rating).
• Wireless (DAS & Wi-Fi) – Coaxial cable (1/2″, 7/8″), VSWR, passive vs. active DAS, cell tower
signal sources (off-air, bi-directional amplifier), antenna types (omni, directional, panel),
downtilt, ERP (Effective Radiated Power), regulatory (FCC part 15).
• Outside Plant (OSP) – Cable types (gel-filled vs. dry), pulling eyes (swivels), maximum pulling
tension (fiber ~600-1200 lbs), bending radius (20x diameter for SMF), mid-span entry, grounding
of OSP cable at building entry (protector/primary protector).
• Fire Alarm & Security Systems – Power-limited and non-power-limited circuits, separation from
communications cables, pathway requirements (EMT, etc.), NAC (Notification Appliance Circuit)
voltage drop calculations.
• Safety & Codes – NFPA 70 (NEC) Article 800 (communications circuits), Article 725 (Class 2/3),
Ladder safety (OSHA 1926.1053), one-third extends, 3-feet above roof, harnesses and lanyards,
lockout/tagout.
• ICT Cabling Identification – Plenum (CMP), riser (CMR), general purpose (CM), outside plant
(CMX); color coding (orange = riser, blue = general, green = outdoor, gray = plenum),
indoor/outdoor rating, selective use of plenum in air handling spaces.
QUESTION 1: A technician is pulling a 50-pair copper backbone cable using a pulling rope attached to a
pulling eye. What is the maximum recommended pulling tension for this cable?
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A) 150 lbs (50 pairs × 4 lbs per pair? The rule is: 25-pair groups at 4 lbs per group; 50 pairs = 2 groups = 8
lbs; plus 25 lbs max per single cable; total 33 lbs. But conservative approach: 4 lbs per 25-pair group + 25
lbs = 29 lbs maximum.
Answer: B – Per BICSI, maximum pulling tension for copper backbone is 4 lbs per 25-pair group + 25 lbs
per cable, or manufacturer’s limit.
QUESTION 2: While installing a 4-pair UTP horizontal cable, the technician notices the pull box has a
divider that separates the cable from a power cable. What is the minimum separation distance required
from non-shielded power cables (0-600V) in a metal tray?
A) 2 inches
B) 5 inches
C) 12 inches
D) 24 inches
Answer: B – NEC Article 800.133(A)(2) requires 2 inches for non-metallic trays with a metal divider;
without a divider the distance increases; metal tray with divider reduces separation to 2 inches? Let’s
check: The question says “metal tray with a divider” – the separation can be 2 inches (NEC
800.133(A)(2)). The 5 inches is typical for open non-metallic trays.
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QUESTION 3: A plenum ceiling space requires cables that are listed as:
A) CMR
B) CMP
C) CM
D) CMX
Answer: B – CMP (Communications Plenum) is required for use in air-handling plenums.
QUESTION 4: The minimum bend radius for a 4-pair UTP cable (Category 6) during installation is:
A) 1 inch
B) 2 inches
C) 4 times the cable diameter (approx. 1″)
D) 6 times the cable diameter (approx. 1.5″)
Answer: C – TIA/EIA 568 – 4 times cable diameter for 4-pair UTP.
QUESTION 5: When performing a return loss test on a Cat 6 channel, what is the primary cause of return
loss failures?
A) Impedance mismatches along the link (poor termination, damaged cable, kinks)
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B) Crosstalk from adjacent pairs
C) Cable length too short
D) Improper grounding
Answer: A – Return loss measures signal reflections caused by impedance variations.
QUESTION 6: A BICSI technician is preparing to terminate horizontal cable at a work area outlet. The jack
is wired to T568A. Pin 1 should be:
A) White/Blue
B) White/Orange
C) White/Green
D) White/Brown
Answer: A – T568A: Pin 1 = White/Blue, Pin 2 = Blue, Pin 3 = White/Orange, Pin 6 = Orange.
QUESTION 7: When installing a telecommunications main grounding busbar (TMGB), the bonding
conductor to the building grounding electrode must be no smaller than:
A) 6 AWG
B) 3 AWG
