Categories of cabling registration

This is the broadest type of registration.

With ‘Open’ registration, you can perform or supervise cabling work in homes, businesses and commercial buildings where the cabling terminates or connects to the boundary of the telecommunications network on a:

• socket
• network termination device, or
• main distribution frame.

If you have the corresponding competencies added to your Open registration, you will be able to perform or supervise cabling work using the following kinds of specialised cabling:

• broadband (point to point in-premises cabling where the boundary of the telecommunications network is not at a main distribution frame or jumperable distributor, for example cabling that connects telephone, internet, security and alarm devices)
• structured (for example, data cable Cat 5/6 or cabling used in integrated building management systems)
• optical-fibre  
• co-axial  
• aerial  
• underground.  

This is only a summary. A full description is in the Telecommunications (Cabling Provider) Rules 2025.

‘Restricted’ registration enables you to perform or supervise cabling work in a more limited set of circumstances compared to Open registration. 

Typically, Restricted registration enables you to perform or supervise cabling work in domestic or small-business premises where the cabling terminates or connects at a socket or network termination device and the electrical supply voltages meet certain conditions. This includes cabling work where the cabling:

• connects behind an alarm panel or modem 
• connects between a customer switching system, and
• is for additional phone points for a standard telephone service

except where the cabling connects via a jumperable distributor, jumperable frame or a patch panel.

With a Restricted registration, you must not do any cabling work if the cabling used:

• connects to, or terminates at, a main distribution frame
• connects a device and a jumperable distributor or jumperable frame, and terminates at the distributor or frame
• connects a device and a patch panel, and terminates at the patch panel
• shares a cable sheath with other services, or
• is installed on poles and structures that are for the distribution of electricity. 

If you have the corresponding competencies added to your Restricted registration, you will be able to perform or supervise cabling work using the following kinds of specialised cabling:

• broadband
• aerial  
• underground.

This is only a summary. A full description is in the Telecommunications (Cabling Provider) Rules 2025.

You need 'Lift' registration to install and maintain (or supervise the installation or maintenance) of communications cables in lifts or elevators and lift wells.

This applies where the cabling used connects any of the following:

• a cross-connection point (for example, a floor distributor, local distributor, or other suitable termination point) that is next to the lift motor room
• a lift control cubicle within the lift motor room
• a lift car, or
• a lift platform.

If you have a ‘broadband’ competency added to your Lift cabling registration, you will be able to perform or supervise cabling work using broadband cabling. 

This is only a summary. A full description is in the Telecommunications (Cabling Provider) Rules 2025.

There are different eligibility requirements for each category of cabling registration and additional training requirements for the specialised cabling work competencies.

The eligibility requirements for cabling registration consist of:

• the completion of appropriate training qualifications (and any additional competency requirements for specialised cabling)
• a specified amount of relevant cabling work experience (at least 360 hours for Open cabling registration and at least 80 hours for Restricted cabling registration), and
• completion of a cabling regulations test administered by a Registered Training Organisation with at least 80 per cent of the questions answered correctly. 

For further information about training options and the requirements for registration, see Training providers for cablers and the Pathways to cabling registration.