HEADING 85.44 - INSULATED (INCLUDING ENAMELLED OR ANODISED) WIRE CABLE (INCLUDING CO-AXIAL CABLE) AND OTHER INSULATED ELECTRIC CONDUCTORS WHETHER OR NOT FITTED WITH CONNECTORS; OPTICAL FIBRE CABLES MADE UP OF INDIVIDUALLY SHEATHED FIBRES WHETHER OR NOT ASSEMBLED WITH ELECTRIC CONDUCTORS OR FITTED WITH CONNECTORS.

117 COMMODITIES

- Winding wire :

8544.11 - - Of copper

8544.19 - - Other

8544.20 - Co-axial cable and other co-axial electric conductors

8544.30 - Ignition wiring sets and other wiring sets of a kind used in vehicles aircraft or ships

- Other electric conductors for a voltage not exceeding

80 V :

8544.41 - - Fitted with connectors

8544.49 - - Other

- Other electric conductors for a voltage exceeding 80 V

but not exceeding 1 0 V :

8544.51 - - Fitted with connectors

8544.59 - - Other

8544.60 - Other electric conductors for a voltage exceeding 1 0  V

8544.70 - Optical fibre cables

Provided they are insulated this heading covers electric wire cable and other conductors (e.g. braids strip bars) used as conductors in electrical machinery apparatus or installations. Subject to this condition the heading includes wiring for interior work or for exterior use (e.g. underground submarine or aerial wires or cables). These goods vary from very fine insulated wire to thick cables of more complex types.

Non-metal conductors are also covered by this heading. The goods of this heading are made up of the following elements :

(A) A conductor - this may be single strand or multiple and may be wholly of one metal or of different metals.

(B) One or more coverings of insulating material - the aim of these coverings is to prevent leakage of electric current from the conductor and to protect it against damage. The insulating materials mostly used are rubber paper plastics asbestos mica micanite glass fibre yarns textile yarns (whether or not waxed or impregnated) varnish enamel pitch oil etc. In certain cases the insulation is obtained by anodising or by a similar process (e.g. the production of a surface coating of metallic oxides or salts).

(C) In certain cases a metal sheath (e.g. lead brass aluminium or steel); this serves as a protective covering for the insulation as a channel for an insulation of gas or oil or as a supplementary conductor in certain co-axial cables. (D) Sometimes a metal armouring (e.g. spiral wound steel or iron wire or strip) used mainly for protecting underground or submarine cable. The insulated wires cables etc. of this heading may be in the form of :

(i) Single or multiple strand insulated wire.

(ii) Two or more such insulated wires twisted together.

(iii)Two or more such insulated wires assembled together in a common insulating sheath.

The heading covers inter alia :

(1) Lacquered or enamelled wire usually very thin and mainly used for coil windings.

(2) Anodised etc. wire.

(3) Telephone or telegraph cables (including submarine cables) usually made up of a large number of separately insulated wires.

(4) Insulated aerial cables.

(5) Cables for permanent long-distance connections often with channels for filling with insulating gas or oil.

(6) Armoured underground cables with anti-corrosive sheathing.

(7) Cables for use in mine shafts; these have a longitudinal armouring to withstand the effects of tension. In addition the heading covers plaited wire coated with lacquer or inserted in an insulating sheath. It also includes insulated strip generally used in large electrical machinery or control equipment. Wire cable etc. remain classified in this heading if cut to length or fitted with connectors (e.g. plugs sockets lugs jacks sleeves or terminals) at one or both ends. The heading also includes wire etc. of the types described above made up in sets (e.g. multiple cables for connecting motor vehicle sparking plugs to the distributor). The heading also covers optical fibre cables made up of individually sheathed fibres whether or not assembled with electric conductors or fitted with connectors. The sheaths are usually of different colours to permit identification of the fibres at both endsof the cable. Optical fibre cables are used mainly in telecommunications because their  capacity for the transmission of data is greater than that of electrical conductors. The heading excludes electric heating resistors sheathed in insulating material (e.g. special alloy wire wound spirally around a core of glass fibres or asbestos) of heading 85.16.

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