CABLE PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS:

Below are summaries of the key points for the current Category specifications. Although still under development with the IEC, Category 7 is listed as there is confusion with so called “levels” programs.

Category 5e compliant cabling systems are the standard installation today. Although the category 5e system has an upper frequency limit of 100 MHz minimum, (category 5 is 100 MHz also) this UTP system will demonstrate significant enhancements over category 5 in return loss, power sum and Equal Level Far-End Cross Talk (ELFEXT) enabling the support of Gigabit Ethernet.

Category 6 cabling systems offer enhanced performance over 5e systems. This cabling system available in UTP or ScTP versions will provide an upper frequency limit of 250 MHz minimum. This bandwidth capacity with other performance enhancements make it an ideal solution for the heavily technology dependant enterprise that may require the additional margin provided. There is a significant premium paid for a category 6 solution, typically between 15% and 20% of the overall installation cost of a category 5e system.

Category 7 cabling systems are not currently under development within TIA/EIA. The standard is under development within the IEC. This shielded cabling system will provide an upper frequency limit of 600 MHz and utilizes a new connector/jack design. Systems are available today which comply with the current draft of this standard.

TIA/EIA-568-B.2 4 UTP Performance Specifications INSERTION LOSS Frequency (MHz) Cat 3 (db) Cat 5e (db) Cat 6 (db) 0.77 2.2 1.8 1.8 1.00 2.6 2.0 2.0 4.00 5.6 4.1 3.8 8.00 8.5 5.8 5.3 10.00 9.7 6.5 6.0 16.00 13.1 8.2 7.6 20.00 - 9.3 8.5 25.00 - 10.4 9.5 31.25 - 11.7 10.7 62.50 - 17.0 15.4 100.00 - 22.0 19.8 200.00 - - 29.0 250.00 - - 32.8 RETURN LOSS Frequency (MHz) Cat 3 (db) Cat 5e (db) Cat 6 (db) 0.77 - 17.0 - 1.00 - 17.0 20.0 4.00 - 17.0 23.0 8.00 - 17.0 24.5 10.00 - 17.0 25.0 16.00 - 17.0 25.0 20.00 - 17.0 25.0 25.00 - 16.0 24.3 31.25 - 15.1 23.6 62.50 - 12.1 21.5 100.00 - 10.0 20.1 200.00 - - 18.0 250.00 - - 17.3 NEXT LOSS Frequency (MHz) Cat 3 (db) Cat 5e (db) Cat 6 (db) 0.77 43.0 67.0 76.0 1.00 41.3 65.3 74.3 4.00 32.3 56.3 65.3 8.00 27.8 51.8 60.8 10.00 26.3 50.3 59.3 16.00 23.2 47.2 56.3 20.00 - 45.8 54.8 25.00 - 44.3 53.3 31.25 - 42.9 51.9 62.50 - 38.4 47.4 100.00 - 35.3 44.3 200.00 - - 39.8 250.00 - - 38.3