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Copper Cabling Standards

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White Paper | Copper Cabling Standards | v2.0 | EN 1

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Introduction
Standard specifications are the foundation upon which most cabling and networking projects are built.
Professionals in the cabling industry most often specify and deploy standards-based physical-layer infrastructures.
By the early 90s, a scheme of "structured cabling" was standardized by technical committee of a trade association,
the merged Electronic Industries Association and Telecommunications Industry Association (hereafter referred to
as EIA/TIA) in the USA and ISO/IEC worldwide.

In copper twisted pair wire networks, copper cable certification is achieved through a thorough series of tests in
accordance with Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) or International Organization for Standardization
(ISO) standards. Cabling standards are not developed for end users or installers, but for component and equipment
manufacturers who need to develop products that offer interoperability and the multiple sources of supply
demanded by users. The manufacturers develop products around the standards specifications and are responsible
for telling installers and end users how to use these components. The designers, installers and users of networks
can rely on the instructions of the manufacturers on how to utilize these "standard products" correctly.

Manufacturers assumed responsibility for standards development to ensure interoperability of their products - under
the auspices of the IEEE for computer networking electronics and EIA/TIA for cabling in the US and ISO and IEC
worldwide. Thus, was born the industry standards that we all depend on for today's communications networks.

This white paper explores the copper structured cabling standards and their related information.

What is Premises Cabling? National Organisations &

Standards
By premises cabling, we mean the cabling used
inside buildings (and in restricted geographic areas
Despite the trend towards globalisation, the national
like campuses or among business facilities) that
codes and standards still take precedence over the
follows industry standards. Mostly we are refering to
international agreements and clash. This allows for
structured cabling systems defined by TIA-568 or
local customs and language differences. Quite often
ISO/IEC 11801 and related standards that are used
there are differences in the technical terms adopted
for LANs, telephone systems and even other
in various parts of the world. Structured cabling
systems adapted to structured cabling like CCTV,
standards have always been in place to ensure that
security or building management. Other systems that
communications networks are designed, installed
depend on cabling such as security and building
and tested to the highest level. Industry cabling
control are migrating to structured cabLing for its
standards are designed to protect the end user and
widespread availability and predictability.
they provide the building blocks of ensuring and
maintaining high levels of cabling performance.
What are Standards?
This basically ensures that all parties, from the
Standards represent the minimum required to designer, installer and of course network owner (end
maintain compliance. Principally about achieving user) can all have confidence in the performance of
minimum performance from products / standards the installed network.
driven by applications – not end users. Standards
are considered to be living documents. It is important The cabling standards address copper cabling, fibre
that the region-specific standards are quoted in the optic, pathways and many other aspects of network
design and implementation. design and install.

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Who are the national or regional ANSI/EIA/TIA 568

standard bodies?
TR-42: This Subcommittee of TIA develops and
maintains telecommunications cabling standards for
Geographical areas often adhere to the standards Premises networks primarily for North America. Most
set out by their local bodies. For example: Current Published 568 Series Documents include:
• USA – ANSI/EIA/TIA
• International – ISO/IEC - ANSI/TIA-568.0-D (2015)
• Europe – EN – CENELEC Generic Telecommunications Cabling for
Customer Premises-Deals with Topologies,
Lengths, Installation Practices, Testing
Methods, Fibre polarity etc.

- ANSI/TIA-568.1-D (2015)
Commercial Building Telecommunications
Cabling Standard-Deals with details of Entrance
Facilities, Equipment rooms, Telecom Closets
and Rooms, Enclosures, Backbone cabling,
Horizontal Cabling, Work areas, MUTOA

- ANSI/TIA-568-C.2 (2009)
- The International Organization for Balanced Twisted-Pair Telecommunications
Standardization (ISO) produces worldwide Cabling and Components Standards-Deals with
standards generated by country members. the performance specification for components
- European Committee for Electrotechnical as well as channels for copper links. Defines
Standardisation CENELEC produces European category 5e, 6, 6e and 6A.
standards generated by EU country members.
- American National Standards Institute (ANSI) - ANSI/TIA-568-C.3-1 (2011)
produces North American standards Optical Fibre Cabling Components Standard-
- Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers Deals with the performance specification for
(IEEE) components and polarity of fibre connections.
Defines fibre performance specs for OM1, OM2,
The following table highlights the most relevant OM3, OM4, OS1 and OS2 cable.
cabling standards and to which areas they apply to:
- ANSI/TIA-568-C.4 (2011)
SCS EIA/TIA ISO/IEC EN Broadband Coaxial Cabling and Components
(North America) (International) (CENELEC-Europe)
Standard
Commercial 568-C 11801:2002 50173-2

Industrial 568-C 24702:2006 50173-3 One of the most essential elements to plan and
Residential 570-C 15018:2005 50173-4 deploy a telecommunication infrastructure is to make
Data Centre 942-A 24764:2011 50173-5 sure you are following the ANSI/TIA-568-C standard.
This standard will ensure that your cabling system is
interoperable with any networking or voice
These structured cabling standards have been applications that have been designed to work with
developed to ensure cabling networks are designed, that standard.
installed and tested to industry best practices.
Following these standards will ensure that either
copper cabling or optic fibre network performance
will be at the highest level.

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Wiring Patterns The international standard specifies a multi

manufacturer cabling system that may be
The ANSI/TIA-568-C standard introduces two wiring implemented with material from single and multiple
patterns for modular jacks and plugs: T568-A and sources and is related to:
T568-B.
The only difference between these wiring patterns is • International standards for cabling components
that pin assignments for pairs 2 and 3 are reversed. developed by committees in the IEC
The two schemes are similar with two of the four • Standards for the installation and operation of
pairs reversed in the termination order. information technology cabling as well as for
testing of installed cabling
• Applications developed by technical committees
of the IEC
• Planning and installation guides that take into
account the needs of specific applications.

Generic cabling defined within this International

Standard:

• Specifies a cabling structure that supports a

These particular standards depict the arrangement wide variety of applications
of each color conductor when terminating four-pair • Specifies channel and link classes C, D, E, EA,
data cables. The wiring pattern chosen makes no F and FA, meeting the requirements of
difference to the applications used. They both work standardised applications
the same way. The most important factor is to • Specifies channel and link classes E and F
choose one wiring configuration and stick with it. If based on higher performance components to
you use T568-A at one end, you must use it at the support future applications
other; likewise, with T568-B. The cable pairs are • Specifies optical channel and link classes OF-
assigned to specific pin numbers. The pins are 300, OF-500 and OF-2000
numbered from left to right if you are looking into the • Involves component requirements and specifies
modular jack outlet or down on the top of the modular cabling implementations that ensure
plug. The following picture shows the pin numbers performance of permanent links and channels
for the eight-position modular jack (RJ-45) and plug. that meet or exceed the requirements for
cabling classes
Copper cabling installation is not as easy as thought. • Specifies a generic cabling system that is
You should follow the ANSI/TIA-568-C standard to anticipated to have a usable life in excess of 10
confirm the cable distance and wiring patterns. years.

Re-structuring of ISO/IEC Cabling Design

International standard Standards
ISO/IEC 11801
ISO/IEC 11801 - Cabling for customer premises -
structured cabling similar to TIA 568
The international equivalent of EIA/TIA 568 is
ISO/IEC 11801. The standards are written similarly
ISO/IEC cabling standards have been re-structured
to what has been done by TR 42.
into single family:
The international standard provides users with an
application independent generic cabling system - ISO/IEC 11801-1:
capable of supporting a wide range of applications. It General Requirements (structure, dimensioning,
provides users with a flexible cabling scheme, so channel)
modifications are both easy and economical. - ISO/IEC 11801-2
Building professionals (architects, for example) are Commercial Office Environment (unique
given guidance on the accommodation of cabling at aspects)
the initial stages of development. - ISO/IEC 11801-3

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Industrial Environment (unique aspects)

ANSI/TIA vs. ISO/IEC
- ISO/IEC 11801-4
In TIA everything is specified by “CATEGORY” •In
Residential Environment (unique aspects)
ISO components (i.e. cables, connecting hardware,
- ISO/IEC 11801-5
and patch cords) are specified by “CATEGORY”
Data Centre (unique aspects)
however LINKS and CHANNELS by “CLASS”
- ISO/IEC 11801-6
For future use

Current standards:

- ISO/IEC 11801:2002/Amd 2:2010 Information

technology – Generic cabling for customer
premises. Amendment 2
- ANSI/TIA-568-C System Performance of ISO and TIA standards are
Generic Telecommunications Cabling for the same in terms of frequency and application.
Customer Premises
- ANSI/TIA-568-C.0
Generic Telecommunications Cabling for
CENELEC
Customer Premises
- ANSI/TIA-568-C.1 For the European market the EN standards
Commercial Building Telecommunications published by CENELEC are likely to best suit the
Cabling Standard needs. CENELEC standards are automatically
- ANSI/TIA-568-C.2 adopted by member states. So, in the case of the UK
Balanced Twisted-Pair Telecommunications they become BS EN XXXXX.
Cabling and Components Standard
- ANSI/TIA-568-C.3 The EN standards, along with a couple of British
Optical Fibre Cabling Components Standard Standards, offer a robust suite. For the rest of the
- ANSI/TIA-568-C.4 world, with the exception of America, the ISO
Coaxial and Broadband Component standards are likely to be the best “fit”.

The standards from the other bodies are good, and

Balanced Cabling Channel Performance Classes
with care a ‘mix and match’ suite can be compiled.
Infrastructure cabling products that are compliant
- Class A: Up to 100 kHz using elements with the ISO and EN standards are also compliant
Category 1 (reference only) with the TIA standards.
- Class B: Up to 1 MHz using elements Category
2 (reference only) EN 50173 Information technology – Generic cabling
- Class C: Up to 16 MHz using elements Category systems: The EN50173 series defines the design
3, Low Speed BB Only requirements for copper and fibre optic structured
- Class D: Up to 100 MHz using elements cabling systems in various different installation areas
Category 5e
- Class E: Up to 250 MHz using elements
• EN 50173-1:2011 Part 1: General requirements
Category 6
• EN 50173-2:2007 + A1:2010 Part 2: Office
- Class EA: Up to 500 MHz using elements
premises
Category 6A
• EN 50173-3:2007 + A1:2010 Part 3: Industrial
- Class F: Up to 600 MHz using elements
premises
Category 7
- Class FA: Up to 1000 MHz using elements • EN 50173-4:2007 + A2:2012 Part 4: Homes
Category 7A • EN 50173-5:2007 + A2:2012 Part 5: Data
centres
• EN 50173-6:2013 Part 6: Distributed Building
Services

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EN 50174 Information technology – Cabling • EN 50174-3:2013 Part 3: Installation planning

installation and practices outside buildings
• EN 50174-1:2009 + A1:2011 Part 1: Installation
specification and quality assurance EN 50310:2010 Application of equipotential bonding
• EN50174-2:2009 + A1:2011 Part 2: Installation and earthing in buildings with information technology
planning and practices inside buildings equipment

Conclusion
The essence of standards for structured cabling is that they provide a minimum performance level for components
and cabling systems that manufacturers use to develop products for the marketplace. The competition in the
structured cabling marketplace requires companies to make copper solutions that are better than those standards
in order to differentiate their products from competitors. Hence, using those standards, manufacturers make copper
solutions that will be compatible with other copper solutions meeting the same standards but offer advantages in
performance, installation or cost.

Structured cabling standards have always been in place to ensure that communications networks are designed,
installed and tested to the highest level. Industry cabling standards are designed to protect the end user and they
provide the building blocks of ensuring and maintaining high levels of cabling performance. This basically ensures
that all parties, from the designer, installer and of course network owner (end user) can all have confidence in the
performance of the installed network. The cabling standards address copper cabling, fibre optic, pathways and
many other aspects of network design and install.

Notice: This white paper is for informational purposes only and is subject to change without notice. Datatronix makes no guarantees, either
expressed or implied, concerning the accuracy, completeness or reliability of the information found in this document. Datatronix reserves
the right to make changes to this document at any time, without notice, and assumes no responsibility for its use. This information document
describes features that may not be currently available.
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This white paper has been produced by Khushbu Solanki, on behalf of Datatronix

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