Verification programmes for patch cords / Background Information / Patch Cord / 3P Qualified Products / 3P

Verification programmes for patch cords

Three ratings of patch cords

The 3P verification programme is based on three ratings of patch cords, i.e. Cat. 5, Cat. 5+ and Cat. 6. Presently there has been no interest for certification of Cat. 7 patch cords.

3P has based the patch cord verification programme on the following measurement procedures:

Visual inspection of contact section and moulding
Wire map
Screening performance, for instance as transfer impedance (for screened patch cord)
Characteristic impedance (return loss), NEXT and FEXT of the applied patch cable
De-embedded NEXT and FEXT of the cable terminated RJ 45 plug

Most of these test procedures are performed using normal electrical test specifications or common sense and experience. The de-embedded NEXT measurement is carried out according to TIA Interim "Additional Transmission performance specifications for 4-Pair 100 W Category 5 Connecting Hardware, Enhanced Category 5 Connecting Hardware and Category 6 Connecting Hardware".

Verification testing allows certification of all patch cord lengths based on testing of representative patch cord samples.

Basically the patch cord verification programme is a capability and component approval scheme, based on testing of components supplied to 3P. Consequently the validity of a certification will be limited as changes in the assembly line or components may occur over time. 3P has concluded that a reasonable validity period is 3 months which is therefore the offered period for re-testing.