Cabling Standards:

ISO/IEC 2nd edition generic cabling standard 11801

This standard was published in 2002 and was an update of the 1995 issue with later amendments. The standard generally references out to IEC component standards for cable and connecting hardware requirements.

CENELEC generic cabling standard EN 50173-1

This standard was published in 2002 and was an update of EN 50173 from 1995 with later amendments. The standard generally references out to CENELEC and IEC component standards for cable and connecting hardware requirements, respectively.

ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.1

This standard was published in 2001 and contains Category 5 and Category 5e general cabling requirements.

ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.2

This standard was published in 2001 and contains Category 5 and Category 5e requirements for balanced cabling components.

ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.2-1

This standard was published in 2002 and contains Category 6 requirements for balanced cabling and cabling components.

Cable Standards:

IEC 61156-5

This standard was published in 2002 and contains Category 5e, Category 6 and Category 7 requirements for horizontal cables.

IEC 61156-6

This standard was published in 2002 and contains Category 5e, Category 6 and Category 7 requirements for flexible cables.

IEC 61156-7

This concerns a new 1200 MHz cable specification with requirements relevant for a coming home cabling standard.

CENELEC EN 50288-x-y

This family of cable standards covers Category 5:2002, Category 6 and Category 7 cables in the way that each screened, unscreened, horizontal and flexible cable type has its own specific number as follows:

x=2: Means screened Category 5:2002 cable performance
x=3: Means unscreened Category 5:2002 cable performance
x=4: Means screened Category 7 cable performance
x=5: Means screened Category 6 cable performance
x=6: Means unscreened Category 6 cable performance

y=1: Means horizontal cable
y=2: Means flexible cable

Six of these 10 standards have earlier been published as a first edition, i.e. EN 50288-2-1, EN 50288-2-2, EN 50288-3-1, EN 50288-3-2, EN 50288-4-1 and EN 50288-4-2, but these 1st edition standards have for a long time been technically outdated and should not be used. 2nd editions of these standards have been agreed and are now being published together with the new Category 6 specifications.

ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.2

This standard also contains Category 5 and Category 5e requirements for balanced cables.

ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.2-1

This standard also contains Category 6 requirements for balanced cables.

3P Category 6+ Specification

3P has prepared a standard for enhanced Category 6 cables in order to cover a market need to have a cable with "better than Category 6" NEXT performance to give a safer margin for Class E / Category 6 permanent links and channels. The requirements equal the ones of Category 6 except for the NEXT and ACR parameters. The additional NEXT performance varies over the frequency range from close to 0 dB at 1 MHz to approx. 10 dB at 250 MHz.

3P Category 7.5 Specification

3P has prepared a standard for Category 7cables with Category 5+ (Cat. 5e) attenuation in order to cover the market need to have a more dimensionally attractive horizontal or flexible Category 7 cable applicable for smaller installations. Due to the modified wire size of the cable both DC resistance, attenuation, ACR and ELFEXT requirements of the cable are relaxed compared with the Category 7 requirements.

Connecting Hardware Standards:

IEC 60603-7-x

This family of connecting hardware standards covers Category 5:2002, Category 6 and Category 7 in the way that each category of screened and unscreened connecting hardware type has its own specific number as follows:

x=2: Means unscreened Category 5:2002 connecting hardware performance
x=3: Means screened Category 5:2002 connecting hardware performance
x=4: Means unscreened Category 6 connecting hardware performance
x=5: Means screened Category 6 connecting hardware performance
x=7: Means Category 7 connecting hardware performance ("Nexans" interface)

These standards are in the last phases of the publication process per August 2004. As long as we are still in lack of any specific standard 3P can recommend to use the relevant ANSI/TIA/EIA standard specified below.

IEC/PAS 61076-3-104

This connecting hardware standard was published in 2002 and covers the "Siemon" interface of Category 7 connecting hardware.

ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.2

This standard also contains Category 5 and Category 5e requirements for balanced connecting hardware.

ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.2-1

This standard also contains Category 6 requirements for balanced connecting hardware.

Patch Cord Standards

IEC xxxxxxx

This standard contains Category 5 specifications for balanced patch cords. It will soon be substituted with a 2nd edition, see below.

IEC 2nd Edition xxxxxxx

This standard is still in process (August 2004) and contains Category 5:2002, Category 6 and Category 7 specifications.

ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.2

This standard also contains Category 5 and Category 5e requirements for balanced patch cords.

ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.2-1

This standard also contains Category 6 requirements for balanced patch cords.

EMC Standards for Cabling and Components:

CENELEC EN 50289-1-6

This standard was published in 2001 and contains an EMC test method for cables. This "Coupling Attenuation" test method is applied by 3P to identify the EMC performance of all certified cables.

CENELEC EN 50289-1-13

This standard was published in 2004 and contains an EMC test method for patch cords. This "Coupling Attenuation" test method is applied by 3P to identify the EMC performance of all certified patch cords.

CENELEC EN 50289-1-14

This standard was published in 2004 and contains an EMC test method for connecting hardware. This "Coupling Attenuation" test method is applied by 3P to identify the EMC performance of all certified connecting hardware.

CENELEC EN 50289-1-15

This standard was published in 2004 and contains a laboratory EMC test method for permanent links and channels. This "Coupling Attenuation" test method is applied by 3P when requested by customers (only) and is applied for identifying EMC performance of permanent links and channels.

CENELEC EN 50289-1-16

This standard is till in process (August 2004) and contains an EMC field test method for permanent links and channels. This "Coupling Attenuation" test method will be used by 3P for in-field installation testing for EMC performance.

Standardisation in Progress:

A significant development of new cabling and component standards is presently (August 2004) accelerating. Headlines for these new copper cabling activities are:

3rd generation cabling (also, but not only, including 10 Gigabit Ethernet requirements)

Standardisation of industrial cabling

Standardisation of residential cabling

Standardisation of data center cabling

Fire safety requirements for cables in Europe (legislation)
Specifications will include both cabling and component requirements. Progress and content of the various standards will be described in 3P Newsletters, but some main and fundamental information should already here be summerised as follows:

Most standardisation activities are in progress in parallel in ISO/IEC, CENELEC, TIA and IEC. A high degree of alignment of requirements will be sought.

ISO/IEC industrial cabling standard will contain a "MICE" table, (Mechnical, Ingress, Climatic and Electromagnetic performance) which identifies environmental performance of cabling. The environments are today (August 2004) defined in all details (almost) and the relevant component requirements are now being developed. For ISO/IEC the MICE rating applies for industrial cabling only. In CENELEC MICE ratings will apply for all cabling.

3rd generation cabling requirements were initiated to cover the coming 10 Gigabit Ethernet application, but have been transformed to a stand alone 3rd generation cabling development to cover, of course, also 10 Gigabit Ethernet. The activities will include a new "Cat. 6" cabling to 625 MHz (most likely) and a new "Cat. 7" cabling to min. 1000 MHz (1,2 GHz estimated by 3P). The new Alien Crosstalk, will be a key challenge to specify in the new activity programme.

Industrial cabling standards, residential cabling standards and data center cabling standards are close to being mature - ready for the first circulations in national committees and among members.

Fire safety requirements in Europe are still under development, but might get market penetration in approx. one year. When finally agreed one of the Euroclasses of safety will always be required by legislation.