Market support includes verification of validity of certifications, identification of certified products and confirmation of general performance data.

No detailed test data or reports can, however, be released. This restricted nature of test reports is necessary because they will often contain confidential information about production equipment, quality assurance organisation, manufacturing details, etc.

In the unlikely case that failing performance is claimed for a 3P qualified component the problem will be fully investigated. If a problem is confirmed any necessary actions will be taken by 3P and the producer in question in order to secure end user confidence in 3P certified components.

Attestations of Conformity

Attestations of Conformity are issued based on one time testing and no factory inspection or follow up testing is performed. Consequently, 3P cannot certify that the same high quality level is maintained in the future. However, 3P has the general experience that the quality stays constant, at least for some period of time, and therefore the issued certificates stay valid one year after issue. After this one year the user should carefully evaluate that modifications of performance have not been made since the original certification. The link to the Attestation of Conformity will be removed from the 3P homepage after one year, but the originally granted certification will be listed in the 3P homepage for two more years.

Compliance Statements

Compliance Statements are issued based on continued monitoring of the quality of the components and are therefore valid as long as the programme is running. A Compliance Statement will be updated regularly to reflect the latest performed maintenance of qualification testing (date is found on the certificate).

Capability Approval certified as "Attestation of Conformity"

Capability approval is carried out on delivered samples to demonstrate passing of all electrical or safety requirements. 3P verifies that the manufacturer or supplier in question is capable of producing the connecting hardware, permanent link or channel in question.

Attestations of Conformity are issued for connecting hardware, and permanent links and channels, but not for cables or cords. It is concluded by 3P that a full production line qualification is necessary for assuring the quality of these components.

Certified connecting hardware, permanent links and channels having a valid Attestation of Conformity cannot be identified by a 3P notation on the component or component packaging, as no follow up service is possible for 3P. However, brochure material may state that the connecting hardware, permanent link or channel has been tested by 3P. Such a statement is only possible as long as the Attestation of Conformity stays valid.

Full Production Line Qualification certified as "Compliance Statement"

Full production line qualification is a more comprehensive type of certification. It includes both factory inspection, initial capability approval of components, and a continuous follow up testing of components selected by 3P at the manufacturer during regular inspection visits. A new inspection visit is carried out every 6 months for cables and patch cords, and every 12 months for connecting hardware.

Compliance Statements are issued for cables, cords and connecting hardware. This means that connecting hardware can be certified by either a capability approval or by a full production line qualification.

Qualified cables, connecting hardware and cords having a valid Compliance Statement may be marked "3P Verified" on the components, packaging and brochure material.

Fire safety certifications

Fire safety testing of cables is included in the qualification and maintenance of qualification programme. This normally does not include issuing of a separate "safety" certificate as this testing is fully integrated in the issued Compliance Statement for the cable. However, separate Attestations of Conformity are issued for cables, for instance for fibre optical cable, for which the qualification programme is in development. The certification for fire safety demonstrates compliance with the IEC, CENELEC or draft Construction Products Directive (CPD) requirements.

Correlation between 3P Ratings for Permanent links & channels and ISO/IEC, CENELEC and TIA/EIA Identifications

Note: Ratings in italic are intended for future certifications as the standardisation is in progress.

3P cabling rating Class D / Category 5
3P cabling rating Class D / Category 5 covers Class D:1995 requirements of ISO/IEC 1st edition 11801 and CENELEC EN 50173, and Category 5 requirements of TIA/EIA-568-A.
This is a special rating for cabling having the early performance characteristics which do not allow safe running of Gigabit Ethernet.

3P cabling rating Class D+ / Category 5e
3P cabling rating Class D+ / Category 5e covers Class D:2002 requirements of ISO/IEC 2nd edition 11801 and CENELEC EN 50173-1, and Category 5e requirements of ANSI/TIA/EIA 568-B.1.

3P cabling rating Class E / Category 6
3P cabling rating Class E / Category 6 covers Class E requirements of ISO/IEC 2nd edition 11801 and CENELEC EN 50173-1, and Category 6 requirements of ANSI/TIA/EIA 568-B.2-1.

3P cabling rating Class E10G / Category 610G
3P cabling rating Class E10G / Category 610G covers 10 Gigabit Ethernet extended Class E requirements of ISO/IEC 2nd edition 11801 and CENELEC EN 50173-1, and draft TIA TSB-155. The extension concerns performance verification according to IEEE 10 Gigabit Ethernet requirements up to 500 MHz, including also the new parameter Alien Crosstalk.
This rating concerns conventional Class E / Category 6 and Class F / Category 7 technology, which means that unscreaned and some screened permanent links & channels are only supporting 10 Gigabit Ethernet for reduced cabling length (for unscreened cabling typically up to 55 metres channels).

3P cabling rating Class E500 / Category 6A
3P cabling rating Class E500 / Category 6A covers 3rd generation Class E requirements of draft ISO/IEC 2nd edition 11801 amendment, draft CENELEC EN 50173-1 amendment, and Category 6A requirements of draft ANSI/TIA/EIA 568-B.2-10. This 3rd generation Class E500 / Category 6A rating concerns performance verification according to the proposed new 500 MHz Class E requirements of ISO/IEC and CENELEC, and Augmented 500 MHz Category 6 requirements of TIA/EIA, both also including the IEEE 10 Gigabit Ethernet requirements.
This rating concerns new Class E / Category 6 technology, which means that both unscreened and screened products are supporting 10 Gigabit Ethernet for the full 100 metres channel length.

3P cabling rating Class F
3P cabling rating Class F covers Class F requirements of ISO/IEC 2nd edition 11801 and CENELEC EN 50173-1.

3P cabling rating Class F1000
3P cabling rating Class F1000 covers 3rd generation Class E requirements of draft ISO/IEC 2nd edition 11801 amendment, draft CENELEC EN 50173-1 amendment and home cabling requirements of ISO/IEC 15018 and draft CENELEC EN 50173-4.