If you look around today, you can find some 10GBase-T deployments here and there. It only took about four years from the time the IEEE's spec was finalized. Now some attention is being paid to the possibility of going beyond - far beyond - 10-Gbit/sec transmission over twisted-pair copper. The Telecommunications Industry Association's TR-42.7 Copper Cabling Subcommittee recently set objectives for 40G over twisted pair. When we covered the technical possibilities of such high-speed transmission in 2011, we found that even among those who support the general concept, there is some disagreement over the cable-construction type (e.g. S/STP, F/UTP) that is ideally suited to perform the job. We also understand, through the grapevine, that the posturing has ratcheted up since TR-42.7 has begun its efforts. Stay tuned.
