CommScope document questions suitability of Cat 7A cabling for 40GBase-T

May 9, 2012

CommScope Enterprise Solutions white paper contends that "It is premature and uncertain at this point to predict if Category 7A/Class FA cabling will support 40-Gbps."

A newly released, 12-page white paper from CommScope Enterprise Solutions debates the suitability of Category 7A/Class FA cabling as a “future-proofing” media for 40-Gbps applications, while offering detailed technical analyses in defense of its claims to the contrary.

The annotated document incorporates a list of eight figures in its discussion of topics related to future 40GBase-T twisted-pair options, including: an overview of certain recent developments in cabling industry standards; analysis of transceiver chipsets that implement physical layer (PHY) specifications; capacity considerations "with lessons learned from 10GBase-T"; cabling system considerations; and "recommendations for going forward."

While noting that "it has been nearly six years since the completion of the 10GBASE-T standard...and speculation has been rampant on options for 40-Gigabit per second transmission on twisted pair copper," the document advances the following contention:

"It is premature and uncertain at this point to predict if Category 7A/Class FA cabling will support
40-Gbps. The IEEE 802.3 Working Group has yet to begin its work, and it will have to evaluate the suitability of Category 7A/Class FA for various distances and coding schemes to make a realistic determination. Until then, claims that Category 7A/Class FA cabling is capable of supporting 40 Gbps are, at best, speculation."

Download the white paper.