10 GBASE-T and the new cabling Classes
Standards Australia CT-1 Committee Fact Sheet

By Peter Meijer March 2006 The Australian Standards telecommunications experts in the CT-1 committee have agreed on a position paper
stating the current facts in relation to 10 Gigabit Ethernet cabling. There were no objections from 22 technical
experts on the content of the document although a few did not respond or participate in the debate. In that
sense, this is an historic achievement and argues well for the introduction of 10GBE cabling systems.

Item Comment Agreed by CT-1 Majority In the absence of a finalised standard, which draft standard should be referenced?
1
The name given to next generation cabling systems is Class E
A
and Class F
A
.
Note the correct reference to both of these is to use subscript A.
2
Class E
A
standards work is due to be finalised sometime during 2007 due to the fact that work on
specifying components will not be completed during 2006. Channel limits are due to be published
by June 2006. It should be noted that component level specifications are required to achieve
interoperability between products.
3

noted that this information should not be used for making decisions on newly installed systems and
is only for qualification of legacy cabling systems.
2 Class E (Cat 6) screened cabling will support 10GBASE-T channels up to 100 m.
3 Class F (sometimes referred to as Cat 7) screened will support 10GBASE-T channels up to 100 m.
4 Class E
A
cabling will support 10GBASE-T channels up to 100 m when standards work is completed.
5 10GBASE-T application standard is due to be completed in June 2006 and is still on track.
Page 1 of 1

10 GBASE-T and the new cabling Classes
Standards Australia CT-1 Committee Fact Sheet

By Peter Meijer March 2006

Item Comment Agreed by CT-1 Majority
Current Class D (Cat 5e) position and future
1 Currently characterised up to 100 MHz and this describes a 4 connector cabling channel.
2 Will support 1000BASE-T channels up to 100 m.
3
No work is being done on qualifying the ability of Class D to support 10GBASE-T but it has been left
for customers to decide whether to try and use an installed base of Class D / Cat 5e to support very
short runs of 10GBASE-T in the future. This is not recognised within standards work.
4 T/O remains as an RJ45.

Current Class E (Cat 6) position and future
1 Currently characterised up to 250 MHz and this describes a 4 connector cabling channel.
2 Will support 1000BASE-T channel up to 100 m.
3
Class E UTP could support 10GBASE-T on cabling channels of up to 55 m. There are still some

standards work is due to be finalised sometime during 2007 due to the fact that work on
specifying components will not be completed during 2006. Channel limits are due to be published in
late 2006. It should be noted that component level specifications are required to achieve
interoperability between products.
2 Class E
A
is being characterised up to 500 MHz and this describes a 4 connector cabling channel.
3 When finalised it will support 10GBASE-T on cabling channels up to 100 m.
4 Individual components, when finalised, will be known as Cat 6
A
components.
Page 2 of 2

10 GBASE-T and the new cabling Classes
Standards Australia CT-1 Committee Fact Sheet

By Peter Meijer March 2006
5
Class E
A
is a performance requirement and does not limit any channels to being constructed from
using either UTP or screened components as long as the products meet the performance
requirement of all parameters of the finalised standard. Given that the 10GBASE-T application can
be supported by a Class E screened cabling channel up to 100mtrs it is accepted that a Class E
A

screened system will exhibit better ANEXT performance than a Class E
A
UTP system.
Item Comment Agreed by CT-1 Majority

A
standards work is due to be finalised sometime during 2007 due to the fact that work on
specifying components will not be completed during 2006. Channel limits are due to be published in
late 2006. It should be noted that component level specifications are required to achieve
interoperability between products.
2 Class F
A
is being characterised up to 1000 MHz and this describes a 4 connector cabling channel.
3 When finalised, it will support 10GBASE-T on cabling channels up to 100 m.
4 Individual components, when finalised, will be known as Cat 7
A
components.
5
A number of countries around the world use TV signals that operate within a frequency level of up to
862 MHz and so the main reason for characterisation to a higher level is to allow support of
broadband (TV cabling) over twisted pair which will mainly affect domestic style cabling
requirements in those countries. This also reflects the fact that this level of performance represents
current state of the art capability for twisted pair cabling.
6 T/O currently undecided
Page 3 of 3

10 GBASE-T and the new cabling Classes
Standards Australia CT-1 Committee Fact Sheet

By Peter Meijer March 2006

Item Comment Agreed by CT-1 Majority Testing

2
In regards to performance issues there is still work being done on what segregation is required
between communications and power cabling. Users could consider adopting manufacturer's current
recommendations while considering recommendations from other standards documents. The
implication on pathway costs when considering the issue of segregation due to performance issues
could be significant. UTP versus screened for 10GBASE-T
1
Both UTP and screened cabling cannot be tested easily and inexpensively for ANEXT performance
in the field today. Both newly developed UTP systems as well as existing and newly developed
screened systems may deliver the required ANEXT performance although neither can be easily
proven to do so in the field. Properly installed screened systems (using either overall screened or
individually screened per pair cable and individually screened connectors that are commonly
earthed) will comply with the ANEXT requirements of the upcoming standards whereas UTP
systems may need other ways to be qualified somehow.
Page 4 of 4

10 GBASE-T and the new cabling Classes
Standards Australia CT-1 Committee Fact Sheet

By Peter Meijer March 2006
2
In regards to the issue of segregation there is still work being done to qualify the effect on
performance when communications cabling and power cable are run parallel to each other either on
some sort of tray or in duct using dividers. Properly screened systems will require less segregation
than UTP systems when it comes to performance issues. Segregation requirements for safety
issues remain the same for both UTP and screened systems. Please also note that 10GBASE-T
systems may be more sensitive to noise induced from power circuits than existing applications.