FS Bulk Network Cables: Multi-Standard Compliance for Superior Performance and Reliability

In 2024, copper cables are still widely utilized due to their superior electrical conductivity, heat resistance, and cost benefits. For large-scale horizontal cabling and Power over Ethernet (PoE) applications, bulk network cables remain the preferred choice. The common standards for bulk Ethernet cables include ANSI/TIA 568, ISO/IEC 11801, and IEEE 802.3, with common certifications being UL and CPR certifications. This article will discuss these three standards, the specifics of these two certifications, and why we recommend purchasing cables that comply with these standards and certifications.

Three Cable Standards for Ethernet Bulk Network Cables

To purchase high-quality bulk network cables and get the most value for your money, you should look for three key cable standards: ANSI/TIA 568, ISO/IEC 11801, and IEEE 802.3. These standards can usually be found on the cable jacket or packaging. Here is a detailed explanation of these standards, including their issuing organizations, applicable ranges, and purposes.

What Is the ANSI/TIA 568 Standard?

Established by the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the ANSI/TIA 568 standard is predominantly applied in North America, especially within the United States. Its purpose is to offer comprehensive guidelines for the design, installation, and maintenance of telecommunications cabling infrastructure in commercial buildings, ensuring compatibility and support for a broad spectrum of both existing and future networking technologies.

What Is the ISO/IEC 11801 Standard?

The ISO/IEC 11801 standard is jointly developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and it shares a similar purpose with the ANSI/TIA 568 standard. However, ISO/IEC 11801 is a global standard for generic cabling in customer premises, which is not only applicable to commercial buildings but also includes industrial buildings, residential buildings, data centers, and more.

Related article: Network Cable Standards for Generic Cabling: TIA 568 vs ISO 11801 vs EN 50173

What Is the IEEE 802.3 Standard?

The IEEE 802.3 standard, developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), is a comprehensive standard for wired Local Area Networks (LANs) applied globally. The IEEE 802.3ab standard stipulates the data rate support for different categories of Ethernet cables, ranging from 100BASE-T to 25/40BASE-T. Additionally, it specifies the technical requirements for network equipment, including electrical characteristics, signal transmission methods, connector types, data frame formats, and flow control.

Related article: Demystifying IEEE 802.3bt: When Do You Need It?

The table below summarizes the content stipulated by these three standards.

TIA-568	ISO 11801	IEEE 802.3ab Standard
		100BASE-T	1000BASE-T	2.5GBASE-T	5GBASE-T	10GBASE-T	25/40GBASE-T
Cat5	Class C	✓	/	/	/	/	/
Cat5e	Class D	✓	✓	Long-distance transmission is unstable	Long-distance transmission is unstable.	/	/
Cat6	Class E	✓	✓	✓	Long-distance transmission is unstable.	55 meters	/
Cat6a	Class EA	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	/
/	Class F	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	/
/	Class FA	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	/
Cat8	Class ⅠⅡ	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	30 meters

You can purchase bulk network cables from FS ranging from Cat5e to the latest Cat8, all of which have passed the three standards mentioned above.

Note: Cat7 and Cat7a were not officially recognized by TIA and were generally only used outside the United States. Cat8 was published with ANSI/TIA‑568‑C.2‑1 to meet the performance specification intended by Cat7.

Two Cable Certifications for Bulk Network Cables

When purchasing bulk network cable, it's crucial to ensure the cable complies with the standards mentioned above and verify if it has obtained UL and CPR certifications. The UL certification is recognized in North America, whereas the CPR certification is in Europe. These certifications are pivotal in determining if the cable's safety standards are up to par.

What Is the UL Certification?

UL stands for Underwriter Laboratories, a third-party certification company that's been around for over a century. It is dedicated to ensuring the safety and reliability of electrical products used by Americans in their everyday activities. Networking cables that have passed UL certification indicate that their performance and safety have been independently tested and verified to meet safety standards.

UL certification is primarily applied in the North American market. It specifies PVC (polyvinyl chloride) cable fire-resistance ratings, mainly including CM, CMR, and CMP.

The following table summarizes the UL-certified bulk Ethernet cable options offered by FS:

Cable Type	Shielding	Fire Rating	Product ID	Fire safety	Compliance
Cat5e Bulk Ethernet Cable	U/UTP	PVC CM	C5EUTPPVC	CM＜CMR＜CMP	CMP: UL910 CMR: UL1666 CMP: UL1581 CMX: UL1581
		PVC CMR
		PVC CMP
	F/UTP	PVC CM	C5EFTPPVC
		PVC CMR
Cat6 Bulk Ethernet Cable	U/UTP	PVC CM	C6UTPPVC
		PVC CMR
		PVC CMP
	F/UTP	PVC CM	C6FTPPVC
		PVC CMR
	SF/UTP	PVC CMR	C6SFTPPVC
Cat6a Bulk Ethernet Cable	U/UTP	PVC CMR	C6AUTPPVC
	U/FTP	PVC CMR	C6ASTPPVC
	F/UTP	PVC CMR	C6AFTPPVC
	S/FTP	PVC CMR	C6ASFTPPVC
Cat7 Bulk Ethernet Cable	S/FTP	PVC CMR	C7SFTPPVC
Cat8 Bulk Ethernet Cable	S/FTP	PVC CMR	C8SFTPPVC

What Is the CPR Certification？

The CPR (Construction Product Regulation) is a regulation issued by the European Union, and it has been in force since 1st July 2016. It applies to all products intended to be used permanently in construction.

The CPR assesses the safety and performance of cables when exposed to fire. Based on the test results, the fire resistance of cables is classified into seven levels: Aca, B1ca, B2ca, Cca, Dca, Eca, and Fca. Aca and B1ca are not applied to LSZH communication cables. This practice standardizes the flammability levels of copper cables and optical fibers across Europe.

Euroclass (ca)	Classification Criteria	Additional Criteria	AVCP System
A	Combustion Gross Heat (EN ISO 1716)	/	System 1+
B1	Heat Release Flame Spread EN 50399   Flame Propagadation EN 60332-1-2	Smoke Production (s1a, s1b, s2, s3) EN 50399, EN 61034-2   Acidity (a1, a2, a3) EN 60754-2   Flame Drop (d0, d1, d2) EN 50399
B2
C
D			System 3
E	Flame Propagadation (EN 60332-1-2)	/
F	/	/	System 4

The following table summarizes the CPR-certified bulk Ethernet cable options offered by FS:

Cable Type	Shielding	EuroClass	AWG	Compliance	Fire safety	Product ID
Cat5e Bulk Cable	U/UTP	LSZH Dca	24	B2ca/Cca/Dca: EN 50399 EN 60332-1-2 EN 61034-2 EN 60754-2   Eca: EN 60332-1-2	B2ca>Cca>Dca>Eca	C5EUTPLSZHD
Cat6 Bulk Cable	U/UTP	LSZH B2ca	23			C6UTPLSZHB
		LSZH Cca	23			C6UTPLSZHC
		LSZH Dca	24			C6UTPLSZHD
		LSZH Eca	24			C6UTPLSZHE
	F/UTP	LSZH B2ca	23			C6FTPLSZHB
		LSZH Eca	23			C6FTPLSZHE
Cat6a Bulk Cable	U/UTP	LSZH B2ca	23			C6AUTPLSZHB
		LSZH Dca	23			C6AUTPLSZHD
		LSZH Eca	23			C6AUTPLSZHE
	S/FTP	LSZH Cca	23			C6ASFTPLSZHC
	F/UTP	LSZH Dca	23			C6AFTPLSZHD
	F/FTP	LSZH Dca	23			C6AFFTPLSZHD
Cat7 Bulk Cable	S/FTP	LSZH Dca	23			C7SFTPLSZHD
Cat7a Bulk Cable	S/FTP	LSZH Cca	23			C7ASFTPLSZHC
Cat8 Bulk Cable	S/FTP	LSZH Dca	23			C8SFTPLSZHD

Note: FS's LSZH bulk network cables are available for sale exclusively in the European region.

FS Bulk Network Cables Compliant With Multiple Standards and Certifications

FS, a leading provider in the ICT sector, offers a comprehensive range of bulk network cables that adhere to the stringent requirements of the ANSI/TIA-568.2-D standard, the latest revision published in 2018. These bulk network cables, which also meet the global ISO/IEC 11801 standard and the advanced PoE capabilities of IEEE 802.3 af/at/bt standards, are designed to deliver seamless connectivity and reliability for our customers. Bulk network cables sold in the Eastern United States have all passed UL certification. LSZH bulk network cables sold in Europe have also all obtained CPR certification, complying with market access policies.

Why Buying FS Bulk Network Cables Compliant With Multiple Standards is a Good Investment

Purchasing network cables that comply with the ANSI/TIA 568, ISO/IEC 11801, and IEEE 802.3 standards, and have obtained UL or CPR certifications can offer several benefits:

Ensure Personal Safety and Property Security

Network cables that pass these standards and certifications offer enhanced safety in both construction projects and industrial applications, safeguarding lives and property. For enterprises, this also helps to prevent penalties that may arise from using non-compliant, substandard network cables.

Reliable Performance in Various Environments

FS bulk Ethernet cables meet the ANSI/TIA 568 standard and comply with the ISO/IEC 11801 standard, ensuring their applicability and high performance globally. By adhering to these international standards, FS cables can provide reliable performance in various environments.

Offer You a Future-Proof Solution

The network must grow year over year, and as a data center owner or contractor, you certainly do not want network demands to outpace the performance of your cables too early due to technological advancements. FS bulk network cables compliant with ANSI/TIA 568 and ISO/IEC 11801 standards can meet these demands. These standards encompass a variety of cables from Cat5e with speeds up to 1 Gbps to Cat8 with speeds up to 40 Gbps, enabling customers to select cables that meet their future requirements.

Lower Maintenance Costs and Incident Rates

FS bulk network cables meeting these standards indicate that they have undergone rigorous quality testing before reaching your delivery destination, meeting industry-recognized benchmarks for cable performance and reliability. This reliability reduces the risk of network failures due to defective cabling, thereby lowering maintenance costs and incident rates.

Simplify Your Installation and Cabling Work

Supporting PoE is a key feature of the IEEE 802.3 standard. FS bulk network cables compliant with this standard can transmit data signals while also providing power to network devices. This eliminates the need for separate power lines to be connected to the devices, saving both effort and costs.

Allow Flexible Device Placement

Another benefit you can gain from buying PoE-supported FS bulk network cables is that they allow more flexible network device deployment, as device placement is no longer constrained by power outlet locations, enabling more freedom in choosing installation sites.

Power Devices With Different Power Requirements

FS bulk network cables comply with the IEEE 802.3 af/at/bt standards, ensuring they meet the power requirements of devices, whether they are low-power or high-power applications, thereby providing a stable power supply.

Conclusion

Choosing the right network cables is crucial for network cabling projects. FS bulk network cables, compliant with ANSI/TIA 568, ISO/IEC11801, and IEEE 802.3 standards provide customers with reliable, high-performance network solutions. By meeting future network growth demands, enhancing economic benefits, and ensuring the quality of cabling systems, FS series bulk network cables emerge as the intelligent choice for your network cabling projects.