TIA Cat 6A channel ≠ ISO Class EA  channel either!

While the primary concern for installers, network designers, and contractors prioritize the performance of the permanent link and channel, it's important to remember that a solid cabling solution is built upon good "connectivity" and "cable" respectively. The superiority of ISO-11801 Cat 6A Component-Rated over TIA-568.2-D Cat 6A Component Rated is a well-known fact, but not many people are aware of the more stringent NEXT requirement of ISO-11801 ClassEA cabling when compared to TIA-568.2-D Cat 6A cabling.

The significant difference between the two can be clearly seen in the following charts:

ISO-11801 Class EA imposes a stricter limit on channel performance compared to TIA-568.2-D Cat 6A, with a noticeable difference of 1.8dB at 500MHz between the two standards.

The Permanent Link standard exhibits even greater stringency compared to the Channel standard, with a significant difference of 2.5dB between the two standards! In certain cases, a margin of 2.5dB can represent the maximum headroom achievable in practical field installations.

Therefore, it can be concluded that ISO-11801 ClassEA exceeds the TIA-568.2-D Cat 6A NEXT requirement in both the Permanent Link and Channel categories.

How does it relate to you anyway?

Considering the difference between the two standards, you might wonder how it relates to you on site. We would like to provide you with a typical example that demonstrates why opting for premium standard specified connectivity is always a wise decision, as opposed to settling for products that merely meet the minimum requirements.

This particular sample we obtained from the market is labeled as Cat 6A on its body. We conducted a measurement of a 70-meter point-to-point connection using TIA-568.2-D Cat 6A Permanent Link testing.The critical NEXT pair achieved a satisfactory result of 2.3dB with a pleasant sound. However, we observed that the margin was situated at the worst pair value at 500MHz. While not exceptionally impressive, it still meets the required standards.

Subsequently, we conducted another test on the identical setup, this time using ISO 11801 Class EA Permanent Link standards. Unfortunately, the NEXT result indicated a failure of -0.2dB at 500MHz, accompanied by a harsh buzzing sound. As previously explained, this outcome can be attributed to the notable difference of 2.5dB between ISO-11801 Class EA and TIA-568.2-D Cat 6A standards.

This is why ISO-11801 Class EA comes in

By utilizing the HCI Component-Rated keystone jack 3013AKVA6AI, we simply replaced the jacks while maintaining the same 70-meter point-to-point setup.

The chart clearly illustrates the results. The HCI Component-Rated keystone jack 3013AKVA6AI not only surpassed the ISO 11801 Class EA limit with a margin of 7.1dB but also exceeded the TIA 568.2-D Cat 6A limit by an even greater margin of 9.4dB, which comes as no surprise.

Why compromise?

We would like to emphasize the initial point once again: A solid cabling solution is built upon good "connectivity" and "cable" respectively. Outside the United States, ISO 11801 Class EA is commonly used to certify Category 6A installations. It is crucial not to compromise when you have access to a premium solution that can greatly benefit your needs.

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