Siemon Cat 6a Cable

Siemon Cat 6A UTP Cable — 305m Reel

The Siemon Cat 6A UTP cable is an augmented Category 6 structured cabling solution engineered for 10 Gigabit Ethernet over the full 100-metre horizontal channel. It exceeds the ANSI/TIA-568.2-D and ISO/IEC 11801 Cat 6A (Class EA) performance standards, delivering the bandwidth headroom and alien crosstalk suppression required in high-density enterprise, data centre, and converged network environments.

Cat 6A represents a meaningful step beyond Cat 6. Specifically, it doubles the rated bandwidth from 250 MHz to 500 MHz and mandates full 10GBASE-T support across the complete 100-metre channel — removing the distance limitation present in Cat 6 deployments. Furthermore, Siemon’s manufacturing consistency across the full 305-metre reel ensures that performance parameters are maintained throughout every run, not just at the sample termination points.

Performance and Bandwidth

The Siemon Cat 6A cable is rated to 500 MHz. This bandwidth ceiling supports 10GBASE-T (IEEE 802.3an) at the full 100-metre horizontal channel length — the primary differentiator between Cat 6A and standard Cat 6. Consequently, installations built on Cat 6A are positioned to support current 10G switching infrastructure and future 25G or 40G applications over shorter distances.

Alien crosstalk (AXT) is the defining challenge of Cat 6A unshielded designs. Siemon addresses this through controlled pair geometry, tighter twist rates, and an internal spline separator. The result is a cable that meets the stringent PS-AANEXT and PS-AACR-F limits defined in TIA-568.2-D without requiring an overall foil shield — simplifying termination and reducing installation time compared to shielded alternatives.

Cable Construction

The Siemon Cat 6A cable uses four twisted pairs of 23 AWG bare copper conductors. Each pair is individually twisted at a controlled rate, and an internal cross-filler spline physically separates and stabilises the four pairs within the jacket. This construction method directly reduces both internal crosstalk between pairs and alien crosstalk from adjacent cables running in parallel — a critical factor in high-density cable bundles above ceiling voids or within cable trays.

The increased outer diameter compared to Cat 6 — typically around 7.5–8.0mm — is an inherent characteristic of Cat 6A UTP designs. This diameter increase must be factored into conduit fill calculations and cable management planning during infrastructure design.

The cable jacket is available in standard PVC (CMR riser-rated) and LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen) formulations. LSZH is specified for environments governed by fire safety regulations covering smoke toxicity and flame spread — including data centres, transportation hubs, healthcare facilities, and public buildings.

Installation Characteristics

The Siemon Cat 6A cable is supplied on a 305-metre (1,000 ft) pull-box reel. This format supports efficient deployment across horizontal cable runs, above-ceiling pathways, and conduit systems. The pull-box design enables controlled, tangle-free payout during installation.

The cable maintains a maximum pulling tension of 110N and a minimum bend radius of 32mm during installation. Adhering to these parameters is essential — Cat 6A cables are more sensitive to bend radius violations than Cat 6 due to the tighter construction tolerances required to achieve 500 MHz performance. Exceeding bend radius limits can permanently degrade alien crosstalk performance even when the cable appears undamaged.

Siemon’s Z-MAX Cat 6A keystone jacks and patch panels are the recommended termination components. When the full channel — cable, patch cords, and termination hardware — uses matched Siemon Cat 6A components, the installation qualifies for Siemon’s end-to-end channel warranty and guaranteed TIA-568.2-D / ISO/IEC 11801 Class EA performance.

Standards and Certifications

The Siemon Cat 6A cable is tested and verified against the following standards:

• ANSI/TIA-568.2-D — North American structured cabling standard for Cat 6A balanced twisted-pair cabling
• ISO/IEC 11801 — International performance specification for Class EA horizontal cabling
• IEEE 802.3an — 10GBASE-T Ethernet over twisted-pair copper
• IEEE 802.3bt — PoE++ (Type 3 and Type 4, up to 90W)
• IEC 60332 — Flame retardancy testing (LSZH variants)
• RoHS Compliant — Restriction of Hazardous Substances directive compliance
• ETL/UL Listed — Third-party verified to NEC Article 800 requirements (CMR/CMP as applicable)

Supported Applications

The Siemon Cat 6A cable supports the following network applications across the full 100-metre horizontal channel:

• 10GBASE-T — 10 Gigabit Ethernet at full 100m channel (IEEE 802.3an)
• 1000BASE-T — Gigabit Ethernet (IEEE 802.3ab), fully backward compatible
• 100BASE-TX — Fast Ethernet
• PoE++ — Up to 90W per port (IEEE 802.3bt Type 3/4) for high-power connected devices
• Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E Access Points — High-power PoE++ WAPs require Cat 6A for both power delivery and backhaul bandwidth
• IP Surveillance (4K/8K) — High-bitrate camera feeds over structured cabling
• VoIP and Unified Communications — Low-latency converged network infrastructure
• Building Automation and IoT — PoE-powered sensors, access control, and smart building devices

Ideal Users

• Enterprise Network Infrastructure Teams — Cat 6A delivers 10GBASE-T at the full 100-metre channel, removing the distance constraints of Cat 6 in 10G deployments. For organisations deploying 10G to the desktop or high-density wireless, the Siemon Cat 6A provides a future-proof horizontal cabling layer that avoids recabling within the next infrastructure refresh cycle.
• Data Centre Operators and Colocation Facilities — Top-of-rack and end-of-row switching architectures benefit from Cat 6A’s 500 MHz bandwidth and full 10G channel support. LSZH jacket availability satisfies fire safety specifications common in data centre builds. The unshielded construction simplifies termination in high-density patching environments.
• Structured Cabling Contractors — The 305m pull-box reel is the standard deployment format for horizontal cabling projects. Siemon’s TIA-568.2-D and Class EA certification, combined with matched Z-MAX termination hardware, supports end-to-end channel warranty delivery — a competitive differentiator in tender and specification-driven projects.
• Healthcare and Education Facilities — IEEE 802.3bt PoE++ support (up to 90W) accommodates high-power connected devices including PTZ IP cameras, 802.11ax access points, digital signage, nurse call stations, and interactive displays — all powered and connected over a single Cat 6A infrastructure.
• Government and Public Sector Infrastructure Projects — RoHS compliance, ETL/UL listing, and LSZH availability satisfy procurement and building regulation requirements common in government, defence, and public building specifications where both performance certification and material safety documentation are mandatory.

Cable Specifications

Performance Specifications

Physical Specifications

Installation Parameters

Certifications