IEC 61156-9:2016
(Main)Multicore and symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital communications - Part 9: Cables for channels with transmission characteristics up to 2 GHz - Sectional specification
Multicore and symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital communications - Part 9: Cables for channels with transmission characteristics up to 2 GHz - Sectional specification
IEC 61156-9:2016(E) describes cables primarily intended for the fixed part of channels as defined in ISO/IEC 11801 and in ISO/IEC TR 11801-9901 which is planned to be included in the next edition of ISO/IEC 11801-1. It covers overall screened cables with screened (X/FTP) or unscreened (X/UTP) pairs, where X stands for F, S or SF, as well as pair-screened cables without overall screen (U/FTP). The transmission characteristics of these cables are specified up to a frequency of 2 000 MHz and at a temperature of 20 °C. Two categories of cables are recognised:
- Category 8.1 for use in Class I according to ISO/IEC TR 11801-9901;
- Category 8.2 for use in Class II according to ISO/IEC TR 11801-9901.
General Information
Overview
IEC 61156-9:2016 is an international sectional specification in the IEC 61156 series for multicore and symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital communications. It specifies cables intended primarily for the fixed part of channels defined by ISO/IEC 11801 and ISO/IEC TR 11801-9901, with transmission characteristics measured up to 2 000 MHz (2 GHz) at 20 °C. The standard covers overall-screened and pair-screened constructions - X/FTP, X/UTP (X = F, S or SF) and U/FTP - and recognises two cable categories: Category 8.1 (for Class I) and Category 8.2 (for Class II).
Key Topics and Requirements
This sectional specification addresses both construction and performance aspects, including:
- Materials & cable construction: overall screens, pair screening and sheath requirements for high-frequency channels.
- Electrical characteristics & tests: conductor resistance, resistance unbalance, dielectric strength, insulation resistance, mutual capacitance and capacitance unbalance, transfer impedance, coupling attenuation, and current-carrying capacity.
- Transmission characteristics: velocity of propagation, phase and differential delay (delay skew), attenuation up to 2 GHz, unbalance attenuation (TCL), near‑end crosstalk (NEXT), far‑end crosstalk (ACR‑F), alien (exogenous) NEXT/ACR (ANEXT/AFEXT), impedance, and return loss.
- Mechanical requirements: dimensional tolerances, tensile strength and elongation of conductors/insulation/sheath, crush and impact tests, bending and repeated bending performance.
- Environmental ageing and safety: thermal ageing, cold/heat shock, damp heat, UV resistance, solvent exposure, salt mist, water immersion, wicking, flame propagation, smoke and halogen gas evolution, and integrated fire testing.
- Bundled cable behaviour: crosstalk and heat considerations for cables installed in bundles.
The document includes referenced test methods and tabulated performance criteria for coupling attenuation, NEXT/PS NEXT, ACR‑F, TCL/ELTCTL, and return loss.
Applications and Who Uses This Standard
IEC 61156-9 targets professionals and organizations involved in high-performance structured cabling and digital communications, including:
- Cable manufacturers and R&D teams developing Category 8‑class products
- Data center and enterprise network designers specifying fixed-channel cabling
- Installation and commissioning contractors verifying compliance
- Test labs and certification bodies performing electrical/mechanical testing
- Standards writers and procurement teams specifying Class I/Class II channel infrastructures
Practical uses include fixed cabling for high-frequency enterprise and data‑center channels that require four-pair simultaneous operation and support for remote powering (e.g., Power over Ethernet: IEEE 802.3af/at/bt).
Related Standards
- ISO/IEC 11801 and ISO/IEC TR 11801-9901 (channel classes and cabling topology)
- Other parts of IEC 61156 series (multicore and symmetric cables)
- IEC PAS 61156-1-4, IEC TR 61156-1-6 (installation and power delivery guidance)
- IEEE 802.3af/at/bt (PoE specifications)
Keywords: IEC 61156-9, Category 8.1, Category 8.2, X/FTP, X/UTP, U/FTP, 2 GHz cabling, ISO/IEC 11801, structured cabling, PoE, high-frequency channels.
Standards Content (Sample)
IEC 61156-9 ®
Edition 1.0 2016-04
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
Multicore and symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital communications –
Part 9: Cables for channels with transmission characteristics up to 2 GHz –
Sectional specification
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IEC 61156-9 ®
Edition 1.0 2016-04
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
Multicore and symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital communications –
Part 9: Cables for channels with transmission characteristics up to 2 GHz –
Sectional specification
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 33.120.20 ISBN 978-2-8322-3350-4
– 2 – IEC 61156-9:2016 © IEC 2016
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 4
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references. 6
3 Terms and definitions . 7
4 Installation considerations. 7
5 Materials and cable construction . 7
6 Characteristics and requirements . 7
6.1 General remarks . 7
6.2 Electrical characteristics and tests . 8
6.2.1 Conductor resistance . 8
6.2.2 Resistance unbalance . 8
6.2.3 Dielectric strength . 8
6.2.4 Insulation resistance . 8
6.2.5 Mutual capacitance . 8
6.2.6 Capacitance unbalance . 8
6.2.7 Transfer impedance . 8
6.2.8 Coupling attenuation . 8
6.2.9 Current-carrying capacity . 9
6.3 Transmission characteristics . 9
6.3.1 Velocity of propagation (phase velocity) . 9
6.3.2 Phase delay and differential delay (delay skew) . 9
6.3.3 Attenuation (α) . 9
6.3.4 Unbalance attenuation (TCL) . 10
6.3.5 Near-end crosstalk (NEXT) . 10
6.3.6 Far-end crosstalk (ACR-F) . 11
6.3.7 Alien (exogenous) near-end crosstalk (ANEXT) . 11
6.3.8 Alien (exogenous) far-end crosstalk (AFEXT). 12
6.3.9 Alien (exogenous) crosstalk of bundled cables . 12
6.3.10 Impedance . 12
6.3.11 Return loss (RL) . 12
6.4 Mechanical and dimensional characteristics and requirements . 13
6.4.1 Dimensional requirements . 13
6.4.2 Elongation at break of the conductors . 13
6.4.3 Tensile strength of the insulation . 13
6.4.4 Elongation at break of the insulation . 13
6.4.5 Adhesion of the insulation to the conductor . 13
6.4.6 Elongation at break of the sheath . 13
6.4.7 Tensile strength of the sheath . 13
6.4.8 Crush test of the cable . 13
6.4.9 Impact test of the cable . 13
6.4.10 Bending under tension . 13
6.4.11 Repeated bending of the cable . 14
6.4.12 Tensile performance of the cable . 14
6.4.13 Shock-test requirements of the cable . 14
6.4.14 Bump-test requirements of the cable . 14
6.4.15 Vibration-test requirements of a cable . 14
6.5 Environmental characteristics . 14
6.5.1 Shrinkage of insulation . 14
6.5.2 Wrapping test of insulation after thermal ageing . 14
6.5.3 Bending test of insulation at low temperature . 14
6.5.4 Elongation at break of the sheath after ageing . 14
6.5.5 Tensile strength of the sheath after ageing . 14
6.5.6 Sheath pressure test at high temperature . 14
6.5.7 Cold bend test of the cable . 14
6.5.8 Heat shock test . 14
6.5.9 Damp heat steady state. 15
6.5.10 Solar radiation (UV test) . 15
6.5.11 Solvents and contaminating fluids. 15
6.5.12 Salt mist and sulphur dioxide . 15
6.5.13 Water immersion . 15
6.5.14 Hygroscopicity . 15
6.5.15 Wicking . 15
6.5.16 Flame propagation characteristics of a single cable . 15
6.5.17 Flame propagation characteristics of bunched cables. 15
6.5.18 Halogen gas evolution . 15
6.5.19 Smoke generation . 15
6.5.20 Toxic gas emission . 15
6.5.21 Integrated fire test . 15
7 Bundled cables requirements . 16
8 Introduction to the blank detail specification . 16
Bibliography . 17
Table 1 – Coupling attenuation . 9
Table 2 – Attenuation equation constants . 10
Table 3 – TCL requirements . 10
Table 4 – ELTCTL requirements . 10
Table 5 – NEXT and PS NEXT requirements . 11
Table 6 – ACR-F and PS ACR-F requirements . 11
Table 7 – PS ANEXT requirements . 11
Table 8 – PS AACR-F requirements . 12
Table 9 – RL requirements . 12
– 4 – IEC 61156-9:2016 © IEC 2016
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
MULTICORE AND SYMMETRICAL PAIR/QUAD CABLES
FOR DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS –
Part 9: Cables for channels with transmission characteristics
up to 2 GHz – Sectional specification
FOREWORD
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International Standard IEC 61156-9 has been prepared by subcommittee 46C: Wires and
symmetric cables, of IEC technical committee 46: Cables, wires, waveguides, RF connectors,
RF and microwave passive components and accessories.
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
46C/1037/FDIS 46C/1041/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard can be found in the report on
voting indicated in the above table.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
A list of all parts in the IEC 61156 series, published under the general title Multicore and
symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital communications, can be found on the IEC website.
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until
the stability date indicated on the IEC website under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data
related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
A bilingual version of this publication may be issued at a later date.
– 6 – IEC 61156-9:2016 © IEC 2016
MULTICORE AND SYMMETRICAL PAIR/QUAD CABLES
FOR DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS –
Part 9: Cables for channels with transmission characteristics
up to 2 GHz – Sectional specification
1 Scope
This part of IEC 61156 describes cables primarily intended for the fixed part of channels as
defined in ISO/IEC 11801 and in ISO/IEC TR 11801-9901 which is planned to be included in
the next edition of ISO/IEC 11801-1. It covers overall screened cables with screened (X/FTP)
or unscreened (X/UTP) pairs, where X stands for F, S or SF, as well as pair-screened cables
without overall screen (U/FTP). The transmission characteristics of these cables are specified
up to a frequency of 2 000 MHz and at a temperature of 20 °C. Two categories of cables are
recognised:
• Category 8.1 for use in Class I according to ISO/IEC TR 11801-9901;
• Category 8.2 for use in Class II according to ISO/IEC TR 1180
...
Frequently Asked Questions
IEC 61156-9:2016 is a standard published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Its full title is "Multicore and symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital communications - Part 9: Cables for channels with transmission characteristics up to 2 GHz - Sectional specification". This standard covers: IEC 61156-9:2016(E) describes cables primarily intended for the fixed part of channels as defined in ISO/IEC 11801 and in ISO/IEC TR 11801-9901 which is planned to be included in the next edition of ISO/IEC 11801-1. It covers overall screened cables with screened (X/FTP) or unscreened (X/UTP) pairs, where X stands for F, S or SF, as well as pair-screened cables without overall screen (U/FTP). The transmission characteristics of these cables are specified up to a frequency of 2 000 MHz and at a temperature of 20 °C. Two categories of cables are recognised: - Category 8.1 for use in Class I according to ISO/IEC TR 11801-9901; - Category 8.2 for use in Class II according to ISO/IEC TR 11801-9901.
IEC 61156-9:2016(E) describes cables primarily intended for the fixed part of channels as defined in ISO/IEC 11801 and in ISO/IEC TR 11801-9901 which is planned to be included in the next edition of ISO/IEC 11801-1. It covers overall screened cables with screened (X/FTP) or unscreened (X/UTP) pairs, where X stands for F, S or SF, as well as pair-screened cables without overall screen (U/FTP). The transmission characteristics of these cables are specified up to a frequency of 2 000 MHz and at a temperature of 20 °C. Two categories of cables are recognised: - Category 8.1 for use in Class I according to ISO/IEC TR 11801-9901; - Category 8.2 for use in Class II according to ISO/IEC TR 11801-9901.
IEC 61156-9:2016 is classified under the following ICS (International Classification for Standards) categories: 33.120.20 - Wires and symmetrical cables. The ICS classification helps identify the subject area and facilitates finding related standards.
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