IEC 61156-5:2009

IEC 61156-5 ®
Edition 2.1 2012-12
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Multicore and symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital communications –
Part 5: Symmetrical pair/quad cables with transmission characteristics up to
1 000 MHz – Horizontal floor wiring – Sectional specification

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IEC 61156-5 ®
Edition 2.1 2012-12
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Multicore and symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital communications –

Part 5: Symmetrical pair/quad cables with transmission characteristics up to

1 000 MHz – Horizontal floor wiring – Sectional specification

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 33.120.20 ISBN 978-2-8322-0561-7

– 2 – 61156-5  IEC:2009+A1:2012(E)

CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 5

1 Scope . 7

2 Normative references . 7

3 Terms and definitions . 8

4 Installation considerations . 8

4.1 General remarks. 8

4.2 Bending radius of installed cable. . 8

4.3 Climatic conditions . 8
5 Materials and cable construction . 8
5.1 General remarks. 8
5.2 Cable construction . 8
5.2.1 Conductor . 8
5.2.2 Insulation. 8
5.2.3 Cable element . 9
5.2.4 Cable make-up . 9
5.2.5 Screening of the cable core . 9
5.2.6 Sheath . 9
5.2.7 Identification . 9
5.2.8 Finished cable . 10
6 Characteristics and requirements . 10
6.1 General remarks. 10
6.2 Electrical characteristics and tests . 10
6.2.1 Conductor resistance . 10
6.2.2 Resistance unbalance . 10
6.2.3 Dielectric strength . 10
6.2.4 Insulation resistance . 10
6.2.5 Mutual capacitance . 10
6.2.6 Capacitance unbalance . 10
6.2.7 Transfer impedance . 11
6.2.8 Coupling attenuation . 11
6.2.9 Current-carrying capacity. 12
6.3 Transmission characteristics . 12

6.3.1 Velocity of propagation (phase velocity) . 12
6.3.2 Phase delay and differential delay (delay skew) . 12
6.3.3 Attenuation (α) . 12
6.3.4 Unbalance attenuation (TCL) . 13
6.3.5 Near-end crosstalk (NEXT) . 14
6.3.6 Far-end crosstalk (FEXT) . 14
6.3.7 Alien (exogenous) near-end crosstalk (ANEXT) . 15
6.3.8 Alien (exogenous) far-end crosstalk (AFEXT) . 15
6.3.9 Alien (exogenous) crosstalk of bundled cables . 16
6.3.10 Impedance. 16
6.3.11 Return loss (RL) . 17
6.4 Mechanical and dimensional characteristics and requirements . 17
6.4.1 Dimensional requirements . 17
6.4.2 Elongation at break of the conductors . 18

61156-5  IEC:2009+A1:2012(E) – 3 –

6.4.3 Tensile strength of the insulation . 18

6.4.4 Elongation at break of the insulation . 18

6.4.5 Adhesion of the insulation to the conductor . 18

6.4.6 Elongation at break of the sheath . 18

6.4.7 Tensile strength of the sheath . 18

6.4.8 Crush test of the cable . 18

6.4.9 Impact test of the cable . 18

6.4.10 Bending under tension . 18

6.4.11 Repeated bending of the cable . 18

6.4.12 Tensile performance of the cable . 18

6.4.13 Shock-test requirements of the cable . 18
6.4.14 Bump-test requirements of the cable . 18
6.4.15 Vibration-test requirements of a cable . 19
6.5 Environmental characteristics . 19
6.5.1 Shrinkage of insulation . 19
6.5.2 Wrapping test of insulation after thermal ageing . 19
6.5.3 Bending test of insulation at low temperature . 19
6.5.4 Elongation at break of the sheath after ageing . 19
6.5.5 Tensile strength of the sheath after ageing . 19
6.5.6 Sheath pressure test at high temperature . 19
6.5.7 Cold bend test of the cable . 19
6.5.8 Heat shock test. 19
6.5.9 Damp heat steady state . 19
6.5.10 Solar radiation (UV test) . 19
6.5.11 Solvents and contaminating fluids . 19
6.5.12 Salt mist and sulphur dioxide . 20
6.5.13 Water immersion . 20
6.5.14 Hygroscopicity . 20
6.5.15 Wicking . 20
6.5.16 Flame propagation characteristics of a single cable . 20
6.5.17 Flame propagation characteristics of bunched cables . 20
6.5.18 Halogen gas evolution . 20
6.5.19 Smoke generation . 20
6.5.20 Toxic gas emission . 20
6.5.21 Integrated fire test . 20

7 Category 5e multipair cable . 20
7.1 General . 20
7.2 Transmission . 21
8 Introduction to the blank detail specification . 21

Annex A (informative) Acronyms for common cable constructions . 22

Bibliography . 24

Figure 1 – Impedance template . 17
Figure A.1 – Common cable construction examples . 23

– 4 – 61156-5  IEC:2009+A1:2012(E)

Table 1 – Cable categories . 7

Table 2 – Transfer impedance . 11

Table 3 – Coupling attenuation . 11

Table 4 – Attenuation equation constants . 13

Table 5 – Near-end unbalance attenuation . 14

Table 6 – Worst-pair PS NEXT(1) values . 14

Table 7 – Worst-pair PS EL FEXT(1) values . 15

Table 8 – PS ANEXT . 15

Table 9 – PS AACR-F . 16
Table 10 – Return loss . 17
Table A.1 – Cable construction acronyms . 22

61156-5 © IEC:2009+A1:2012(E) – 5 –

INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION

____________
MULTICORE AND SYMMETRICAL PAIR/QUAD CABLES

FOR DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS –
Part 5: Symmetrical pair/quad cables

with transmission characteristics up to

1 000 MHz-horizontal floor wiring –

Sectional specification
FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
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agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation from all
interested IEC National Committees.
3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
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5) IEC itself does not provide any attestation of conformity. Independent certification bodies provide conformity
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6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
7) No liability shall attach to IEC or its directors, employees, servants or agents including individual experts and
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8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of
patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This consolidated version of IEC 61156-5 consists of the second edition (2009)
[documents 46C/878/FDIS, 46C/888/RVD], its amendment 1 (2012) [documents
46C/954/CDV and 46C/967/RVC], its corrigenda of May 2009 and February 2010. It bears
the edition number 2.1.
The technical content is therefore identical to the base edition and its amendment and
has been prepared for user convenience. A vertical line in the margin shows where the
base publication has been modified by amendment 1. Additions and deletions are
displayed in red, with deletions being struck through.

– 6 – 61156-5  IEC:2009+A1:2012(E)

International Standard IEC 61156-5 has been prepared by subcommittee 46C: Wires and

symmetric cables, of IEC technical committee 46: Cables, wires, waveguides, R.F.

connectors, R.F. and microwave passive components and accessories.

This part of IEC 61156 is to be read in conjunction with IEC 61156-1.

This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous

edition:
a) new requirements for new Cat6 and Cat7 cables;
A A
b) revised requirements and tests for Cat5e, Cat6 and Cat7 cables.

This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
A list of all parts of the IEC 61156 series, 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 the base publication and its amendments will
remain unchanged until the stability date indicated on the IEC web site 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.

IMPORTANT – The “colour inside” logo on the cover page of this publication indicates
that it contains colours which are considered to be useful for the correct understanding
of its contents. Users should therefore print this publication using a colour printer.

61156-5  IEC:2009+A1:2012(E) – 7 –

MULTICORE AND SYMMETRICAL PAIR/QUAD CABLES

FOR DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS –
Part 5: Symmetrical pair/quad cables

with transmission characteristics up to

1 000 MHz-horizontal floor wiring –

Sectional specification
1 Scope
This part of IEC 61156 describes the cables intended primarily for horizontal floor wiring as
defined in ISO/IEC 11801.
It covers individually screened, common screened and unscreened pairs or quads (see
Annex A). The transmission characteristics and the frequency range (see Table 1) of the
cables are specified at 20 °C.
Table 1 – Cable categories
Maximum referenced
Cable designation frequency
MHz
Category 5e 100
Category 6 250
Category 6 500
A
Category 7 600
Category 7 1 000
A
These cables can be used for various communication channels which use as many as four
pairs simultaneously. In this sense, this sectional specification provides the cable
characteristics required by system developers to evaluate new systems.
The cables covered by this standard are intended to operate with voltages and currents
normally encountered in communication systems. While these cables are not intended to be
used in conjunction with low impedance sources, for example, the electric power supplies of

public utility mains, they are intended to be used to support the delivery of low voltage and
power applications such as IEEE 802.3af (Power over Ethernet) and IEEE 802.3at (Power
over Ethernet Plus).
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document.
For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition
of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
IEC 61156-1, Multicore and symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital communications – Part 1:
Generic specification
IEC 61156-5-1, Multicore and symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital communications –
Symmetrical pair/quad cables with transmission characteristics up to 1 000 MHz – Horizontal
floor wiring – Blank detail specification

– 8 – 61156-5  IEC:2009+A1:2012(E)

IEC 62153-4-5, Metallic communication cables test methods – Part 4-5: Electromagnetic

compatibility (EMC) – Coupling or screening attenuation – Absorbing clamp method

IEC 62153-4-9, Metallic communication cable test methods – Part 4-9: Electromagnetic

compatibility (EMC) – Coupling attenuation of screened balanced cables, triaxial method

3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions defined in IEC 61156-1 apply.

4 Installation considerations
4.1 General remarks
Installation considerations are defined in Clause 4 of IEC 61156-1.
4.2 Bending radius of installed cable.
The bending radius of the installed cable shall not be less than 4 times the outside diameter
of the cable.
4.3 Climatic conditions
Under static conditions, the cables shall operate in the temperature range from –40 °C to
+60 °C. The conductor and cable temperature dependence is specified for screened and
unscreened cables and should be taken into account for the design of an actual cabling
system.
Other temperature ranges may be specified in the relevant detail specification.
5 Materials and cable construction
5.1 General remarks
The choice of materials and cable construction shall be suitable for the intended application
and installation of the cable. Particular care shall be taken to meet any requirements for EMC
and fire performance (such as burning properties, smoke generation, evolution of halogen
gas, etc.).
5.2 Cable construction
The cable construction shall be in accordance with the details and dimensions given in the
relevant detail specification.
5.2.1 Conductor
The conductor shall be a solid annealed copper conductor, in accordance with 5.2.1 of
IEC 61156-1 and should have a nominal diameter between 0,4 mm and 0,65 mm. A conductor
diameter of up to 0,8 mm may be used.
5.2.2 Insulation
The conductor shall be insulated with a suitable material. Examples of suitable materials are:
– polyolefin;
– fluoropolymer;
– low-smoke zero-halogen thermoplastic material.

61156-5  IEC:2009+A1:2012(E) – 9 –

The diameter of the insulated conductor shall be indicated in the relevant detail specification.

5.2.3 Cable element
The cable element s
...