IEC 61156-6:2010

IEC 61156-6 ®
Edition 3.1 2012-12
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Multicore and symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital communications –
Part 6: Symmetrical pair/quad cables with transmission characteristics up to
1 000 MHz – Work area wiring – Sectional specification

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IEC 61156-6 ®
Edition 3.1 2012-12
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Multicore and symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital communications –

Part 6: Symmetrical pair/quad cables with transmission characteristics up to

1 000 MHz – Work area wiring – Sectional specification

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 33.120.20 ISBN 978-2-8322-0562-4

– 2 – 61156-6  IEC:2010+A1:2012(E)

CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 4

1 Scope . 6

2 Normative references . 6

3 Terms and definitions . 7

4 Installation considerations . 7

4.1 Climatic conditions . 7

5 Materials and cable construction . 7

5.1 General remarks. 7
5.2 Cable construction . 7
5.2.1 Conductor . 7
5.2.2 Insulation. 7
5.2.3 Cable element . 7
5.2.4 Cable make-up . 8
5.2.5 Screening of the cable core . 8
5.2.6 Sheath . 8
5.2.7 Identification . 8
6 Characteristics and requirements . 8
6.1 General remarks. 8
6.2 Electrical characteristics and tests . 9
6.2.1 Conductor resistance . 9
6.2.2 Resistance unbalance . 9
6.2.3 Dielectric strength . 9
6.2.4 Insulation resistance . 9
6.2.5 Mutual capacitance . 9
6.2.6 Capacitance unbalance . 9
6.2.7 Transfer impedance . 9
6.2.8 Coupling attenuation . 10
6.2.9 Current-carrying capacity. 11
6.3 Transmission characteristics . 11
6.3.1 Velocity of propagation (phase velocity) . 11
6.3.2 Phase delay and differential delay (delay skew) . 11
6.3.3 Attenuation . 11

6.3.4 Unbalance attenuation . 12
6.3.5 Near-end crosstalk (NEXT) . 13
6.3.6 Attenuation to crosstalk ratio far end (PS ACR-F) . 13
6.3.7 Alien (exogenous) near end crosstalk . 14
6.3.8 Alien (exogenous) far-end crosstalk (AACR-F) . 14
6.3.9 Alien (exogenous) crosstalk of bundled cables . 14
6.3.10 Impedance. 14
6.3.11 Return loss (RL) . 15
6.4 Mechanical and dimensional characteristics and requirements . 16
6.4.1 Dimensional requirements . 16
6.4.2 Elongation at break of the conductors . 16
6.4.3 Tensile strength of the insulation . 16
6.4.4 Elongation at break of the insulation . 16
6.4.5 Adhesion of the insulation to the conductor . 16

61156-6  IEC:2010+A1:2012(E) – 3 –

6.4.6 Elongation at break of the sheath . 16

6.4.7 Tensile strength of the sheath . 16

6.4.8 Crush test of the cable . 16

6.4.9 Impact test of the cable . 17

6.4.10 Bending under tension . 17

6.4.11 Repeated bending of the cable . 17

6.4.12 Tensile performance of the cable . 17

6.4.13 Shock-test requirements of the cable . 17

6.4.14 Bump-test requirements of the cable . 17

6.4.15 Vibration-test requirements of a cable . 17

6.5 Environmental characteristics . 17
6.5.1 Shrinkage of the insulation . 17
6.5.2 Wrapping test of the insulation after thermal ageing . 17
6.5.3 Bending test of the insulation at low temperature . 17
6.5.4 Elongation at break of the sheath after ageing . 17
6.5.5 Tensile strength of the sheath after ageing . 17
6.5.6 Sheath pressure test at high temperature . 18
6.5.7 Cold bend test of the cable . 18
6.5.8 Heat shock test. 18
6.5.9 Damp heat steady state . 18
6.5.10 Solar radiation . 18
6.5.11 Solvents and contaminating fluids . 18
6.5.12 Salt mist and sulphur dioxide . 18
6.5.13 Water immersion . 18
6.5.14 Hygroscopicity . 18
6.5.15 Wicking . 18
6.5.16 Flame propagation characteristics of a single cable . 18
6.5.17 Flame propagation characteristics of bunched cables . 18
6.5.18 Halogen gas evolution . 18
6.5.19 Smoke generation . 19
6.5.20 Toxic gas emission . 19
6.5.21 Integrated fire test . 19
7 Introduction to the blank detail specification . 19
Bibliography . 20

Figure 1 – Impedance template . 15

Table 1 – Cable categories . 6
Table 2 – Transfer impedance . 10
Table 3 – Coupling attenuation . 10
Table 4 – Attenuation, constant values . 12
Table 5 – Near-end unbalance attenuation . 12
Table 6 – Worst pair PS NEXT values . 13
Table 7 – Worst pair PS ACR-F . 13
Table 8 – PS ANEXT . 14
Table 9 – PS AACR-F (PS AELFEXT) . 14
Table 10 – Return loss . 16

– 4 – 61156-6  IEC:2010+A1:2012(E)

INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION

____________
MULTICORE AND SYMMETRICAL PAIR/QUAD CABLES

FOR DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS –
Part 6: Symmetrical pair/quad cables with transmission

characteristics up to 1 000 MHz –

Work area 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
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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 61156-6 consists of the third edition (2010)
[documents 46C/903/FDIS and 46C/908/RVD] and its amendment 1 (2012) [documents
46C/955/CDV and 46C/968/RVC]. It bears the edition number 3.1.
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.

61156-6  IEC:2010+A1:2012(E) – 5 –

International Standard IEC 61156-6 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 edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous

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

This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.

This standard shall be read in conjunction with IEC 61156-1:2007.
The list of all the 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.

– 6 – 61156-6  IEC:2010+A1:2012(E)

MULTICORE AND SYMMETRICAL PAIR/QUAD CABLES

FOR DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS –
Part 6: Symmetrical pair/quad cables with transmission

characteristics up to 1 000 MHz –

Work area wiring – Sectional specification

1 Scope
This part of IEC 61156 makes reference to IEC 61156-1. The cables described herein are
intended primarily for work area wiring as defined in ISO/IEC 11801 and ISO/IEC 24702.
It covers individually screened, common screened and unscreened pairs or quads. 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. 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’s 802.3af (Power over Ethernet) and 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 61156-1:2007, Multicore and symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital communications –
Part 1: Generic specification
IEC 61156-6-1, Multicore and symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital communications –
Part 6-1: Symmetrical pair/quad cables with transmission characteristics up to 1 000 MHz –
Work area wiring – Blank detail specification

61156-6  IEC:2010+A1:2012(E) – 7 –

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 given in IEC 61156-1 apply.

4 Installation considerations
See Clause 4 of IEC 61156-1.
4.1 Climatic conditions
Under static conditions, the cables shall operate in the temperature range from –20 °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.
5 Materials and cable c
...