CAT6A has really stood the test of time. Ever since its creation in the early 2000’s as a reliable cable that had flexibility for speeds that some couldn’t even fathom at the time in the early 2000’s. This article from CommScope explores why CAT6A is a reliable choice for contractors and customers a like even after some 17 years since its creation. Check it out in the post below.
The year 2004 brought a lot in terms of technical advancements. The birth of Facebook, the coming of Bluetooth, and HDTV just to name a few. But absolutely no one would notice the dark horse that would come to fruition that year, CAT6A. The future was being thought of when CAT6A was created. CAT6A could support 10GBASE-T (10 Gigabit Ethernet) which at the time was really overkill for the time but this made it possible for customers to expand for the future. Companies like CommScope were advertising the use of CAT6A cabling because of its expandability for years to come.
Still to this day CAT6A is used and is recommended in education and healthcare facilities. With the increase in popularity comes cheaper cost meaning that this “premium” type of cable is now more affordable and accessible to the everyday consumer. As the years go on someone is going to ask, why not wait until CAT 7 or CAT 8? In 2021, you do not see CAT 7 or CAT 8 in use for cabling installations. There are shielded connectors and patch cables that support CAT 7 or CAT 8 but are really only used in hybrid networks. CAT 8 supports 40GBASE-T but manufacturers have not produced networking equipment to support 40GBASE-T yet.
So, as of now and for many years, CAT6A will be widely used across the world. While CAT 7 and CAT 8 standards build up steam in the next few years, CAT6A who holds the crown will not be dethroned for years to come.
Blog inspired from:
