According to a new report entitled “High Performance Structured Cabling Systems Markets,” by FTM Consulting and KMI Research, Category 7 cabling in the United States will be a fiber-based standard and will make a substantial impact on UTP (unshielded twisted pair) cabling after its initial introductory phase. The penetration of Cat 7 into the cabling system market, however, will progress during the next five years.
The report states that, by 2006, approximately 4 percent of Cat-7 cable will be in use. Cat-6 cable, however, will be widely used during that time (60 percent), with Cat-5e cable at 27 percent and Cat-5 cable at 9 percent. Fiberoptics are expected to address the 600-MHz bandwidth requirements of Cat 7 in the U.S. as early experiences with STP (shielded twisted pair) alternatives in this market proved the cable to be cumbersome and difficult to install in U.S. systems. Therefore, the new report concludes that Cat 7 will be a fiber system rather than a copper-based UTP or STP system.
“Everyone is aware that the newer high performance cabling systems, as they are released by the TIA standards body, will replace the existing high performance cabling systems. The primary issues are, how fast will this occur and to what extent?” says Frank Murawski, study author and president of FTM Consulting.
