Cat6A UTP Patch Cord, 28 AWG Stranded, 500 MHz, 10G

Overview

A Cat6A UTP patch cord in 28 AWG stranded copper is the light-duty end of the Category 6A range: thinner, lighter and more flexible than a 23 AWG cord, and intended for the patch zone rather than for permanent horizontal cabling. Where the run is short, the environment is benign and the bundle is dense, it is the right tool – top-of-rack patching, Wi-Fi access point cabinets and edge enclosures where space is the constraint.

Key Specifications

Cable type	Cat6A UTP stranded patch cord
Conductor	28 AWG stranded copper
Construction	UTP, unshielded, 4 pairs
Bandwidth	500 MHz
Length	0.15 m to 5 m, custom on request
Connectors	RJ45 to RJ45, snagless boot
Standards	TIA-568.2-D, ISO/IEC 11801 Class EA
Rating	10GBASE-T to 100 m, PoE+ capable with length derating
Colors	Six standard colors

Stranded versus solid: the decision behind this cord

Every patch cord is a compromise between flex life and electrical margin, and the conductor is where that compromise is made. Solid conductors have lower DC resistance and lower insertion loss per meter, which is why permanent horizontal cabling uses them. Stranded conductors survive being coiled, re-patched and moved, which is why equipment cords use them. Putting one in place of the other is the most common specification error we see in cabinet work.

Property	Stranded, 28 AWG patch	Solid, 23 AWG horizontal
Flex life	High – survives repeated patching	Low – work-hardens and cracks
DC resistance	Higher	Lower
Insertion loss per meter	Higher	Lower
Where it belongs	Patch zone, rack, equipment cords	Permanent link, horizontal cabling
Termination	Crimp onto plug blades	Insulation displacement connectors

What the thinner conductor costs you on PoE

Power over Ethernet turns the DC resistance of the conductor into heat. Higher resistance means more voltage drop and more heat when you push current through four pairs, and a 28 AWG cord drops more than a 23 AWG one over the same distance. Short runs are fine. A long run feeding a high-power device at the top end of the PoE range is not, and a large bundle of powered leads runs measurably warmer than a single cable because there is less air around each one.

Installation	Is 28 AWG UTP the right call?
Top-of-rack patching, short equipment runs	Yes – this is what the cord is for
Dense patch field with moderate PoE loads	Yes, with the bundle fill and the load checked
Long run feeding a high-draw powered device	No – specify 23 AWG instead
Noisy environment near motor power	No – use a shielded S/FTP patch cord

Send us the planned run length and the PoE load and we will confirm reach and derating before quotation rather than after installation.

Unshielded by design

UTP has no foil and no braid, and that is a choice rather than a cost saving on its own. In a clean cabinet it gives you a smaller outside diameter, less weight on the patch manager and no screen to terminate incorrectly. The fully screened construction is what makes the alien-crosstalk margins comfortable when many leads are bundled, so where the bundle is dense and the environment is noisy, our Cat6A shielded S/FTP patch cord is the better answer. Where the bundle is dense but the environment is clean and you want the smallest diameter, our Cat6A slim patch cord goes one step further.

Typical applications for this Cat6A UTP patch cord

Top-of-rack and end-of-row 10G patching
Wi-Fi access point cabinets and edge enclosures
Broadcast and AV racks that move frequently and need the weight down
Retrofitting an overstuffed patch manager in an existing cabinet
Short switch-to-server runs in a clean environment
General-purpose drops where our Cat6 UTP patch cord would do the job at lower cost

Build options and ordering

Length in 0.5 m steps or to your measurement, color, boot profile, print legend and packing format are all selectable. Bulk reels and retail packaging are both available. If your runs are longer than the PoE derating allows, we will quote standard 23 AWG Cat6A instead and tell you why.

Workmanship and testing

The line works to IPC/WHMA-A-620 Class 3 under ISO 9001, terminating 32 to 12 AWG. Every unit gets a continuity and pinout test before it is packed. Seal checking on the production batch is available when an ingress rating is in the specification.

Material declarations against RoHS and REACH are issued per project, alongside the dimensional and electrical reports agreed at quotation; see certifications, compliance and material declarations. Where your drawing names a UL style or another approval, the build follows your drawing and ships with the supporting document rather than a claim of our own. Overmold tooling for this part is designed and cut in our own tool room under the overmold tooling we build in-house, so the tool belongs to your program and a revision is a machining job rather than a new negotiation. Related reading: cable assemblies for industrial automation and robotics.

Custom builds and ordering

Prototype quantity starts from 1 to 50 pcs with a 3 working day turnaround, and production starts at MOQ 500 pcs shipping 14 working days after approval. Where a new tool is needed, allow about 10 working days. We ship OEM and ODM builds under your part number and labeling, and can provide material certificates and first-article reports.

Related patch cords

Full range: Ethernet cable patch cord range.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a 28 AWG patch cord for a 90 m horizontal run?

No. Stranded patch conductors are for the patch zone. A permanent link needs 23 AWG solid, and we will quote that instead if the run length warrants it.