Panduit CPR CBL Category 6A 4-PAIR 23AWGEA

Panduit PFO6X04BL-CEG-S Category 6A 4-Pair 23AWG Copper Network Cable

Overview

The Panduit PFO6X04BL-CEG-S is a Category 6A, 4-pair, 23AWG unshielded copper cable engineered for high-density structured cabling in enterprise network infrastructure deployments — data centers, telecommunications rooms, and commercial campus backbones where 10 Gbps throughput over copper is the baseline requirement. If you're planning a horizontal cabling run that needs to carry 10GBase-T reliably to the desktop or to ToR switches, this is the cable specification to price out. It ships on a spool sized for installation-scale pulls, not patch work.

Panduit's Panduit structured cabling product line is built around compliance with the channel standards most enterprise IT and facilities teams specify by name — TIA-568-C.2 and ISO/IEC 11801. This cable is UL Listed, which means it has gone through third-party verification, not just self-certification. That matters when you're pulling cable through plenum or riser pathways subject to inspection.

Key Features

• 10 Gbps Data Rate at Full Channel Length: 10GBase-T (IEEE 802.3an) requires Category 6A as its minimum copper medium. Running Cat6 under the same conditions tops out at 55 meters in practice; this cable's 6A specification takes you the full 100-meter channel — critical when your IDF-to-desk distances push past 50 meters. PFO6X04BL-CEG-S eliminates the distance compromise that forces fiber into horizontal runs.
• 500 MHz Bandwidth: Cat6A's 500 MHz bandwidth headroom is double Cat6's 250 MHz ceiling. That extra headroom is why 10GBase-T alien crosstalk performance holds up in bundled cable pathways — tightly packed cable trays with dozens of parallel runs are where lower-bandwidth cable degrades first. At 500 MHz you're not using up the margin before the run even starts.
• 23AWG Conductor Gauge: 23AWG is the standard for Category 6A solid-conductor horizontal cable. It provides lower DC resistance per unit length than the 24AWG conductors common in patch cables, which translates directly to better insertion loss performance over long runs. This is the gauge your structured cabling contractor is specifying when they write a Cat6A horizontal plant.
• 4-Pair Construction: Four balanced pairs support full-duplex 10GBase-T signaling, Power over Ethernet (including PoE++ at 90W per 802.3bt), and simultaneous voice/data on a single cable drop. One cable pull supports the full range of end devices — IP cameras, 802.1X switches, Wi-Fi 6E APs, and VoIP handsets — without separate infrastructure runs.
• TIA-568-C.2 Compliance: TIA-568-C.2 is the commercial building telecommunications cabling standard that most U.S. enterprise projects specify by code. Compliance means the cable has been tested to the insertion loss, return loss, NEXT, and alien crosstalk limits that define a certified Cat6A channel. This is the standard your network integrator and facilities inspector will reference.
• ISO/IEC 11801 Compliance: ISO/IEC 11801 is the international structural cabling standard. Dual compliance with both TIA-568-C.2 and ISO/IEC 11801 means this cable satisfies procurement requirements on multinational projects — relevant when a U.S.-headquartered enterprise specifies a single cable SKU for both domestic and international facilities rollouts.
• UL Listed: UL Listing is third-party verification of the cable's construction and fire performance ratings — not a manufacturer self-declaration. For commercial construction in the U.S., UL Listing is routinely required by fire marshals and AHJs (Authorities Having Jurisdiction) during building inspections. Pulling non-listed cable through a rated pathway is a compliance risk most integrators won't take.

Integration and Compatibility

The PFO6X04BL-CEG-S terminates with standard 8P8C (RJ-45) tooling using Cat6A-rated keystone jacks, patch panels, and field-termination connectors. Panduit's own series of Cat6A jacks and panels are the natural pairing within a single-vendor structured cabling warranty, but the cable is compatible with any TIA-568-C.2-compliant termination hardware from any manufacturer — the standard governs the channel, not just the cable. For PoE switch deployments feeding IP cameras or wireless APs, verify that your panel and jack combination is rated for the power levels in use; the cable's 23AWG conductors handle the current, but termination hardware has its own current ratings per 802.3bt.

This cable is appropriate as the horizontal segment in a certified Cat6A channel. It is not a patch cable — do not use it in lieu of stranded-conductor patch cords at the work area outlet or patch panel. Mixing solid and stranded conductors in the right locations is standard practice; putting solid-conductor horizontal cable in a repeated flex application is a reliability problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What data rate does the PFO6X04BL-CEG-S support?

A: The PFO6X04BL-CEG-S supports 10 Gbps (10GBase-T) at its rated 500 MHz bandwidth, making it compliant with IEEE 802.3an requirements for Category 6A horizontal cabling up to 100 meters.

Q: What standards does the PFO6X04BL-CEG-S meet?

A: It meets TIA-568-C.2 (U.S. commercial telecommunications cabling standard), ISO/IEC 11801 (international structured cabling standard), and is UL Listed for third-party fire and construction verification.

Q: Is the PFO6X04BL-CEG-S suitable for PoE applications?

A: Yes. The 23AWG, 4-pair construction supports Power over Ethernet including higher-wattage PoE+ and PoE++ applications. Verify that your termination hardware (jacks, patch panels) also carries the appropriate current rating for your PoE++ (802.3bt) deployment.

Q: Can this cable be used for patch cord applications?

A: No. The PFO6X04BL-CEG-S uses solid 23AWG conductors designed for fixed horizontal runs. Patch cord applications require stranded-conductor cable. Using solid-conductor cable in repeated-flex positions will cause conductor fatigue and early failure.

Q: What is the bandwidth of the PFO6X04BL-CEG-S?

A: 500 MHz — double the 250 MHz ceiling of Category 6. This additional headroom supports 10GBase-T alien crosstalk performance requirements in bundled, high-density cable pathways.

Q: Is the PFO6X04BL-CEG-S compatible with non-Panduit termination hardware?

A: Yes. Any TIA-568-C.2-compliant Cat6A keystone jack, patch panel, or field-termination connector from any manufacturer is compatible. A single-vendor channel warranty, however, typically requires Panduit termination hardware to be used alongside Panduit cable.

Ted Perry

The PFO6X04BL-CEG-S hits the spec that matters most for 10GBase-T horizontal plant: 500 MHz bandwidth in a 23AWG, 4-pair solid-conductor format that meets both TIA-568-C.2 and ISO/IEC 11801. When I'm speccing cable for a data center or enterprise IDF buildout, dual-standard compliance on a single SKU is what I want — it means the same part number satisfies procurement for both domestic and international sites without a substitution conversation mid-project.

Technical Highlights:

• 500 MHz Bandwidth: Provides the alien crosstalk headroom that makes 10GBase-T stable in dense cable trays — where Cat6's 250 MHz runs out of margin before the channel does.
• 23AWG Solid Conductors: Lower DC resistance per unit length than 24AWG patch cable stock; this is what keeps insertion loss within spec at full 100-meter channel distances rather than the 55-meter practical limit on Cat6.
• UL Listed Construction: Third-party verification, not self-certification — required by most U.S. AHJs when cable is pulled through rated plenum or riser pathways. Saves a rework conversation during rough-in inspection.

Deployment Considerations:

• Pair this cable with Cat6A-rated termination hardware throughout the channel — jacks, patch panels, and field connectors all need to be rated to 500 MHz to preserve the channel performance the cable is built for. A Cat6 jack at the outlet negates the 6A investment.
• This is solid-conductor horizontal cable — it is not interchangeable with stranded patch cords at the work area outlet. Installers occasionally pull extra bulk cable and try to use it for short patch runs; the repeated flexing will cause conductor fractures at the termination points within months.

The PFO6X04BL-CEG-S (often searched as PFO6X04BL CEG S) is the right specification for new horizontal plant in enterprise campuses and data centers where 10GBase-T to the rack edge or desktop is the design standard — particularly on multinational projects where a single cable SKU needs to clear both TIA and ISO procurement gates simultaneously.