sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring telephone cable

What are you all using for telephone cable? On an install where a customer is requiring a telephone and data jack do you use Cat5e or cat 3 for voice? Is there any advantage to using cat 5e for voice. The two cable type are almost the same cost. Thanks

CAT3 and CAT5e RISER cable is very close in price. You may see more of a difference when requiring Plenum rated cables. If I am going to create a "Patching system" the addition cost difference between the two is from CAT5e patch panels, jacks and patch cords compared to the less expencive traditional 66 blocks, CAT3 jacks and x-connect.

Hope that helps =)


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Daniel Armstrong
https://www.ArmstrongTelecom.com
https://www.TelephoneEquipmentFinder.com

[This message has been edited by ArmstrongTelecom (edited June 27, 2005).]

we always use cat 3 for the phones theres no atvantage to using cat 5 for voice and cat 5 takes twice as long to terminate on the 66 blocks than cat 3

Unless called for by customer, its always CAT 3 for Voice and always CAT 5e for Data, and never without a signed letter from customer will I run PVC cable for anything.

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Voice and Data Cabling in DFW, [email protected]
DnR Communications

I have some customers that have cat5 only then at the patch panel they can use it for what they want.

good point> I would use cat5e for everything, because you never know what you might need in the future. I would just put two patches next to each other and later if they need a extra LAN connection for a special occasion, you have it. Much more versitile.

Unless called for by customer, its always CAT 3 for Voice and always CAT 5e for Data, and never without a signed letter from customer will I run PVC cable for anything.
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Just curious, what does your note say?
Would you PM me the letter? I've been working on making something up, but wouldn't mind looking at something tried.

Corwyn

Cat 3 voice Cat 5e Data. Patch panel are too inefficient for large PBX systems. A waste of 3 good pairs just for the sake of having a patch panel.

What Coral Tech said.

Unless called for by customer, its always CAT 3 for Voice and always CAT 5e for Data...

It's your job to know when you have to use a plenum rated cable. It's easy enough to see if the space above a hung ceiling is an environmental air handling space. The difference in price between plenum and non-plenum is considerable so knowing when you can use riser or PVC is like money in your pocket.

As far as ...and never without a signed letter from customer will I run PVC cable for anything...

What has this got to do with the customer? Give him a price for the job as you see it, how does he even get involved with what kind of cable is needed? Seems like you are having way too much discussion.

-Hal

In fact I just did an install for a company that REQUIRED patch panels. The cabling company sold them a bill of goods on this one. I tried to warn them and 1 week after and about 12 more cable pulls the customer started to understand what I was getting at. Yeah, you save money on MACS..that you could have done yourself with the press of a button anyways but now every time you need to ad a fax/modem/phone you are going to need a cable pull which is going to break the bank. Not only that but the 4 patch cords to get it to it's final destination.