Cat 7 Cable for Shielded 10 Gigabit Ethernet Networks

Cat 7 Cable provides highly screened copper connectivity for 10 Gigabit Ethernet, industrial networks, data centers, smart buildings and other demanding structured cabling systems. ETK Kablo manufactures Category 7 cables with S/FTP shielding in PVC, LSOH and outdoor PE constructions together with mechanically protected SWA and SWB designs.

ETK Kablo Cat 7 cable operates with Class F transmission requirements through 600 MHz. Each twisted pair receives an individual foil screen, while an overall tinned copper braid surrounds the complete cable core. This S/FTP architecture provides strong protection against electromagnetic interference, pair-to-pair crosstalk and alien crosstalk.

Cat 7 selection should consider more than bandwidth alone. Network architecture, electromagnetic environment, jacket material, outdoor exposure, mechanical protection, PoE requirements and the applicable structured cabling standard should all form part of the specification.

What Is Cat 7 Cable?

Cat 7 is a high-performance balanced copper cabling category associated with ISO/IEC Class F structured cabling.

Category 7 operates through a nominal frequency range of 600 MHz and uses highly screened cable architecture. ETK Kablo's Cat 7 products use S/FTP construction with individually foil-screened pairs and an additional overall metallic braid.

Cat 7 can support 10 Gigabit Ethernet over conventional structured cabling distances when the complete installed channel meets the required Class F and network-performance criteria.

It is particularly relevant where high transmission performance and strong electromagnetic immunity are both important.

ETK Kablo Cat 7 Cable Range

Construction	Outer Material / Protection	Main Selection Logic
Cat 7 S/FTP PVC	PVC outer jacket	General shielded indoor structured cabling where PVC is permitted
Cat 7 S/FTP LSOH	Low-smoke halogen-free outer jacket	Indoor projects requiring LSZH / LSOH material characteristics
Cat 7 S/FTP PE	UV-resistant polyethylene outer jacket	Outdoor Ethernet and external infrastructure routes
Cat 7 S/FTP LSOH SWA LSOH	Steel wire armor with halogen-free inner and outer jackets	Mechanically demanding fixed installations
Cat 7 S/FTP LSOH SWB LSOH	Steel wire braid with halogen-free inner and outer jackets	Mechanically reinforced routes requiring a braided protection layer

Cat 7 S/FTP Cable

S/FTP is the core shielding architecture used throughout the ETK Kablo Cat 7 portfolio.

Each twisted pair receives an individual Al/PET foil screen. An overall tinned copper braid then surrounds the complete cable core.

This creates two distinct levels of electromagnetic protection:

• Individual pair foils help isolate the twisted pairs from each other
• The overall braid helps protect the complete cable against external electromagnetic interference

The S/FTP architecture can therefore provide strong performance in dense cable routes and electrically demanding environments.

How S/FTP Shielding Works

Cat 7 shielding addresses both internal and external interference.

Individual foil screens limit unwanted coupling between adjacent Ethernet pairs. Meanwhile, the overall braid creates a conductive barrier around the assembled cable.

This architecture can help control:

• Electromagnetic interference
• Radio-frequency interference
• Near-end crosstalk
• Far-end crosstalk
• Alien crosstalk between neighboring cables

Shielding performance also depends on the complete installed system. Connectors, termination quality, bonding and grounding strategy should match the project cabling design.

Cat 7 Individual Pair Screening

Unlike U/UTP, F/UTP and other constructions where pairs can remain individually unshielded, Cat 7 S/FTP places metallic foil directly around each twisted pair.

Individual screening increases electrical separation and helps maintain signal integrity at higher frequencies.

ETK Kablo also uses a tinned copper earthing wire between the screened pairs in its Cat 7 products.

This pair-level architecture is one of the main construction differences between Cat 7 and many lower-category Ethernet cables.

600 MHz Cat 7 Class F Performance

ETK Kablo Cat 7 cables provide transmission performance through 600 MHz.

Relevant parameters include:

• Insertion loss
• Near-end crosstalk (NEXT)
• Power-sum NEXT
• Equal-level far-end crosstalk
• Power-sum equal-level far-end crosstalk
• Return loss
• Characteristic impedance
• Propagation velocity

ETK Kablo Cat 7 products use a nominal characteristic impedance of 100 ohms across the specified frequency range.

Cat 7 corresponds to 600 MHz Class F performance, while Cat 7A occupies the higher Class FA performance level through 1000 MHz.

Cat 7 Cable for 10 Gigabit Ethernet

Cat 7 provides a shielded copper platform for 10GBASE-T 10 Gigabit Ethernet within suitable structured cabling systems.

The higher frequency range and comprehensive shielding provide additional electrical margin compared with lower categories, especially where the network operates in a demanding electromagnetic environment.

However, higher cable frequency does not automatically create a higher Ethernet data rate. Cat 6A and Cat 7 can both support 10GBASE-T over conventional structured cabling distances when used within compliant systems.

The main Cat 7 differentiators are therefore Class F performance and comprehensive S/FTP shielding rather than a different standardized 10 GbE speed.

23 AWG Solid Copper Cat 7 Cable

ETK Kablo Cat 7 products use 23 AWG solid copper conductors.

Solid copper provides predictable resistance and transmission characteristics for fixed structured cabling.

ETK Kablo combines these conductors with foamed polyethylene insulation covered by a solid polyethylene layer. This insulation system supports controlled electrical characteristics across the higher Cat 7 frequency range.

Professional buyers should distinguish solid-copper cable from copper-clad conductor alternatives when transmission performance, PoE capability and project compliance are important.

Cat 7 PVC Ethernet Cable

Cat 7 S/FTP PVC Cable provides the standard S/FTP electrical architecture together with a PVC outer jacket.

The construction uses solid copper conductors, foam-skin polyethylene insulation, individually foil-screened pairs, an overall tinned copper braid and a PVC outer jacket.

This design can suit indoor structured cabling projects where PVC material is permitted.

The exact flame-performance and CPR requirements should be confirmed from the applicable product documentation.

Cat 7 LSOH / LSZH Cable

Cat 7 S/FTP LSOH Cable combines Class F transmission performance with a halogen-free outer jacket.

The ETK Kablo LSOH construction includes applicable smoke-density, halogen, corrosive-gas and flame-retardancy tests.

This makes the cable relevant for projects where both high-performance Ethernet transmission and low-smoke halogen-free material characteristics are required.

Potential environments include public buildings, transportation infrastructure, hospitals, airports, data centers and commercial facilities.

LSOH or LSZH does not mean fire resistant. It describes cable-material behavior during combustion and should not be confused with FE180 or PH120 circuit integrity.

Outdoor Cat 7 Cable with PE Jacket

Outdoor Cat 7 Cable requires an outer construction suitable for environmental exposure.

ETK Kablo's Cat 7 S/FTP PE cable uses a UV-resistant polyethylene outer jacket together with the same individually foil-screened pairs and overall copper braid used in the Cat 7 electrical architecture.

Outdoor Cat 7 can support applications such as:

• Building-to-building Ethernet links
• Campus network infrastructure
• Outdoor industrial Ethernet
• External IP surveillance systems
• Outdoor network extensions
• Smart-building external infrastructure

A PE jacket provides environmental protection but should not automatically be interpreted as mechanical armor.

Outdoor Cable vs Armored Cat 7 Cable

Outdoor protection and mechanical armor solve different installation problems.

Construction	Main Function
PE Outer Jacket	Environmental and UV-oriented outdoor protection
Steel Wire Armor	Mechanical protection against demanding physical conditions
Steel Wire Braid	Braided mechanical reinforcement

A project can require outdoor material characteristics, mechanical reinforcement or both. The exact construction should follow the cable route and installation risks.

Armored Cat 7 Cable

ETK Kablo manufactures two mechanically protected Cat 7 S/FTP constructions.

The SWA Cat 7 cable adds an inner halogen-free jacket, steel wire armor and a final halogen-free outer jacket around the screened Ethernet core.

The SWB Cat 7 cable uses a similar architecture but replaces conventional steel wire armor with steel wire braiding.

Both constructions preserve the individual pair foils and overall tinned copper braid responsible for Ethernet shielding.

Mechanical armor should therefore not be confused with the S/FTP electrical screen.

SWA vs SWB Cat 7 Cable

Protection Type	Construction	Main Function
SWA	Steel wire armor	Strong mechanical protection for demanding fixed routes
SWB	Steel wire braid	Braided mechanical reinforcement with a different flexibility profile

The project should define the mechanical risks and installation requirements rather than selecting SWA or SWB from category number alone.

Shielding vs Armor in Cat 7 Cable

Cable Element	Main Purpose
Individual Al/PET Pair Foils	Pair isolation and electromagnetic screening
Overall Tinned Copper Braid	Overall electromagnetic shielding
Steel Wire Armor	Mechanical protection
Steel Wire Braid	Mechanical reinforcement

A Cat 7 cable can therefore contain both electromagnetic screens and mechanical steel protection. These layers perform different functions and should be specified independently.

Cat 7 Cable and Alien Crosstalk

Alien crosstalk occurs when signals from one Ethernet cable couple into a neighboring cable.

Cat 7 S/FTP architecture provides substantial physical and electrical separation through individual pair foils and the overall braid.

This can be valuable in dense network pathways where many cables operate simultaneously at high frequencies.

Bundle arrangement, connector design, grounding and installation workmanship still contribute to the performance of the complete cabling system.

Cat 7 Cable for Industrial Ethernet

Industrial facilities can contain significant sources of electromagnetic noise, including motors, drives, power equipment and switching devices.

Cat 7 S/FTP shielding can provide additional protection for Ethernet signals in these environments.

Industrial projects can also combine Cat 7 transmission performance with:

• PE outdoor jackets
• LSOH material systems
• SWA mechanical protection
• SWB mechanical reinforcement

The correct cable should follow both the Ethernet requirements and the physical installation conditions.

Cat 7 Cable for Data Centers

Cat 7 can support shielded 10 Gigabit Ethernet links in data centers and technical facilities.

The S/FTP architecture provides strong pair separation and electromagnetic protection for dense cable environments.

However, Cat 6A already provides standardized 10GBASE-T performance over full structured-cabling channel distances and remains a major mainstream solution for data centers.

Cat 7 becomes particularly relevant when the project specifically calls for Class F performance, comprehensive S/FTP shielding or increased immunity to electromagnetic interference.

Cat 7 Cable for Broadcast and AV over IP

Broadcast, media and AV-over-IP networks can combine high data rates with dense equipment environments.

Cat 7's S/FTP architecture can provide strong shielding for network routes operating near audiovisual equipment, power supplies and other potential sources of electromagnetic noise.

The actual Ethernet application and equipment requirements should still determine the complete channel design.

Cat 7 Cable for Power over Ethernet

Cat 7 copper cabling can form part of compatible Power over Ethernet systems when the complete installed system meets the applicable electrical requirements.

PoE selection should consider conductor resistance, cable bundling, ambient temperature, installation pathway and the required remote-powering level.

23 AWG solid copper conductors provide a strong fixed-installation foundation, but shielding alone does not determine PoE thermal performance.

Cat 6A vs Cat 7 Cable

Characteristic	Cat 6A	Cat 7
Nominal Bandwidth	500 MHz	600 MHz
Typical Performance Class	Class EA	Class F
10GBASE-T	Yes	Yes
Shielding	U/UTP, U/FTP, F/FTP, S/FTP and other compliant designs	Typically S/FTP
Typical Selection Driver	Mainstream 10 GbE structured cabling	Class F performance and high electromagnetic immunity

Cat 7 has higher frequency performance and more extensive shielding, but Cat 6A can already provide full-distance 10 Gigabit Ethernet. Cat 7 is therefore most useful where the project specifically benefits from Class F performance or strong S/FTP screening.

Cat 7 vs Cat 7A Cable

Characteristic	Cat 7	Cat 7A
Performance Class	Class F	Class FA
Nominal Frequency	600 MHz	1000 MHz
Typical Shielding	S/FTP	S/FTP
10 Gigabit Ethernet	Yes	Yes
Main Difference	High-performance screened cabling	Greater high-frequency performance headroom

Cat 7A does not simply provide a different Ethernet speed. Its main advantage is higher standardized frequency performance and additional Class FA transmission margin.

Cat 7 Is Not a 1000 MHz Category

Cat 7 and Cat 7A are sometimes confused in commercial descriptions.

Cat 7 corresponds to Class F performance through 600 MHz. Cat 7A corresponds to Class FA performance through 1000 MHz.

For accurate procurement and technical documentation, ETK Kablo recommends using the actual category and performance class rather than describing Cat 7 generically as a 1000 MHz cable.

Cat 7 and Structured Cabling Standards

Cat 7 is primarily associated with international and European structured cabling frameworks such as ISO/IEC 11801 Class F and EN 50173.

ETK Kablo product documentation also references applicable cable-testing and manufacturing standards according to the exact construction.

Project buyers should therefore define the required performance class and current project standard rather than relying only on the commercial term Cat 7.

The exact standards, electrical results and compliance documentation should be confirmed from the selected product datasheet.

Cat 7 CPR Classification

Ethernet category and CPR reaction-to-fire classification describe different cable characteristics.

Cat 7 defines data-transmission performance, while CPR Euroclasses describe reaction-to-fire performance for applicable construction products in the European market.

ETK Kablo holds CPR documentation for specific Cat 7 / Cat 7A constructions. However, one Euroclass should not automatically be applied to every PVC, LSOH, outdoor or armored Cat 7 product.

Buyers should verify the Declaration of Performance for the exact construction being supplied.

Cat 7 Packing Lengths

ETK Kablo packing lengths depend on the selected Cat 7 construction.

Standard products include options such as 305 m, 500 m and 1000 m on applicable constructions.

Outdoor and mechanically protected cable may use different packing arrangements because cable diameter, weight and project logistics differ from standard indoor Ethernet cable.

Required drum or packing length should therefore form part of the RFQ.

How to Specify a Cat 7 Cable

A complete Cat 7 RFQ should define both network requirements and physical construction.

Specification Item	Information to Provide
Category	Cat 7 / Class F
Network Requirement	10GBASE-T or project-specific Ethernet application
Shielding	S/FTP
Conductor	23 AWG solid copper or project-specific requirement
Outer Jacket	PVC, LSOH or PE
Installation Environment	Indoor, outdoor, data center, industrial or other route
Mechanical Protection	Standard, SWA or SWB where required
PoE Requirement	Required remote-powering application where applicable
CPR Requirement	Required Euroclass and additional classification where applicable
Packing Length	Required coil or drum length
Documentation	Datasheet, electrical test results, DoP and project documentation

Why Choose ETK Kablo for Cat 7 Cable?

ETK Kablo manufactures Cat 7 cable across indoor, outdoor and mechanically protected S/FTP constructions.

The portfolio includes PVC, LSOH and PE jackets together with steel-wire-armored and steel-wire-braided designs. All ETK Kablo Cat 7 products combine individually foil-screened pairs with an overall tinned copper braid.

This range allows network contractors, industrial facilities, data-center projects, distributors and infrastructure buyers to combine Class F transmission performance with the environmental and mechanical construction required by the installation.

ETK Kablo can evaluate jacket material, mechanical protection, PoE requirements, CPR classification, packing length and project documentation together during the quotation process.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cat 7 Cable

What is Cat 7 cable?

Cat 7 is a high-performance balanced copper cable category associated with ISO/IEC Class F structured cabling and a nominal frequency range up to 600 MHz.

What speed does Cat 7 support?

Cat 7 supports 10 Gigabit Ethernet in suitable structured cabling systems. The complete installed channel must meet the applicable performance requirements.

What frequency is Cat 7 cable?

Cat 7 corresponds to Class F performance through 600 MHz. Cat 7A, not Cat 7, corresponds to Class FA performance through 1000 MHz.

What is Cat 7 S/FTP?

S/FTP Cat 7 cable uses individual foil screens around every twisted pair together with an overall metallic braid around the complete cable core.

Is Cat 7 shielded?

Yes. ETK Kablo's Cat 7 portfolio uses S/FTP shielding with individually foil-screened pairs and an overall tinned copper braid.

Is Cat 7 23 AWG?

ETK Kablo Cat 7 products use 23 AWG solid copper conductors.

Is Cat 7 better than Cat 6A?

Cat 7 provides higher frequency performance and more comprehensive shielding, while Cat 6A already supports 10GBASE-T over conventional full channel distances. The appropriate category depends on the required standard, EMI environment and network architecture.

What is the difference between Cat 7 and Cat 7A?

Cat 7 corresponds to Class F performance through 600 MHz, while Cat 7A corresponds to Class FA performance through 1000 MHz. Both typically use highly screened cable architecture.

Can Cat 7 cable be installed outdoors?

Yes, when the exact cable is designed for outdoor use. ETK Kablo manufactures Cat 7 S/FTP PE cable with a UV-resistant polyethylene outer jacket.

Does ETK Kablo manufacture armored Cat 7 cable?

Yes. ETK Kablo manufactures Cat 7 S/FTP constructions with Steel Wire Armor and Steel Wire Braid for installations requiring additional mechanical protection.

Is LSOH Cat 7 fire resistant?

No. LSOH describes smoke and halogen characteristics of cable materials. Fire-resistant circuit integrity requires a separately designed and tested cable construction.

What information should I provide when requesting a quotation?

Provide the required Cat 7 construction, PVC/LSOH/PE jacket, indoor or outdoor environment, SWA or SWB requirement where applicable, PoE requirement, CPR classification, packing length, quantity and required project documentation.