| Full title | Information technology. Generic cabling (systems) for customer premises. Part 99xx: (subject of each report) |
| Publisher | ISO and IEC, joint technical committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, subcommittee SC 25 |
| Type | Technical Reports (TR). Part 9903 is now a Technical Specification (TS) |
| UK version | Available from BSI. Some adopted as PD documents, for example PD ISO/IEC TS 11801-9903:2025 |
| Status | Most parts current. 9906 revised in 2025. 9903 moved from TR to TS |
| Related standards | ISO/IEC 11801-1 to -6, ISO/IEC 14763-4, IEEE 802.3 |
What a Technical Report is
A Technical Report (TR) is an informative document. It does not contain requirements that a product or installation can conform to. It collects information of a different kind from that normally published in an International Standard, such as data from a survey or information on the state of the art.
The 99xx parts sit alongside the ISO/IEC 11801 series. They give guidance on new applications, explain how existing cabling can be assessed, and describe configurations not yet in the main standards. For example, E2E link limits were later added to ISO/IEC 11801-3 by Amendment 1 (2021).
A Technical Specification (TS) is a different document type. Part 9903 started as a TR and was reissued as a TS.
The reports
| Part | Current edition | Subject |
|---|---|---|
| TR 11801-9901 | 2014 | Guidance for balanced cabling in support of at least 40 Gbit/s data transmission |
| TR 11801-9902 | 2017 | End-to-end link configurations |
| TS 11801-9903 | 2025 (TR 2015, TS 2021) | Modelling of channels and links (the 2015 TR was titled Matrix modelling of channels and links) |
| TR 11801-9904 | 2017 | Installed cabling to support 2.5GBASE-T and 5GBASE-T |
| TR 11801-9905 | 2018 | Installed cabling to support 25GBASE-T |
| TR 11801-9906 | 2025 (Ed 2) | Balanced 1-pair cabling channels up to 600 MHz for single pair Ethernet |
| TR 11801-9907 | 2019 | Specifications for direct attach cabling |
| TR 11801-9908 | 2020 | Guidance for the support of higher speed applications over optical fibre channels |
| TR 11801-9909 | 2020 | Evaluation of balanced cabling in support of 25 Gbit/s for reach greater than 30 m |
| TR 11801-9910 | 2020 | Specifications for modular plug terminated link cabling |
| TR 11801-9911 | 2024 | Balanced single pair applications within a balanced 4-pair cabling system |
Reports most relevant to installers
9904: installed cabling for 2.5G and 5G
TR 11801-9904 gives guidance on whether installed Class D and Class E channels, specified to ISO/IEC 11801:2002, will support 2.5GBASE-T and 5GBASE-T. It also gives mitigation procedures to improve those channels until the applications are supported. Higher classes to ISO/IEC 11801:2002 support both applications to 100 m without mitigation. The IEC lists it as Assessment and mitigation of installed balanced cabling channels to support 2,5GBASE-T and 5GBASE-T.
9910: modular plug terminated links
A modular plug terminated link (MPTL) ends in a socket at one end and a plug at the other, typically plugged straight into a device such as a camera or access point. TR 11801-9910 defines MPTL configurations and gives performance specifications for Classes D, E, EA, F, FA, I and II. Test methods are in Clause 8, which refers to ISO/IEC 14763-4.
9902: end-to-end links
An end-to-end (E2E) link includes the free connectors (plugs) at both ends. TR 11801-9902 gives performance for Class D and Class E E2E links, adding the effect of the plugs, using interfaces defined in ISO/IEC 11801-3. Test methods are in ISO/IEC 14763-4.
9907: direct attach cabling
Direct attach cabling (DAC) connects two devices with a connector at each end and no intermediate connecting hardware. TR 11801-9907 gives specifications for Classes D, E, EA, F, FA, I and II by reference to ISO/IEC 11801-1. Annex A gives informative Class I DAC limits for 5 m short-reach 25GBASE-T and 40GBASE-T.
Higher speed, optical fibre and single pair reports
- 9901 (2014) described 30 m Class I and Class II channels based on the then-upcoming Category 8.1 and 8.2 components, with an upper frequency of 1 600 MHz and 2 000 MHz under study. Classes I and II are now specified to 2 000 MHz in ISO/IEC 11801-1.
- 9905 (2018) gives guidance on using installed cabling for 25GBASE-T.
- 9908 (2020) lists data centre application options for duplex and parallel optical fibre channels and covers migration to higher speeds.
- 9909 (2020) evaluates Category 8.1 and 8.2 channels for 25 Gbit/s beyond 30 m. Its channel and component specifications are non-normative.
- 9906 (Edition 2, 2025) specifies 1-pair channels for 10BASE-T1L (up to 1 000 m), 10BASE-T1S, 100BASE-T1, 100BASE-T1L (up to 500 m) and 1000BASE-T1. It covers insertion loss, return loss, TCL, coupling attenuation and alien crosstalk, and uses the MICE classification of ISO/IEC 11801-1 for EMC.
- 9911 (2024) explains how to run single pair applications over a 4-pair cabling system, including remote powering, loop resistance, current limits and planning.
How they relate to other standards
- ISO/IEC 11801-1 holds the normative channel and link classes the reports refer to.
- ISO/IEC 11801-3 Amendment 1 (2021) added Class D, E and EA end-to-end link limits to the industrial standard itself.
- ISO/IEC 14763-4 gives the field test methods for E2E links, MPTL and similar configurations.
- IEEE 802.3 defines the applications (2.5GBASE-T, 5GBASE-T, 25GBASE-T and the single pair PHYs) the reports assess cabling against.
What it means in practice
- A TR contains no requirements of its own. Where a contract calls up TR limits (for example for MPTL), state this in the specification.
- Before reusing older Class D or Class E cabling for 2.5G or 5G, assess it as described in TR 11801-9904.
- For links that end in a plug at a device, agree with the client whether the link is to be tested as an MPTL to ISO/IEC 14763-4.
- Check the test report names the configuration tested: permanent link, channel, MPTL or E2E link.
Related reading: How to read a cable test certificate · Cat5e vs Cat6 vs Cat6A.