Superior Essex International LP released a new white paper titled, “Alien Crosstalk: The Limiting Noise Factor in Category 6A Channel Performance,” explaining why Alien Crosstalk (AXT) is the key characteristic for improving channel performance in Category 6A U/UTP systems. Category 6A systems are impacted by an increasing amount of noise. The typical environment for data centers is characterized by multiple Ethernet protocols running over a significant volume of cable of differing designs, performance levels, and manufacturers’ brands. All of these cables provide a very noisy environment for 10GBASE-T systems.

10GBase-T transceivers employ multiple technologies to minimize the impact of noise in order to enable the requisite 10-12 bit error rate (BER). Modern noise cancellation algorithms have improved significantly since 2006 when 10GBASE-T was ratified. Today’s 10GBASE-T transceivers typically eliminate over 40 dB of crosstalk noise from adjacent copper pairs within a cable. However, these noise cancellation algorithms are ineffective in reducing crosstalk noise from nearby cables (AXT). The result of the improvement in noise cancellation technology over the past 8 years is that AXT has become the  limiting noise factor in CAT 6A U/UTP systems where cables are in close proximity to one another.