28 I ICT TODAY
HOW TO PLAN A FUTURE-PROOF
CABLE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR
PoE AND WI-FI
Enterprise cabling is being pushed to greater performance than ever by market demands for bandwidth
and transmission speed. A primary driver is the explosive growth of wireless devices deployed by businesses,
institutions, and service providers for internet of things (IoT) applications where IP-enabled intelligent devices
collect and share information. Many of the devices and Wi-Fi access points (WAPs) that serve these networks
operate on power over Ethernet (PoE), which provides flexibility in placing and installing devices using category
cabling. Over the past five years, popular IoT applications, such as access control systems, have grown
by 30 to 50 percent, while the number of PoE-powered WAPs has increased by 40 percent.
1
As PoE and Wi-Fi standards evolve to meet the demand for higher power, speed, and bandwidth, category
cabling is also evolving to accommodate these applications, providing optimized future proofing and maximizing
return on a building's cabling infrastructure. For designers and end users, a better understanding of today's
category cable options will help drive more informed decisions about cable plant design and installation.
By David Fausz and Matt Marcus
