1000 Ft Cat6a: The Class EA Reel
Quick answer / TL;DR: Short answer: buy 1000 ft Cat6a for a floor or a small building where 10G is the requirement, and budget for the system around it – shielded jacks, panels with bonding, and channel testing. Cat6a is stiffer and heavier than Cat6: plan support, bend radius and two-person pulls. For gigabit-only sites, Cat6 is the cheaper correct answer.
A 1000 ft Cat6a box supplies 305 metres of the 500 MHz category: enough for a floor of 10G drops, and heavy enough that handling becomes part of the project plan. It is the purchase that commits a site to Class EA, with everything that follows – shielded jacks, bonding, and per-port testing.
This is the 1000 ft Cat6a guide: the arithmetic, the physical handling, and the installation obligations the box implies.
The Arithmetic
| The element | The allowance |
|---|---|
| Route measured | Horizontal plus vertical |
| Service loops | About a metre per end |
| Margin | Ten percent – bend radius failures cost more |
| Threshold | About 280 m per box |
The margin is higher than for Cat5e because a bend-radius failure on stiff cable means re-pulling, not splicing.
The System Obligations
- Shielded jacks and panels with a bonding path
- Cat6a-rated cords at every link
- Channel testing at Class EA, every port
- Documentation – the class is only proven by the test record
The cable is the cheapest part of a Class EA system; the components and the testing are where the budget goes.
Handling
| The factor | The practice |
|---|---|
| Weight | Two people for a full-height pull |
| Bend radius | Larger than Cat6, checked at every corner |
| Support | Clips or tray at code spacing |
| Payout | Box upright, through the hole |
The handling rules exist because Cat6a does not recover from a bad pull the way a lighter cable might.
Standards and Verification
| The reference | The relevance |
|---|---|
| TIA-568.2-D | Category 6A |
| ISO/IEC 11801-1 | Class EA |
| IEEE 802.3an | 10GBASE-T |
| Field test | Channel test at Class EA |
Per-SKU reel lengths are not provided in the knowledge base. Standard boxes apply; confirm the print and the footage marker on delivery.
Real-World Applications
The studio floor
A post-production floor with 10G to every desk: one 1000 ft box, shielded panels bonded, every port tested at Class EA – the class documented per link.
The single-box overrun
A floor measured at 300 m: the box ran out on the last two drops. A second box ordered – the measurement had excluded the riser height.
The unbalanced system
Cat6a cable with Cat6 jacks left in place: every link tested at Category 6. The jacks replaced – the box had been the right purchase with the wrong system around it.
Related reading: The category these boxes supply — blogs/news/cat6a-cable-spec
Related reading: The 500 ft Cat6 alternative — blogs/news/cat6-500ft-box
Frequently Asked Questions
How many drops does 1000 ft of Cat6a cover?
Roughly 20-25 at 10G with normal routes and loops.
Is Cat6a harder to install?
Yes: heavier, stiffer and slower to terminate.
What else does Class EA require?
Shielded jacks, bonded panels, Cat6a cords and per-port channel testing.
Do I need Cat6a for gigabit?
No – Cat6 is cheaper and sufficient.
Sourcing cables for a project, a store, or a private-label line? Contact our B2B sales team for specifications, certification evidence, and volume terms – FOB and CIF options available. Request a quote or sample.