ANSI/TIA-1152-A; Requirements for Field Test Instruments for Twisted-Pair Cabling

In 2007, the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) TR-42 Engineering Committee began development of the ANSI/TIA-568-C series of structured cabling Standards. In 2008, it was agreed to remove the specifications for field test instruments that are used to test balanced twisted-pair cabling from the ANSI/TIA-568-C series and place them in a standalone document; ANSI/TIA-1152. In November of 2016 the A revision of the ANSI/TIA-1152 standard was published.

In broad terms, this standard defines what tests should be run on cabling identified in the ANSI/TIA-568.3-D standard, and how accurate these tests should be. It specifically calls out different accuracy levels for different categories of cabling. The A revision includes a new higher level of accuracy for testing Category 8 installations that is identified at Level 2G.

The Fluke Networks DSX-5000 Cable Analyzer meets the Level IIIe accuracy level that is used for Category 6A cabling, and the DSX-8000, in addition to meeting the requirements of Level IIIe also meets the requirements for Level 2G accuracy to support testing of Category 8 links.

The international equivalent is IEC 61935-1 which has the same values for Level IIe, III, IIIe but includes Level IV for Class F testing to 600 MHz.

IEC 61935-1 Ed.5 supports Class Fa to 1000 MHz and Class 1 and Class II, the ISO designation for Category 8.1 and Category 8.2 to 2 GHz with a Level V accuracy specification.