Category 3 Cable

What Does Category 3 Cable Mean?

A Category 3 cable (Cat 3 cable) is a type of unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable that is used for voice and data communications in computer and telecommunication networks. It is an Ethernet copper cable defined by the Electronics Industry Alliance (EIA) and Telecommunication Industry Association (TIA).

Techopedia Explains Category 3 Cable

Conceived in 1990, the Cat 3 cable was one of the most popular data communication cables until 2000. It is used in 10Base-T and token ring networks from which it has the ability to transmit data at a speed of 10 Mbps. When implemented in 100BaseT networks, a Cat 3 cable can carry data at speeds much higher than its base speed.

The Cat 3 cable delivers good voice communication performance because it provides 16 MHz of bandwidth, which is more than enough for phone calls. It is also popular in network environments where electromagnetic interference is of minimal concern.

Related Reading

VoIP over 4G: The Future in VoIP Communications
INFOGRAPHIC: A Primer on Networking Cables

Margaret Rouse

Technology Expert

Margaret is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.

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