Best practice

Structured Cabling

SANS 11801 — ISO/IEC 11801 — TIA-568

Structured cabling is the standardised physical infrastructure that carries data, voice, and other signals throughout a building. A properly designed and installed cabling system is the foundation of any reliable network. In South Africa, installations follow SANS 11801 (the local adoption of ISO/IEC 11801) and/or the TIA-568 series, which is widely specified for commercial buildings.

Our position: SoftSol is not accredited by any cabling standards body. We specify, install, and test cabling in accordance with the requirements of SANS 11801 / TIA-568 and manufacturer guidelines. All cabling installations are tested with calibrated equipment and documented.

Standards referenced

SANS 11801 (ISO/IEC 11801:2017) — Generic cabling for customer premises. Covers performance requirements for copper and fibre cabling, topology, and component specifications.
TIA-568.2-D — Balanced twisted-pair telecommunications cabling components, covering Cat5e through Cat8.
TIA-568.3-D — Optical fibre cabling components, covering multimode (OM3/OM4/OM5) and single-mode (OS2) fibre.
SANS 50174 (EN 50174) — Installation of cabling systems. Covers planning, installation workmanship, and testing requirements.

Copper cable categories

Cat5e (Class D)

Supports Gigabit Ethernet (1 Gbps) at up to 100 m. Minimum recommended for new installations.

Cat6 (Class E)

Improved performance; supports 10 Gbps at distances up to 55 m. Preferred for most commercial installations.

Cat6A (Class EA) — Recommended

Supports 10 Gbps at full 100 m runs with reduced crosstalk. SoftSol’s default specification for new commercial installations.

Fibre optic (OM3 / OM4 / OS2)

Used for high-bandwidth backbone runs, inter-building links, and environments where copper is impractical.

How SoftSol installs

Cabling and components that meet or exceed the applicable standard for the intended application.

Correct bend radius, cable management, patch panel layout, and separation from power cables.

All cabling runs tested and certified with calibrated test equipment. Pass/fail results documented per run.

As-built documentation provided: port labelling, cable schedule, and test results for every installation.

A note on inherited and existing cabling

Where SoftSol takes over management of a site with pre-existing cabling infrastructure, full conformance to the current standard cannot always be guaranteed. Cabling installed by others may not meet the specification, category, or workmanship requirements of SANS 11801 or TIA-568 — particularly in older buildings or sites that have grown organically over time.

In these situations, SoftSol will assess the existing infrastructure, identify any deficiencies, and advise on practical remediation options. Bringing existing cabling into full alignment with the current standard is achievable, but it typically requires additional investment — which may include retesting, retermination, or partial recabling of affected runs. SoftSol will always recommend the most cost-effective path to a compliant and reliable infrastructure.