Structured Cabling · Fit-Out Cat6 Acceptance Spec
Eight ceiling drops from the central server room to 7 AP locations plus one pre-pulled spare — 193 m measured on the routed plan, longest run 34 m. The fit-out package now furnishes the cabling plant (see below), so this page is the acceptance spec: what we accept and test, the run schedule, containment, the difficulty points on this floor plate, the rack build-out, and the acceptance criteria that gate final payment. The routed paths are interactive on the 2D plan.
- Cat6, not Cat6A — fine at our lengths. At our 10–36 m runs (incl. slack) Cat6 carries 10GBASE-T reliably — TIA TSB-155 qualifies Cat6 for 10G to ~37 m, up to 55 m in favorable conditions — and the APs' real-world traffic (WiFi 7, internet-bound) rarely exceeds 2.5G, which Cat6 does to a full 100 m. Conditions: solid pure copper (reject CCA) and per-link 10GBASE-T qualification testing with a Fluke — not just a Cat6 certification pass.
- Conduit is included → major de-risk. Any link that fails 10G qualification can be re-pulled in Cat6A cheaply through the existing conduit — worst case is a per-link re-pull, never a plant replacement.
- THE CRITICAL ACTION: the fit-out's cabler must pull our 8 ceiling drops at our coordinates — the C1–C8 schedule below (also on the plan). Send that schedule to the fit-out GC this week, or the drops land at generic desk positions.
Cable specification
The spec revised 2026-07-02
Accept fit-out Cat6 UTP — subject to conditions
The fit-out furnishes Cat6 UTP in conduit, terminated. We accept it provided: solid pure copper, 23 AWG
(no CCA — see below), and every link qualification-tested to 10GBASE-T with a Fluke — a TSB-155/IEEE 802.3an
qualification, not just a Cat6 certification pass. Jacket: CM/CMR is code-acceptable above a ducted-return
drop ceiling (PEC Ch. 8 mirrors NEC 800); LSZH if the landlord's fit-out manual requires it, CMP if the
ceiling void is a return-air plenum verify with landlord.
Cat6A only if the fit-out offers the upgrade delta cheap — at our lengths it buys margin, not capability.
reject CCA Copper-clad-aluminum "Cat6" is rampant in the PH channel — it fails Fluke testing and overheats under PoE++. Require the cable brand + spec sheet from the fit-out GC and verify solid pure copper before the pull.
Why Cat6 works here
TIA TSB-155 qualifies Cat6 for 10GBASE-T to ~37 m, up to 55 m in favorable conditions; our longest run is 34 m (36 m incl. slack). Alien crosstalk — the reason Cat6A exists — is a bundle-density phenomenon that eight loosely routed short runs never trigger. And the APs' real-world traffic (WiFi 7, internet-bound) rarely exceeds 2.5G, which Cat6 carries to a full 100 m. The per-link 10GBASE-T qualification test is what turns "should work" into "proven" — it is non-negotiable in the acceptance criteria below.
The conduit escape hatch
Because the fit-out includes conduit, any link that fails 10G qualification can be re-pulled in Cat6A later — cheaply, through existing containment, without opening a finished ceiling. That single fact de-risks accepting Cat6 for the whole plant: the worst case is a per-link re-pull, not a rebuild. The RFQ asks bidders for a per-drop Cat6A re-pull unit rate so the contingency is priced up front.
Cable schedule measured on routed plan send to fit-out GC this week
This schedule is the coordinate authority for the fit-out GC's cabler — these 8 drops are pulled by the fit-out crew at these ceiling coordinates, not at generic desk positions. Lengths = horizontal ceiling path + 2 m rack/AP drops + 5 m service loop & termination slack per run, rounded up. Home run for every cable: server room rack (4.97 sqm room at the core, x≈10.2 m / y≈14.0 m). See the routes drawn live on the 2D plan.
| Run | To | Routing notes | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| C1 | AP1 · Open-plan North | Corridor spine north, over open-plan ceiling past y 24.7 | 26 m |
| C2 | AP2 · Open-plan Center | Corridor spine, west over open plan | 19 m |
| C3 | AP3 · Open-plan South | Corridor spine south, west over open plan | 19 m |
| C4 | AP4 · Conference Room | Spine south, crosses conference glass front — in-room drop; fire-stop if partition is rated | 26 m |
| C5 | AP5 · South Amenity | South hallway ceiling, avoids pantry wet wall | 23 m |
| C6 | AP6 · Reception / Entrance | Shortest run — straight out of server room | 10 m |
| C7 | AP7 · North Block / Meeting | Longest run — corridor spine full north | 34 m |
| C8 | SPARE · Meeting Rm 01 zone | Pre-pulled spare (future MR02 / 8th AP) while ceiling is open | 36 m |
| Total (incl. 2 m drops + 5 m service loop each) | 193 m | ||
Box math — now the fit-out's box
193 m used + ~10% offcuts ≈ 215 m → 1× 305 m box covers all 8 drops — supplied and pulled by the fit-out at ₱0 to this project (was ₱28,000 installed). Our only supply-side job: verify the box's brand/spec sheet is solid pure copper before the pull.
Double pull — still recommended nearly free now
Ask the fit-out GC to pull 2 cables to every AP location while the conduit is open and their crew is already mobilized (one live, one spare): ~386 m → 2× 305 m boxes. The marginal cost collapses to a second box + jacks — a fraction of the ₱15,000–20,000 it was as a separate vendor line, and roughly 5× cheaper than re-opening a finished ceiling later. Cheapest insurance in the whole project — put it in the note to the GC alongside the C1–C8 schedule.
"Can runs be 32 m or more without signal drop?" verified · IEEE 802.3an
Yes — even on the fit-out's Cat6. 10GBASE-T is specified for a 100 m channel on Cat6A, and plain Cat6 carries it to ~37–55 m per TIA TSB-155; our longest run (C8, 36 m incl. slack) sits inside that window with margin, and at our lengths alien crosstalk is a non-issue in small bundles. There is no signal-drop concern at 32–45 m. The only real requirements: genuine solid pure copper (reject copper-clad aluminium "CCA"), sound terminations, and the per-link 10GBASE-T qualification test already in the acceptance criteria — that test is what proves each run, whatever the brand.
Brands to buy — only IF we upgrade or re-pull a link in Cat6A (305 m box, Cat6A U/UTP 23 AWG solid)
The fit-out supplies the Cat6 plant, so these brands apply only if a link fails 10G qualification and gets re-pulled in Cat6A through the existing conduit — or if the GC offers a cheap Cat6A upgrade delta.
| Brand / line | Where | Indicative box price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belden 10GX | PCWorx, Makotek (PH) | ₱20,000–30,000 quote | Gold standard; their Cat6 305 m lists at ₱12,500 as an anchor. |
| CommScope / AMP NetConnect | PH enterprise channel | quote | What most PH structured-cabling firms install by default. |
| Panduit TX6A | DFEStore + resellers (PH) | quote | Pairs with Panduit jacks/panel as a certified system. |
| D-Link Cat6A 23AWG | Lazada PH | ₱12,000–15,000 | Budget-decent; verify solid pure copper on the spec sheet. |
| Draka/Prysmian UC500 · Nexans LANmark-6A · Belden 10GXS | EU (Netceed etc.) | €250–350 | If buying in EU — but a 305 m drum is heavy luggage; buy locally. |
If a re-pull or upgrade happens: spec it as "Cat6A U/UTP 23 AWG solid bare copper, 305 m box, CM/CMR or LSZH per landlord" and let the Fluke report arbitrate quality.
Containment
Containment is now furnished by the fit-out (conduit is included in the package). The table below is the standard we ask the fit-out GC's cabler to meet — attach it to the C1–C8 schedule handoff.
| Segment | Spec | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Server-room exits | 25 mm (1") EMT stub-ups | Conduit stubs out of the rack room up into the ceiling void; bushed ends, no sharp edges. |
| Corridor spine | wire-basket tray or J-hooks | J-hook spacing max 1.5 m; tray/hooks anchored to the slab or structure — never to ceiling hanger wires, never resting on ceiling tiles. |
| Final AP whips | 20 mm flexible conduit | Last few metres from spine to each AP box; MPTL or biscuit jack at the end (see rack section). |
| Power separation | 300 mm parallel · cross at 90° | PEC/NEC 800.133 code minimum is 50 mm; 300 mm from parallel unshielded branch circuits is the good-practice figure. Stay clear of the elevator machine-room feeders and any VFDs at the core. |
Difficulty points on this floor plate
The six things that will actually cost money or schedule if missed. Flag every one of these in the vendor walkthrough.
Elevator core — route around, never through
The 4.14 × 9.57 m core (concrete shear walls, hoistway, machine room) sits mid-plate. Cables must never pass through a hoistway (code prohibition) and the machine room / VFDs are an EMI source. The spine detours around the west side of the core — already reflected in the measured lengths above (adds ~5–8 m on northern runs).
Conference room glass front (C4)
AP4 is an in-room drop behind the full-glass front — the cable enters over the partition head. If that partition carries a fire rating, the penetration needs a listed fire-stop system. Confirm the rating with the fit-out contractor before coring.
Pantry wet wall (C5)
C5 to AP5 is deliberately routed via the south hallway ceiling to stay clear of the pantry's wet wall (plumbing risers, condensation, future maintenance access). Do not let the installer shortcut it straight across the pantry — it saves ~3 m and creates a permanent water-exposure liability.
Fire-rated wall penetrations
Server room walls and the exit-corridor walls are likely rated. Every penetration needs intumescent fire-stopping (sealant or pillows) from a listed system, photographed before closure, and landlord sign-off. BFP can hold the Fire Safety Inspection Certificate — and therefore occupancy — over unsealed penetrations.
Ceiling type unconfirmed
The design assumes a suspended tile ceiling (2.7 m ceiling / 3.4 m slab) with an accessible void. Verify: ceiling type, slab-to-slab clearance, beam positions (get the reflected ceiling plan + structural grid), and whether the void is a return-air plenum — plenum means CMP-rated cable, a real price delta.
Coordinate BEFORE the ceiling closes
The single biggest cost/schedule lever on this page. Rough-in while the ceiling is open is routine work; after boards/tiles close, the same job costs 3–5× in labor, tile damage and after-hours landlord rules. The pull now sits inside the fit-out GC's own schedule — the action left is getting our C1–C8 coordinates into their drawings this week, before the pull lands at generic desk positions (target mid-July, per the timeline).
Server room rack rack + patch panel provided by fit-out
The fit-out package furnishes the server rack (size TBC — verify ≥ 12U usable) and the 24-port patch panel at ₱0 to this project. Whether a PDU ships with the rack is unconfirmed — the BOM carries a ₱3,000 "PDU + cable management" line until verified. The elevation below is the target build-out inside the provided cabinet.
Verify the provided cabinet against this target: ≥ 12U usable, 600 mm wide, ≥ 450 mm deep, in the 4.97 sqm server room. Confirm room cooling/exhaust — a sealed room at Cebu ambient with ~200 W continuous load will cook a UPS.
Termination & bonding fit-out terminates — we verify
Server-room end: every drop lands on the provided keystone patch panel — never direct-to-switch. Factory Cat6A patch cords panel → switch (owner-supplied, in BOM).
AP end: MPTL (field-terminated RJ45 plug straight into the AP, recognized by TIA-568.2-D for ceiling devices) or a surface-mount biscuit jack within 1 m of the AP plus a factory cord. Either is professional — certify to the matching limit set (MPTL or permanent link).
Grounding: bond the rack (and panel) to the electrical panelboard ground bar with an insulated 8 mm² copper conductor. PEC-required equipment bonding; also the prerequisite if any shielded cabling ever enters this rack.
PoE budget context: 7× U7 Pro XGS at 29 W nameplate = 203 W — this is why the switch is the 10-port (400 W budget), not the originally requested 8-port (155 W). Full reasoning on the network design page.
Acceptance criteria
Contract deliverables — tie to final payment
- 100% Fluke DSX testing per link: Cat6 certification to TIA-568.2-D limits (permanent-link or MPTL as terminated) plus 10GBASE-T qualification (IEEE 802.3an / TSB-155) on every fit-out-terminated link — wire map, length, delay/skew, IL, RL, NEXT/PSNEXT, ACR-F. Deliver LinkWare PDF + native .flw files per link. Any link failing 10G qualification → re-pull in Cat6A through the existing conduit. No reports, no final payment.
- TIA-606-C labeling both ends + panel ports (machine-printed, e.g.
SR1-PP1-01 ↔ AP-01). - As-built drawings: AP coordinates, actual routes, conduit/tray sizes, penetration locations.
- Post-install validation walk: RSSI ≥ −65 dBm on 5 GHz at every desk (design target from the coverage model), per-AP throughput proof.
- Fire-stop photos of every rated penetration before ceiling closure, plus landlord sign-off.
Sources & data
Cable schedule measured from the routed paths in data/floorplan.json (digitized architect DRAFT 02) — interactive view on the 2D plan. Research base: data-raw/structured-cabling.json — key primary sources: U7 Pro XGS techspecs (PoE++/29 W, 10 GbE), PH government structured-cabling TOR (MARINA) — containment & test-parameter practice, PEC Ch. 8 / NEC 800 — separation & listings, RA 9292 — PECE sign-and-seal, Cat6A U/UTP vs F/UTP. Standards background and glossary: knowledge base. Costs roll up on BOM & costs.