Three words in a purchase order — UTP, Cat6, reel — describe three separate decisions: how the pairs are screened, which cabling category the cable is built and labelled to, and how the cable arrives on site. A distributor reading a stock list and an installer reading a project cut list often mean slightly different things by the same phrase, and the difference only shows up when the reel is opened.
This guide takes the phrase apart, shows what to check on a reel before you accept it, and gives a seven-point line you can paste into a cable enquiry so the specification comes back the way you wrote it.
What “UTP Cat6 reel” specifies
| Word | What it fixes | What to confirm before ordering |
|---|---|---|
| UTP | No overall screen: four twisted pairs, no foil and no braid | That the construction is unshielded and not a foil-shielded (FTP) item with the same category label |
| Cat6 | The cabling category the cable is built to and printed with | The model’s own published datasheet — conductor size, rated bandwidth, jacket O.D. — not the category word alone |
| Reel | How the cable is wound and paid out: reel, drum, box or coil | The length per reel and whether the jacket carries sequential footage marking |
The packaging word is the one buyers leave vague most often. Two suppliers can offer the same construction and deliver a completely different day on site, because a 500 m drum and a 305 m pull-box are not interchangeable when the cut list assumes one of them.
Reel, drum, box or coil: what changes on site
| Format | How it pays out | Suits | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reel or drum | On a jack or stand, in a straight line | Long horizontal pulls, whole-floor wiring, trunk runs | Needs a stand and two people; the drum must not be rolled to pay out cable |
| Pull box | From an inner spool through the carton mouth | Single rooms, short multi-run installations | The box has to stay upright and be restrained while pulling |
| Coil | Hand-coiled, cut to length | Patch leads, service loops, short tails | Retains coil memory; needs re-straightening before termination |
In the structured-cabling trade, 305 m / 1,000 ft is the common reel and pull-box length — it is a trade convention, not a rule, so treat it as the default assumption to confirm rather than a specification. Write the reel length on the enquiry and let the supplier confirm what is available for that construction.
Five things to check on a reel before you accept it
- Model code on the label matches the purchase order. “Cat6” is a category; a model code is what you ordered. LBS publishes its unshielded models as LBSUTP-C6A (4-pair, 23 AWG) and LBSUTP-C5E (4-pair, 24 AWG).
- Conductor size and stranding. AWG and solid-or-stranded are separate facts. LBS unshielded constructions use solid 4N oxygen-free copper conductors: 24 AWG on the Cat5e model, 23 AWG on the 23 AWG model.
- Construction, not just the category. UTP means unshielded; FTP means one foil screen with a drain wire; SFTP means foil plus braid. A carton with the right category and the wrong construction is a rework, not a shortage.
- Jacket O.D. and material. Outer diameter drives conduit fill and gland sizing, so it has to match the drawing rather than the datasheet you read last year.
- Footage marking. Sequential print on the jacket lets a crew measure cut lengths without a tape and identify leftovers, which matters when the same reel feeds three floors.
Solid or stranded: match the conductor to the run
Solid conductors are the standard for permanent horizontal cabling. They are terminated once — in a patch panel, a jack or a punch-down block — and left alone, and the solid core gives the most stable geometry at the termination point. Stranded conductors survive repeated flexing, which is why they belong in patch leads and portable looms rather than in cable pulled through a ceiling void.
The LBS unshielded range is published with solid conductors. If a project needs a flexible patch lead in the same installation, that is a separate line item to specify, because the stranding requirement is a different construction rather than a different length of the same cable.
UTP or shielded: the decision that changes noise performance
| Environment | Construction to specify |
|---|---|
| Office LAN, data routes kept clear of power and lighting circuits | UTP |
| AV racks, Dante / AES67 networks, runs near dimmer racks or lighting bars | FTP — foil screen plus drain wire |
| Broadcast, industrial halls, touring racks, cable that is flexed repeatedly | SFTP — foil plus braid |
| 10 Gbps Cat6A backbone with per-pair screening | Per-pair screened model, LBS6ASSTP-C6A |
The full construction comparison — what each screen does and how it is terminated — is in UTP vs FTP vs SFTP Ethernet Cable. If the roll-out is for networked audio rather than data, Dante Audio Network Cable: Choosing Shielded Cat6 covers the shielding decision from the audio side.
The LBS unshielded range, as published
| Model | Construction as published | Conductor | Rated as published | Jacket O.D. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LBSUTP-C6A | Four pairs, unshielded, cross-filler spline | 23 AWG solid 4N OFC | Gigabit Ethernet (1000 Mbps), up to 250 MHz | 6.2 / 6.4 / 7.2 mm, EPVC |
| LBSUTP-C5E | Four pairs, unshielded | 24 AWG solid 4N OFC | Up to 150 MHz | 6.0 mm, PVC |
Both models are published for an operating range of −20 °C to +70 °C.
One caution on category names: a cabling category describes a channel class, and different suppliers label their products to that class in different ways. The figure that governs acceptance on site is the model’s own published datasheet — conductor, rated bandwidth, jacket O.D. — not the class word on the carton. LBS publishes its unshielded 23 AWG four-pair model as Cat6A UTP with a Gigabit / up to 250 MHz rating on the spec sheet, and publishes a separate per-pair screened model, LBS6ASSTP-C6A, where a 10 Gbps backbone is specified. State the model code on the order and ask for its datasheet, so the class label and the delivered construction cannot drift apart.
Order the reel against the pull, not against the room: a pull through conduit needs the installed length, plus a tail at each end, plus the waste at the pulling eye. And the conduit decides whether the cables you planned can share it at all, because a 6.0–6.2 mm unshielded cable and a 7.8–8.0 mm shielded one are not interchangeable in a tight duct. The count table is in cable outside diameter and conduit fill.
How to write the reel line on an enquiry
- Construction: four-pair unshielded, 23 AWG solid (or the model code).
- Shielding: UTP, FTP or SFTP — stated, even when it is obvious to you.
- Conductor: AWG plus solid or stranded.
- Jacket: colour and O.D., if the cable goes into conduit or tray.
- Packaging: reel, drum or box, and the length per unit.
- Jacket print: plain, or OEM print with brand, model and specification text.
- Destination and quantity: quantity per length, not only total metres.
LBS supplies bulk Ethernet orders on reels, drums or in boxes, and custom cut lengths are handled through the OEM process — the bulk Cat6 Ethernet cable page sets out how the order is confirmed. If you are building the SKU range rather than ordering for one project, the same page explains jacket printing and colour options for distributor stock.
FAQ
Is UTP Cat6 the same as Cat6A?
No. They are different cabling categories, and the category changes the construction, the rated bandwidth and often the jacket diameter. When a project specifies by class name only, convert it to a model code and a datasheet before ordering — that is the version both sides can check on delivery.
How long is a reel of Cat6 cable?
305 m / 1,000 ft is the common trade reel and pull-box length, but it is a convention rather than a fixed rule, and the length per unit has to be confirmed per order and per construction. Always state the length you need on the enquiry.
Can I use UTP Cat6 cable for Dante or AV-over-IP?
UTP works where the network cable is kept away from power, dimmers and lighting bars. Where the run shares a rack or a tray with lighting equipment, foil-shielded FTP is the safer specification, and the shielded choice is covered in the Dante network cable guide.
Does unshielded cable need shielded connectors?
No. An unshielded construction is terminated with unshielded jacks and plugs. Shielded connectors are needed when there is a screen to bond — that is, on FTP, SFTP and per-pair screened constructions.
Can LBS print our brand on the jacket?
Yes. Bulk and OEM orders can carry brand, model and specification text in the jacket print, together with custom jacket colours. The bulk Cat6 page describes the process, and the Ethernet cable range shows the constructions it applies to.
Request a Cable Specification
Send the seven points above — construction, shielding, conductor, jacket, packaging, print and quantity — and LBS will confirm the model, the reel format and the specification sheet for that order. Message us on WhatsApp or use the contact form.
Related reading: UTP vs FTP vs SFTP Ethernet Cable · Dante Audio Network Cable Guide · VGA vs DVI Video Cable · OEM Audio Cable Manufacturer · Cable Sourcing Guides