Mercury Cat6 U/UTP Network Cable Grey 305m - Solid OFC

The Mercury Cat6 U/UTP is a 305m reel of unshielded twisted pair network cable with solid oxygen-free copper conductors, supplied in a grey dispensing box marked at 1m intervals. The cable uses eight 0.54mm solid OFC strands arranged in four twisted pairs, with HDPE insulation and a PVC outer sheath giving a 5.8mm overall diameter.

Designed for fixed Gigabit Ethernet installations in residential, commercial and light industrial buildings, the cable passes Cat6 fluke testing at 250MHz over 100m runs and complies with TIA/EIA-568 Cat6 standards. The solid copper construction suits permanent installations where the cable is terminated into wall sockets, patch panels or keystone jacks rather than being repeatedly flexed. The unshielded (U/UTP) construction relies on the twist rate of the pairs to reject interference, making it suitable for typical office and home environments where EMI levels are moderate.

The 305m dispensing box includes metre markings printed directly onto the cable sheath, simplifying length measurement during installation without needing a separate tape measure. The grey PVC sheath provides UV resistance for short outdoor runs between buildings and blends into commercial ceiling voids and trunking. The cable is HDBaseT compliant, supporting AV-over-IP installations where video, audio, control and power are transmitted over a single Cat6 link.

What's the difference between solid and stranded Cat6 cable?

Solid cable uses single-core conductors and is designed for permanent installations terminated into wall sockets or patch panels. Stranded cable uses multiple fine wires per conductor and is designed for patch leads that are repeatedly flexed. This Mercury cable is solid core and suits fixed building installations, not patch leads.

Is this cable suitable for outdoor runs?

The PVC sheath provides UV resistance for short outdoor runs between buildings, but the cable is not rated for direct burial or permanent outdoor exposure. For longer outdoor runs or burial installations, use cable rated IP67 or higher with gel-filled pairs.

What speed does Cat6 support?

Cat6 supports Gigabit Ethernet (1000BASE-T) over 100m runs and 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GBASE-T) over runs up to 55m. Beyond 55m, 10 Gigabit performance degrades and Cat6A cable is recommended.

What does HDBaseT compliant mean?

HDBaseT is a standard for transmitting uncompressed HD video, audio, control signals and power over a single Cat6 cable. This cable meets the electrical specifications needed for HDBaseT installations, commonly used in AV-over-IP systems for commercial displays and home cinema installations.