You've ordered a 305m drum of CAT6 cable. It looks right. It's black, it's thick, it has the right markings. But inside those eight conductors lies a decision that will either keep your MikroTik access points running at full power for a decade — or burn out your PoE equipment within months.
The difference is conductor material: solid bare copper, or CCA (Copper-Clad Aluminium). And for any ISP or network installer in Uganda running Power over Ethernet, getting this wrong is an expensive mistake.
What Is CCA Cable — And Why Is It Everywhere?
CCA (Copper-Clad Aluminium) cable uses an aluminium conductor coated in a thin layer of copper. It looks identical to solid copper cable from the outside. The jacket, the colours, the markings — all the same. The only difference is what's inside those conductors.
CCA is cheaper to manufacture because aluminium costs a fraction of copper. Suppliers sell it at copper prices, pocket the margin, and ship it to markets where testing and enforcement are limited. Uganda, like most of East Africa, sees significant volumes of CCA cable in the market — often mislabelled or sold without clear disclosure.
The result? ISPs, installers, and businesses buying what they think is copper cable and discovering months later why their PoE gear keeps browning out, rebooting, or failing entirely.
The Physics: Why CCA Fails at PoE
Power over Ethernet works by pushing electrical current through the same cable pairs that carry data. The IEEE 802.3af standard delivers up to 15.4W; 802.3at (PoE+) up to 30W. That current flows through the copper conductors, and here's where conductor material becomes critical.
Electrical Resistance
Aluminium has approximately 60% higher electrical resistivity than copper. A 23AWG CCA conductor has roughly the same resistance as a 26AWG solid copper conductor. On a 100m run:
| Cable Type | DC Resistance (per 100m loop) | Voltage Drop at 350mA (PoE) |
|---|---|---|
| 23AWG Solid Copper | ~18.8 Ω | ~6.6V |
| 23AWG CCA | ~30+ Ω | ~10.5V+ |
A MikroTik outdoor access point requires a minimum input voltage of 10–16V depending on model. On a 80–100m CCA run, you may be delivering less than the minimum operating voltage — causing the device to reboot, behave erratically, or fail to power on at all.
Heat Generation
Higher resistance = more heat dissipated in the cable itself (P = I²R). On a long CCA run carrying PoE+, the cable can get warm to the touch inside conduit — a genuine fire hazard in sealed outdoor ducts under Uganda's ambient heat.
Signal Attenuation
CCA also has higher signal attenuation at Gigabit frequencies. On runs over 60–70m, CCA cable can fail TIA-568 insertion loss limits, causing your Gigabit link to auto-negotiate down to 100Mbps. For subscriber-facing ISP runs, that's a real throughput hit.
How to Identify CCA Cable Before You Buy
- Cut and inspect: Slice the cable end and look at the conductor cross-section. Solid copper is uniformly orange-red. CCA has a visible silver-grey aluminium core with a thin copper coating at the edge.
- Bend test: Aluminium is more brittle than copper. Sharply bend a short exposed conductor — CCA will crack or fracture before solid copper does.
- Weight test: Aluminium is lighter than copper. A 305m drum of CCA cable weighs noticeably less than a solid copper equivalent. If the drum feels suspiciously light, be suspicious.
- Price test: If a 305m drum of "CAT6" outdoor cable is priced 30–50% below market rate, it is almost certainly CCA. Solid copper has a cost floor.
- Cable certifier: A Fluke DSX or similar cable certifier will fail CCA on DC resistance and attenuation tests.
💡 Our recommendation: Only buy from suppliers who can confirm solid copper in writing and whose pricing reflects real copper costs. The Celertec CAT6 Outdoor Solid Copper Cable — 305m Drum at NetEdge Supplies is 100% solid bare copper, 23AWG, UV-resistant HDPE double sheath. We stock it because it's what Uganda's ISPs actually need.
Real-World Impact on Uganda ISP Deployments
Scenario 1: WISP CPE Drop (60m Run)
An ISP installs a MikroTik wAP ac outdoor access point at a subscriber premises 60m from the PoE switch using CCA cable. The wAP ac requires 12–57V PoE input. On a 60m CCA run at PoE current draw, the delivered voltage can drop below the wAP's minimum — causing random reboots that get blamed on the radio, the switch, or the ISP's network. The real culprit: the cable.
Scenario 2: PoE Injector to Rooftop AP (40m Run)
Using a MikroTik RBGPOE Gigabit PoE Injector feeding a rooftop radio over 40m of CCA. The injector output reads 48V. After resistance loss in the CCA run, the radio receives 38V — within spec. But the cable is warm inside the conduit. Over 2 years of Uganda sun heating the conduit to 50°C+, the thermal stress degrades the CCA conductors. Year 3: intermittent failures begin.
Scenario 3: Correct Deployment with Solid Copper
Same 100m run using the Celertec CAT6 Outdoor Solid Copper 305m drum. Voltage delivered at the radio end stays within spec. No heat buildup. Gigabit link stable at 1Gbps. The cable is warranted for 10+ years and will outlast two generations of radio hardware. Cost difference: a few thousand shillings per drop. Value difference: zero truck rolls, zero hardware failures, zero subscriber complaints.
The Right Cable for Every ISP Scenario
- Outdoor PoE drops to CPEs / access points: Celertec CAT6 Outdoor Solid Copper — 305m Drum (23AWG) — UV-resistant, aerial and direct-burial rated. USh 795,000. Non-negotiable for PoE.
- Alternative bulk cable for shorter indoor/outdoor runs: Cmple CAT6 Bulk Network Cable — 1000ft 23AWG 550MHz — High-performance solid copper option for mixed deployments.
- Termination: CAT6 RJ45 Pass-Through Gold-Plated Connector Plugs — Proper crimp ends for solid copper termination. Gold-plated contacts resist corrosion in Uganda's humidity.
- Fibre alternative for long runs: FTTH Drop Cable — 1/2/4-Core Self-Support Steel Wire (1km Drum) — For runs over 100m where copper PoE is impractical, switch to fibre + media converter or ONT at the subscriber end.
PoE Equipment That Depends on Good Cable
- MikroTik hAP RouterBOARD 5-Port WiFi Router with PoE — Popular CPE and subscriber router. Requires clean PoE voltage — CCA cable on runs over 40m will cause input voltage issues.
- MikroTik RBGPOE Gigabit PoE Injector (9–48V) — Wide voltage range injector. Even with a 48V injector, excessive cable resistance eats your voltage budget. Solid copper is essential.
- MikroTik hEX RB750Gr3 5-Port Gigabit Router — Core ISP router. While not PoE-powered itself, it drives PoE to downstream devices — solid copper cable ensures those devices receive correct voltage.
- MikroTik wAP ac Dual-Band Outdoor Access Point — Outdoor CPE and distribution AP. Runs on PoE, mounted at height on long cable runs — exactly the scenario where CCA causes failures.
ISP Billing & Automation: The Software Side of Reliability
A reliable physical network is only half the equation. The other half is making sure your billing, subscriber provisioning, and automated suspensions run flawlessly. When your PoE infrastructure is solid copper and your network stays up, your ISP billing system can do its job: collecting payments, auto-renewing accounts, and keeping your revenue flowing.
Explore our ISP Billing & Automation Solutions for Uganda ISPs → — MikroTik API and RADIUS integration, Mobile Money payment collection, automatic suspension and reactivation.
Summary: Solid Copper vs CCA at a Glance
| Property | Solid Copper CAT6 | CCA CAT6 |
|---|---|---|
| DC Resistance | ~18.8 Ω/100m loop | ~30+ Ω/100m loop |
| PoE Voltage Drop | Low — within IEEE spec | High — can fall below minimum |
| Max Reliable PoE Run | 100m (TIA-568) | 30–50m practical |
| Heat in Conduit | Minimal | Significant at PoE loads |
| Gigabit at 100m | Yes — passes TIA-568 | May fail — fallback to 100Mbps |
| Longevity Outdoors | 10+ years | 2–5 years typical |
| TIA/EIA-568 Compliant | Yes | No |
| Recommended for ISP | ✅ Always | ❌ Never for PoE |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is CCA CAT6 cable?
Copper-Clad Aluminium — an aluminium conductor coated in thin copper. Looks identical to solid copper but has ~60% higher resistance, making it unsuitable for PoE.
Q: Can I use CCA cable for PoE?
No. Excessive voltage drop on CCA runs causes PoE devices to malfunction, reboot, or fail — especially on runs over 30–40m. It also generates more heat in conduit.
Q: How do I identify CCA cable?
Cut and inspect: solid copper is uniformly orange-red. CCA has a silver aluminium core. CCA drums are also lighter and suspiciously cheaper than solid copper equivalents.
Q: What AWG for outdoor ISP CAT6?
23AWG solid copper is the standard. It meets TIA-568 for PoE and Gigabit on 100m runs. The Celertec CAT6 305m outdoor drum is 23AWG solid copper at USh 795,000.
Q: Does CCA affect data speeds?
Yes — higher attenuation can cause Gigabit to fall back to 100Mbps on longer runs and fails TIA-568 insertion loss tests.
Q: What's the max PoE distance on solid copper CAT6?
100m per TIA-568. On CCA, effective PoE range drops to 30–50m depending on load. Use a PoE injector with solid copper cable for best results.
Need help specifying cable for your ISP installation, or want to discuss network automation? Talk to our ISP infrastructure team →
