SIST EN 50173-3:2018/oprA1:2026
(Amendment)Information technology - Generic cabling systems - Part 3: Industrial spaces
General Information
- Abstract
This standard specifies generic cabling to serve the automation islands in industrial premises, or industrial spaces within other types of building.
It covers balanced cabling and optical fibre cabling.
This standard specifies directly or via reference to EN 50173 1 the:
— structure and minimum configuration for generic cabling within industrial spaces;
— interfaces at the telecommunications outlet (TO);
— performance requirements for cabling links and channels;
— implementation requirements and options;
— performance requirements for cabling components;
— conformance requirements and verification procedures.
- Status
- Not Published
- Public Enquiry End Date
- 29-Oct-2026
- Technical Committee
- ELI - Electrical and communication installations
- Current Stage
- 4020 - Public enquire (PE) (Adopted Project)
- Start Date
- 14-Aug-2026
- Due Date
- 01-Jan-2027
Overview
SIST EN 50173-3:2018/oprA1:2026 is a draft amendment to the European standard for generic cabling systems specifically addressing the requirements and best practices for cabling in industrial spaces. Prepared by CLC/TC 215, this standard aims to ensure robust, high-performance, and future-ready cabling infrastructure to serve automation islands within industrial premises, as well as industrial zones inside mixed-use buildings. The scope covers both balanced cabling and optical fibre cabling, ensuring compatibility and interoperability with a wide range of industrial automation and information technology applications.
Key objectives include defining the structure and minimum configuration of generic cabling for industrial environments, standardizing the interfaces at telecommunication outlets (TOs), specifying performance requirements for cabling links and components, and establishing conformance and verification procedures. SIST EN 50173-3:2018/oprA1:2026 aligns with the overall EN 50173 series, with direct references to foundational standards like EN 50173-1 and recent developments such as EN 50173-10 for single pair cabling.
Key Topics
- Generic Cabling Structure: Specifies the cabling topologies and minimum requirements to support varied industrial applications, both current and emerging.
- Telecommunications Outlets (TO): Defines standard interfaces and connection configurations for devices and network equipment.
- Balanced and Optical Fibre Cabling: Covers 2-pair, 4-pair, and single pair Ethernet (SPE) configurations, supporting multiple categories (Cat 5, 6, 6A, 7, 7A, 8.1, 8.2).
- Edge Distributor (ED): Introduces an optional distributor to enable transition from standard multi-pair cabling to single pair Ethernet, enhancing flexibility and scalability for Industrial IoT deployments.
- Cabling Performance: Outlines requirements and test procedures for cable and component performance, ensuring reliable data transmission in demanding industrial environments.
- Conformance and Verification: Sets clear benchmarks for inspection, testing, and ongoing verification to guarantee system integrity and compliance.
Applications
SIST EN 50173-3:2018/oprA1:2026 is designed for use in a broad range of industrial communications environments. Practical applications include:
- Automation Islands: Supports network communication across distributed automation cells, machinery clusters, and sensor networks in factories.
- Industrial Ethernet Networks: Provides unified cabling strategies for existing and emerging protocols, including Single Pair Ethernet (SPE), which is increasingly important for Industry 4.0 and IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) solutions.
- Mixed-use Buildings: Ensures industrial areas within larger buildings are equipped with robust and standardized IT cabling, simplifying integration and future upgrades.
- Upgrades and Retrofits: Facilitates the migration from traditional 2-pair and 4-pair cabling to newer single-pair cabling, supporting higher density and reduced cabling complexity.
By adhering to this standard, organizations benefit from future-proofed infrastructure, simplified maintenance, streamlined interoperability, and reliable performance, even in challenging industrial settings.
Related Standards
SIST EN 50173-3:2018/oprA1:2026 is closely linked with several other European standards critical for comprehensive IT cabling system design and implementation:
- EN 50173-1: Information technology – Generic cabling systems – General requirements
- EN 50173-2: Generic cabling systems – Office spaces
- EN 50173-10: Information technology – Generic cabling systems – Single pair cabling, supporting the transition to Single Pair Ethernet (SPE)
- EN 50174-1/2/3/4: Series covering the planning, installation, and operation phases of information technology cabling
- EN 50310: Addressing earthing and bonding for cable management
- EN 50173-5/6/20: Extending requirements to other specific environments and configurations
For stakeholders planning, installing, or maintaining industrial network infrastructure, adherence to SIST EN 50173-3:2018/oprA1:2026 ensures compatibility, scalability, and long-term reliability in line with the evolving demands of industrial digitalization.
Relations
- Amends
SIST EN 50173-3:2018 - Information technology - Generic cabling systems - Part 3: Industrial spaces - Effective Date
- 23-Dec-2025
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Frequently Asked Questions
SIST EN 50173-3:2018/oprA1:2026 is a draft published by the Slovenian Institute for Standardization (SIST). Its full title is "Information technology - Generic cabling systems - Part 3: Industrial spaces". This standard covers: This standard specifies generic cabling to serve the automation islands in industrial premises, or industrial spaces within other types of building. It covers balanced cabling and optical fibre cabling. This standard specifies directly or via reference to EN 50173 1 the: — structure and minimum configuration for generic cabling within industrial spaces; — interfaces at the telecommunications outlet (TO); — performance requirements for cabling links and channels; — implementation requirements and options; — performance requirements for cabling components; — conformance requirements and verification procedures.
This standard specifies generic cabling to serve the automation islands in industrial premises, or industrial spaces within other types of building. It covers balanced cabling and optical fibre cabling. This standard specifies directly or via reference to EN 50173 1 the: — structure and minimum configuration for generic cabling within industrial spaces; — interfaces at the telecommunications outlet (TO); — performance requirements for cabling links and channels; — implementation requirements and options; — performance requirements for cabling components; — conformance requirements and verification procedures.
SIST EN 50173-3:2018/oprA1:2026 is classified under the following ICS (International Classification for Standards) categories: 33.040.50 - Lines, connections and circuits; 35.110 - Networking. The ICS classification helps identify the subject area and facilitates finding related standards.
SIST EN 50173-3:2018/oprA1:2026 has the following relationships with other standards: It is inter standard links to SIST EN 50173-3:2018. Understanding these relationships helps ensure you are using the most current and applicable version of the standard.
SIST EN 50173-3:2018/oprA1:2026 is available in PDF format for immediate download after purchase. The document can be added to your cart and obtained through the secure checkout process. Digital delivery ensures instant access to the complete standard document.
Standards Content (Sample)
SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-oktober-2026
Informacijska tehnologija - Generični kabelski sistemi - 3. del: Industrijska okolja -
Dopolnilo A1
Information technology - Generic cabling systems - Part 3: Industrial spaces
Informationstechnik - Anwendungsneutrale Kommunikationskabelanlagen - Teil 3:
Industriell genutzte Bereiche
Technologies de l'information - Systèmes de câblage générique - Partie 3: Espaces
industriels
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 50173-3:2018/prA1:2026
ICS:
33.040.50 Vodi, zveze in tokokrogi Lines, connections and
circuits
35.110 Omreževanje Networking
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.
EUROPEAN STANDARD DRAFT
EN 50173-3:2018
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
prA1
August 2026
ICS 35.110 -
English Version
Information technology - Generic cabling systems - Part 3:
Industrial spaces
Technologies de l'information - Systèmes de câblage Informationstechnik - Anwendungsneutrale
générique - Partie 3: Espaces industriels Kommunikationskabelanlagen - Teil 3: Industriell genutzte
Bereiche
This draft amendment prA1, if approved, will modify the European Standard EN 50173-3:2018; it is submitted to CENELEC members for
enquiry.
Deadline for CENELEC: 2026-10-30.
It has been drawn up by CLC/TC 215.
If this draft becomes an amendment, CENELEC members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which
stipulate the conditions for giving this amendment the status of a national standard without any alteration.
This draft amendment was established by CENELEC in three official versions (English, French, German).
A version in any other language made by translation under the responsibility of a CENELEC member into its own language and notified to
the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.
CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Türkiye and the United Kingdom.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are aware and to
provide supporting documentation.
Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without notice and
shall not be referred to as a European Standard.
European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique
Europäisches Komitee für Elektrotechnische Normung
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2026 CENELEC All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC Members.
Project: 83173 Ref. No. EN 50173-3:2018/prA1:2026 E
Contents Page
1 European foreword . 3
2 1 Modifications to the European foreword . 4
3 2 Modifications to the Introduction . 4
4 3 Modifications to Clause 2, “Normative references” . 5
5 4 Modifications to Clause 3, “Terms, definitions and abbreviations” . 5
6 5 Modifications to Clause 4, “Structure of the generic cabling system in industrial spaces” . 5
7 6 Modifications to Clause 5, “Channel performance in industrial spaces” . 6
8 7 Modifications to Clause 6, “Reference implementations in industrial spaces” . 6
9 8 Modifications to 7.2, “Balanced cables of Category 5, 6, 6 , 7, 7 , 8.1 and 8.2” . 6
A A
10 9 Modifications to 8.2.1, “General requirements “ . 7
11 10 Modifications to 9.2, “Balanced cords of Category 6A, 7, 7A, 8.1 and 8.2” . 7
12 11 Modifications to A.2.2, “Balanced cabling” . 7
13 European foreword
14 This document (EN 50173-3:2018/prA1:2026) has been prepared by CLC/TC 215 “Electrotechnical aspects of
15 telecommunication equipment”.
16 The following dates are proposed:
• latest date by which the existence of this (doa) dav + 6 months
document has to be announced at national
level
• latest date by which this document has to be (dop) dav + 12 months
implemented at national level by publication of
an identical national standard or by
endorsement
• latest date by which the national standards (dow) dav + 36 months
conflicting with this document have to be (to be confirmed or
withdrawn modified when voting)
17 1 Modifications to the European foreword
18 Add the following standards at the end of the paragraph starting with “At the time of publication …”:
“EN 50173-10 Information technology – Generic cabling systems – Part 10: Single pair cabling
EN 50173-20 Information technology – Generic cabling systems – Part 20: Alternative cabling
configurations”
19 Add the following list item to the paragraph starting with “This edition of EN 50173-3”:
20 “f) includes the implementation of single pair cabling according to EN 50173-10.”
21 2 Modifications to the Introduction
22 Replace Figure 1 with the following:
23 “
...