LV-04 · Cat6 / Cat6a / Fiber / Coax
Cable runs your next IT hire can read.
Low-voltage cabling for new construction and retrofit across West Texas. Labeled, tested, certified, and documented.
MEDIA
5
Cat6 · Cat6a · OS2/OM4 · RG6/11 · alarm
WARRANTY
25 YR
Manufacturer system warranty
CERTIFIED TO
TIA-568
Fluke DSX tested every drop
RUNS
DOCUMENTED
Photos before drywall closes
§ 01 · Reality check
The cable in your ceiling is the longest-lived part of your tech stack. Get it wrong once and you'll pay for it for 15 years.
Network gear has a 5-year refresh cycle. Cameras, 7. Door hardware, 10. Cable lives in the ceiling for the life of the building. Usually 20+ years. Replacing it means tearing out drywall, re-pulling above tile, getting back into walls you closed up. The cost of a re-pull after the building is finished is 4–6× the cost of doing it right during the build.
Most low-voltage work in West Texas gets handled by the cheapest sub on the GC's list. Cable gets zip-tied to the ceiling grid (against code), terminated with no labeling, run through 90-degree bends that crush the geometry, mixed Cat5e and Cat6 in the same patch panel, and never tested. It works on day one. It fails in year three when somebody actually tries to push 10 GbE down it.
We pull cable like it's going to be there for 25 years. Because it is. Cat6a in conduit or J-hooks, never zip-tied. Every drop labeled at both ends with a permanent printed label. Every run tested with a Fluke DSX, results saved in PDF and handed to you. Patch panels organized, color-coded by VLAN, photographed before the rack closes.
§ 02 · What it costs to leave it broken
What badly-pulled cable actually costs over 10 years.
- Re-pull after drywall$3,200+Cat5e where it should've been Cat6a. Now it's labor plus ceiling tile plus paint plus a building you can't use Tuesday. Per area.
- 10 GbE upgrade blockedWhole rack rebuildCat5e tops out at ~1 Gb. Want to upgrade to 10 GbE for the new switch? You're re-pulling everything.
- Patch panel chaos$120/hr × hoursUntraced cable runs. Every IT troubleshoot starts with 'okay, where does this go?' Multiplied across a 10-yr building life.
- Code violation on PoERe-do at owner costBundles of >24 Cat6 PoE cables overheat. NEC 725 requires de-rating. Failed inspection = re-do, your dime.
§ 03 · The scope of work
What proper low-voltage cabling looks like.
- ›Cable type matched to the run distance, bandwidth need, and PoE load
- ›Cat6a as the default for new commercial. Supports 10 GbE up to 100m, future-proofs for 12+ years
- ›Plenum-rated jacket (CMP) above ceiling, riser-rated (CMR) in vertical chases. Per NEC and IBC
- ›Pulled in conduit, J-hooks, or D-rings. Never zip-tied to ceiling grid (NFPA violation)
- ›Bend radius respected. No 90-degree elbows, no kinks, no pinch points
- ›Terminated to T568B at both ends, jacks and patch panels matched
- ›Every drop tested with a TIA-568 cable certifier. Wire map, length, attenuation, NEXT, return loss
- ›Test results delivered as a PDF certification report. Required for warranty registration
- ›Patch panels organized by floor / room / VLAN, color-coded jacket where useful
- ›Permanent printed labels at both ends. Machine-printed, not Sharpie
- ›Photos of every run before the ceiling tiles close. Bound into the binder
- ›Manufacturer system warranty registered (25-year typical) and passed through to you
- ›Fiber: OS2 single-mode for inter-building, OM4 multi-mode for inter-rack
- ›Fusion-spliced fiber where appropriate, OTDR-tested, end-face inspected with scope
§ 05 · Standards & specifications
We follow the spec. Even when no one's checking.
- Copper baseline
- Cat6a 23 AWG solid, plenum-rated (CMP) above ceiling
- Performance
- TIA-568.2-D Category 6A, supports 10GBASE-T to 100m
- Fiber baseline
- OS2 single-mode for inter-building, OM4 multi-mode for inter-rack
- Connectors
- RJ45 jacks T568B. LC duplex on fiber w/ pre-polished or fusion splice
- Termination
- Punched on 110-style or modular keystone. No field-crimped RJ45 plugs in walls
- Testing
- Cable certifier. Wire map, length, NEXT, FEXT, return loss, attenuation
- Fire-rating
- Plenum (CMP) above lay-in ceilings. Riser (CMR) in vertical chases
- Fire-stopping
- Listed through-penetration firestop systems
- Bend radius
- 4× cable diameter min for Cat6a. 10× for fiber
- Cable bundling
- ≤24 cables per bundle to prevent PoE heat de-rating (NEC 725)
- Pathway
- EMT, J-hooks, or D-rings. Never zip-tied to ceiling grid (NFPA 13)
- Labeling
- TIA-606-C. Port + path, both ends, machine-printed, permanent
§ 06 · How a project runs
Boring process. Predictable result.
01
Walk + design
Drop count, pathway plan, IDF location, fiber routing, conduit needs.
02
Pull + dress
Cable pulled, dressed, J-hooked. Photos before tile closes.
03
Terminate + test
Both ends terminated. Every drop certified. Results to PDF.
04
Hand off
Patch panel labeled, IP schedule documented, warranty registered, binder delivered.
§ 07 · Where we run this work
Low-Voltage Wiring installation across West Texas.
- Lubbock, TX
- Midland, TX
- Odessa, TX
- Amarillo, TX
- Abilene, TX
- San Angelo, TX
- Plainview, TX
- Levelland, TX
- Brownfield, TX
- Snyder, TX
- Big Spring, TX
- Hereford, TX
Headquartered in Lubbock. Regional truck in the Permian Basin. Same-day onsite for go-live week and emergency response across our coverage area.
§ 08 · Common questions
Real questions we answer on the jobsite.
- Q.01
How much does Cat6a cabling cost per drop in West Texas?
Standard commercial Cat6a drop, terminated and certified, run up to 100m: $185–$285 per drop installed, depending on building difficulty (new construction is cheaper, retrofit through finished spaces is more). Includes jack, patch panel position, label, test report, and warranty registration. Volume discounts on jobs over 50 drops.
- Q.02
Cat6 vs. Cat6a. Which should I install for new construction?
Cat6a, every time. The cable cost difference is roughly 25%. The labor cost is identical. Cat6 tops out at 10 GbE only over short runs (<55m). Cat6a runs 10 GbE to the full 100m. Cable lives in the ceiling for 20+ years. Switch tech doubles every 5. Installing Cat6 today is buying yourself a forced re-pull in 2030.
- Q.03
Do I need plenum cable?
If the cable runs through a plenum air space (the area above a lay-in ceiling that returns HVAC air, or any space designated as an air-handling space), yes. By code (NEC 800.179). Plenum-rated jacket (CMP) is fire-resistant and produces less smoke when burning. We default to plenum on all commercial drops above ceiling tile because the inspector won't accept otherwise.
- Q.04
Can you pull cable for the GC during new construction?
Yes, and we strongly prefer it. We coordinate with the GC, electrical, and HVAC subs during framing and pre-rock. Cable goes in before drywall closes, when access is free and labor is fast. We deliver cable test reports, as-built drawings, and a binder at substantial completion. We've worked with most major Lubbock and Midland GCs.
- Q.05
Will you certify the cable with a real test report?
Yes, every drop. We use professional-grade cable certifiers. Wire map, insertion loss, NEAR/FAR-end crosstalk, return loss, length, and propagation delay. Results are exported to PDF, organized by drop number, and bound into your project binder. The same report is required to register the manufacturer's 25-year system warranty in your name.
- Q.06
What about voice (phone) cabling and alarm?
Voice: most modern phones run on the data network (VoIP via PoE), so the same Cat6a drop serves both. We do still pull dedicated voice cable for analog fax / elevator phone / fire-panel auto-dial when required. Alarm: we pull and terminate the low-voltage runs for alarm panels, but we don't program the alarm. That's licensed alarm trade work, separate scope.
§ 09 · Related disciplines
We almost never install this in isolation.
SC-05
Structured Cabling
MDF/IDF rooms, racks, fiber backbones. The next layer up from horizontal cabling. Same crew.
Read spec sheet →
RF-01
Wi-Fi & Networking
Every AP needs a Cat6a run. We pull the cable and provision the network as one project.
Read spec sheet →
VS-02
Security Cameras
Camera cable is low-voltage work too. PoE cameras share the spec. Design once.
Read spec sheet →
Next step · Free site survey
Let's walk your building.60 minutes. Free. No pitch.
You leave the call with a real plan for your low-voltage wiring project. Heat map, blind-spot diagram, written report. Yours to keep whether you hire us or not.
TDPS #B31108601 · SDVOSB · HUB Certified · Veteran-Owned