Standard Cable Color-Coding Reference
These are the standard color codings for telephone cables containing up to 26 pairs. For cables containing more than 26 pairs, a Binder Color Code wraps multiple bundles of 25 pairs with a colored binder thread. For cables containing more than 600 pairs, a Super Unit Binder Color code is used to separate multiple Binder bundles.
Insulation Band-Marked Color Code
Wire Pair Ring/Tip 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Color Long/Short White/Blue Blue/White White/Orange Orange/White White/Green Green/White White/Brown Brown/White White/Slate Wire Color Markings
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10
Ring
Slate/White
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 10 10
Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring
Red/Blue Blue/Red Red/Orange Orange/Red Red/Green Green/Red Red/Brown Brown/Red Red/Slate Slate/Red
21 22 23 24 25
11 11 12 12 13
Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip
Black/Blue Blue/Black Black/Orange Orange/Black Black/Green
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26 27 28 29 30
13 14 14 15 15
Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring
Green/Black Black/Brown Brown/Black Black/Slate Slate/Black
31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
16 16 17 17 18 18 19 19 20 20
Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring
Yellow/Blue Blue/Yellow Yellow/Orange Orange/Yellow Yellow/Green Green/Yellow Yellow/Brown Brown/Yellow Yellow/Slate Slate/Yellow
41
21
Tip
Purple/Blue
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42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
21 22 22 23 23 24 24 25 25
Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring
Blue/Purple Purple/Orange Orange/Purple Purple/Green Green/Purple Purple/Brown Brown/Purple Purple/Slate Slate/Purple
51 52
26 26
Tip Ring
Red/White White/Red
Notes: Some cable vendors save manufacturing costs by having using only a single color for the Tip wire, and marking the Ring wire with two colors For example, for Pair 1, there would be a solid white Tip wire, and a White/Blue Ring wire twisted together as normal. Once untwisted, as many five identical Tip wires of the same color would be present and this could cause confusion. Such cables require different handling than a cable with fully-marked wires. On ABAM 28-pair cables or cross-connect bundles (mainly used in DS3 break-out situations), the first 25 pair colors are as shown above. For pairs 26 through 28, the the first three pair combinations are repeated, eg White/Blue, Blue/White, White/Orange, Orange/White, and White/Green, Green/White.
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Insulation Solid Color Code
Certain types of telephone wiring use solid color insulation markings rather than banded color codes. Solid color wiring is commonly used for jumper wire, distribution frame wire and station wire. For sheathed station cables (pairs are usually not twisted) containing four to eight conductors, the following table is used. This includes "flat" cables, also known by the name "Satin Flex", regardless of outer material color. If a wire only has four or six conductors, it always uses the first four or six colors. Wire 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 Pair Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip/Ring Green Red Black Yellow Blue Orange Brown White Color Wire Color Markings
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For cables containing more than 8 conductors using solid colors, the pairs must be twisted together and, the following color table is used. Wire 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pair 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 Ring/Tip Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring Color White Blue White Orange White Green White Brown White Slate Wire Color Markings
11 12
6 6
Tip Ring
Red Blue
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13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
7 7 8 8 9 9 10 10
Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring
Red Orange Red Green Red Brown Red Slate
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
11 11 12 12 13 13 14 14 15
Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip
Black Blue Black Orange Black Green Black Brown Black
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30
15
Ring
Slate
31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
16 16 17 17 18 18 19 19 20 20
Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring
Yellow Blue Yellow Orange Yellow Green Yellow Brown Yellow Slate
41 42 43 44 45
21 21 22 22 23
Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip
Purple Blue Purple Orange Purple
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46 47 48 49 50
23 24 24 25 25
Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring
Green Purple Brown Purple Slate
51 52
26 26
Tip Ring
Red White
Binder Color Code
For cables containing more than 25 pairs, the standard color sequence is repeated and each group of 25 pairs is wrapped in a Binder that is colored according to the table below. Binder Number 1 2 3 4 Binder Color Long/Short White/Blue White/Orange White/Green White/Brown Binder Color Markings
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White/Slate
6 7 8 9 10
Red/Blue Red/Orange Red/Green Red/Brown Red/Slate
11 12 13 14 15
Black/Blue Black/Orange Black/Green Black/Brown Black/Slate
16 17 18 19
Yellow/Blue Yellow/Orange Yellow/Green Yellow/Brown
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20
Yellow/Slate
21 22 23 24
Purple/Blue Purple/Orange Purple/Green Purple/Brown
(Information on printing color tables on color printers can be found here. ) Telecommunications Reference Index Visit the nemesis.lonestar.org home page and index
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