Communication Cable Buyers in Pennsylvania
Data, voice and fiber cable from Pennsylvania contractors and IT departments, reviewed by category and box condition.
Communication cable covers the products that carry information rather than power: twisted pair data cable in categories 3 through 6A, coaxial cable for video and broadband, and optical fiber in multimode and singlemode. Each has its own listing and its own fire rating, and those ratings decide where the cable can be installed. Plenum rated cable costs several times what riser rated cable costs, which is why the print matters so much when a lot is offered.
Pennsylvania inventories come from cabling contractors, school districts, hospitals and data centers. A structured cabling project buys boxes by the dozen, and the leftovers sit in a van or a storage cage for years. Fiber spools are less common but valuable, especially singlemode and OM4, because a partially used spool is still usable for short runs. Fiber spools are less common but valuable, especially singlemode and OM4, because a partially used spool still serves short runs.
| Construction | Four pair twisted copper cable, coaxial cable with a center conductor and shield, or optical fiber with aramid strength members |
|---|---|
| Conductors | 23 or 24 AWG solid copper for data cable, 18 AWG for some coax, glass fiber in 50 or 62.5 micron cores |
| Insulation and jacket | Polyolefin insulation with PVC, plenum rated or low smoke jacket compounds |
| Ratings | Categories 3, 5e, 6 and 6A for copper; OM1 through OM4 multimode and OS2 singlemode for fiber |
| Standards | UL 444 and NEC Article 800, with CMP, CMR, CM and CMX jacket ratings for plenum, riser and general use |
What communication cable is
Copper data cable is four twisted pairs in a single jacket, with the pairs twisted at different rates so they do not interfere with each other. Category 5e supports gigabit Ethernet, Category 6 supports 10 gigabit over limited distances, and Category 6A adds a separator and heavier gauge conductors for full 10 gigabit runs. Coax has a single center conductor inside a dielectric and a shield, used for video and broadband distribution.
Fiber is a different product entirely, with a glass core, cladding, strength members and an outer jacket. Multimode fiber in OM3 and OM4 serves building backbones and data centers, while singlemode OS2 serves campus and carrier links. None of these are power cable, and none should be quoted as such even when the jacket colors look similar.
- Four pair copper in categories 3 through 6A
- Coax for video and broadband
- Multimode and singlemode fiber
- Fire rating printed as CMP, CMR, CM or CMX
Where Pennsylvania sellers use communication cable
Structured cabling contractors are the main source. An office fit-out, a school renovation or a hospital addition generates boxes of cable and a few partial spools of fiber, and the leftovers accumulate in vans and cages. Data centers in the eastern part of the state buy in quantity and sometimes replace cable that was never terminated.
Institutional IT departments also hold surplus. A district that standardizes on Category 6A may have boxes of Category 5e left from earlier work, and a plant that upgrades its network may have coax and fiber from a legacy system. Municipal buildings and police and fire facilities contribute smaller quantities of plenum rated cable.
What makes communication cable resellable
Category and fire rating decide the price. Plenum rated Category 6A is the most valuable copper product in the group, and it is easy to identify from the print. Riser rated cable is worth less and general purpose cable less again. Boxes that were never opened with the factory label intact are the strongest items in any lot.
Fiber is priced on type, core count and length. A partial spool of 12 strand OM4 is useful; a 50 ft tail is not. Singlemode is generally worth more per foot than multimode. Coax has a modest market through security and broadband contractors, and the value depends on the type and the remaining length on the reel.
- Unopened boxes of plenum rated Cat 6A
- Riser rated cable in full boxes
- OM3 and OM4 fiber on partial spools
- Singlemode fiber with connectorized ends
Condition, storage and identification
Copper data cable is durable but not indestructible. A box that was crushed in a van can have a kink that ruins the pair geometry and fails a certification test, and a reel that was stored in a damp basement can wick water into the jacket. Fiber is more delicate, with a minimum bend radius that is easy to violate when a spool is handled carelessly.
The jacket print is the identification. It carries the category or fiber type, the fire rating, the part number and often the length remaining on the box. Keep the box, because the label and the footage marker are the best evidence of what is inside. For fiber, the spool label gives the core count and the type.
What to send for a quote
Send photos of the box label, the jacket print and the spool label for fiber. List each item by category or fiber type, length and fire rating. Note whether boxes are sealed or opened, and whether any fiber has been terminated, since terminated ends change how a spool can be used.
We review the lot and return a quote, then arrange pickup or shipment. Boxes are light and ship well, which makes small lots practical. Fiber spools need to stay upright and padded, so tell us how they are packed before we schedule.
- Box label and jacket print
- Category or fiber type and fire rating
- Length and whether sealed
- Fiber core count and termination
- Packing and shipping preference
What we buy in this category
- Plenum Cat 6A boxes still shrink wrapped
- Cat 5e and Cat 6 riser cable in full boxes
- OM3 and OM4 multimode fiber spools
- Singlemode OS2 fiber on partial spools
- Coax reels for video and broadband
- Leftover cable from cabling contractors
- Institutional network upgrade surplus
- Mixed category lots for sorting
Selling communication cable in Pennsylvania
We review communication cable from every Pennsylvania region: the southeastern industrial corridor, the Lehigh Valley, southwestern Pennsylvania, the Susquehanna Valley, the northeast and the northern tier. Location decides the pickup plan, so include the municipality in your message.
Communication Cable questions
Do you buy opened boxes of data cable?
Yes, if the remaining length is known or can be estimated from the box marker. Opened boxes sell for less than sealed ones, and cable that has been pulled through walls is reviewed more cautiously.
Which is worth more, plenum or riser cable?
Plenum rated cable is worth considerably more because it can be installed in air handling spaces and costs more to buy. The print on the jacket states the rating, and it is the first thing we check.
Do you buy fiber optic cable?
Yes. Multimode OM3 and OM4 and singlemode OS2 are all reviewed. Core count, length and whether the ends are terminated all affect value, and a spool label photo answers most questions. Core count, length and termination all affect the quote, and a spool label photo answers most of our questions at once.
Can communication cable be sold as power cable?
No. Data, coax and fiber are listed under different articles and cannot serve power circuits. We quote them as communication products, which is a separate market from building wire. We quote them as communication products, which is a separate market from building wire, and the two should never be mixed in one lot.
Other wire and cable we buy
Low Voltage Cable
Sell surplus low voltage cable in Pennsylvania.
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Buying detailsHave surplus wire on the floor right now?
Send photographs of the reels, tags and jacket print. We will tell you what the material is worth as wire, not just as metal.