In daily use scenarios, ordinary buyers often simply believe that "solid copper network cables are better in quality than CCA cables".
However, for importers, the core concern is not this one-sided perception. Such an either-or quality judgment is fundamentally insufficient to support procurement decisions and market layout.
The real core business question to consider is: How to accurately position the market roles of solid copper and CCA, allowing each to give play to its advantages and achieve the optimal overall business benefits?
Quick Conclusion
CCA cables are not inferior products, but a cost-effective solution that relies on scenario matching.
In short-distance, light-load, non-high-power PoE, and indoor environments, CCA can be used stably for a long time and significantly reduce procurement costs. Only in scenarios such as ultra-long-distance, high-load, and permanent projects must solid copper be selected.
The core value of CCA cables lies not in performance competition, but in cost optimization through scenario adaptation.
PART 2 Practical Dilemma: Rising Cost Pressure from Volatile Copper Prices
Over the past year, affected by geopolitics, supply chain fluctuations, and global monetary policies, international copper prices have continued to fluctuate and rise.
This price surge has been directly passed on to the procurement end, bringing three major pressures:
1. Surging Raw Material Costs:
The conductor cost of solid copper network cables accounts for 60%-70% of the total cost. For every 10% increase in copper prices, the raw material cost of solid copper network cables increases by at least 6%;
While CCA cables adopt a copper-aluminum composite structure, with copper usage only 25%-30% of that of solid copper cables of the same specification, so they are far less affected by copper price fluctuations.
2. Declining Product Pricing Competitiveness:
In price-sensitive emerging markets such as Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America, it is difficult for importers to fully pass on the increased costs of solid copper cables to downstream customers. They either have to compress profits or lose price advantages;
In contrast, CCA cables have strong price stability, enabling importers to maintain flexible pricing strategies.
3. Increased Inventory Capital Pressure:
Solid copper network cables are heavier. For example, a 1000-foot CAT6 solid copper cable weighs about 30 kg, while the CCA version is only about 22 kg. This not only leads to higher warehousing costs but also faces the risk of inventory depreciation due to copper price fluctuations, occupying more working capital.
Therefore, for importers, choosing CCA or solid copper is no longer just a matter of "preferring a certain quality", but a strategic choice to cope with copper price changes and optimize the supply chain cost structure.
PART 3 Why Can CCA Gain a Stable Market Footing?
CCA cables can gain a stable position in the market, especially in price-sensitive low-end segments with strong demand. The core reason is not "low price", but achieving "accurate cost-effectiveness matching".
Instead of competing with solid copper for high-demand scenarios, it achieves the optimal balance between cost and performance within its own performance range.
Simply put, the conductivity of CCA cables is about 60%-65% that of solid copper, and this performance gap can be completely avoided in controlled scenarios. As long as the wiring length, load power, and ambient temperature are within reasonable ranges, the signal transmission effect of CCA cables can meet daily network needs, and there is little difference in long-term operational stability compared with solid copper.
For importers, as long as they clarify the application scope of CCA in advance and inform downstream customers of the applicable scenarios, they can minimize after-sales risks and quickly expand the market with cost advantages. This is the core reason why CCA is still widely used even though everyone knows "its performance is not as good as solid copper".
PART 4 Typical Scenarios for Safe Use of CCA
Combined with industry practices and import business experience, using CCA cables in the following scenarios fully meets commercial application requirements:
1.Short-Distance Fixed Wiring (≤50 Meters):
CCA cables can fully meet the needs of gigabit networks in daily households and small offices within 50 meters; once exceeding 50 meters, the signal will weaken significantly, and solid copper must be selected at this time. Importers should inform customers of the "recommended maximum wiring length" in advance to avoid ultra-distance use.
2.Non-PoE or Low-Power PoE Devices (≤6W):
The core risk of PoE power supply (transmitting both data and power through network cables) is overheating. CCA has poorer heat dissipation performance than solid copper. Powering high-power devices (such as PoE cameras and switches above 30W) will cause CCA cables to overheat, accelerate aging, and even trigger short circuits. Therefore, CCA is only suitable for non-powered or low-power devices, such as ordinary wireless APs and low-power cameras.
3.Residential and Small-Scale Commercial Scenarios:
In scenarios such as ordinary home broadband, small shops, and homestays, the network usage intensity is low and the ambient temperature is stable, so the performance of CCA cables is fully sufficient; it must not be used in 24/7 high-load scenarios such as data centers and enterprise core computer rooms.
4.Temporary or Semi-Permanent Wiring:
For short-term use scenarios (service life ≤1 year) such as exhibition construction, temporary construction site networks, and event venues, CCA cables have extremely high cost-effectiveness, and there is no need to consider long-term aging issues; however, excessive bending should be avoided during installation to prevent cable damage.
5.Indoor Dry and Constant Temperature Environments:
The aluminum core in CCA cables is prone to oxidation and cannot be used outdoors, in humid environments (such as sewers and toilets), or in high-temperature environments (such as unventilated ceiling interlayers); in indoor dry and constant temperature environments, its service life can reach 5-8 years.
PART 5 The Truth About CCA After-Sales Complaints
In actual import and after-sales experience, most complaints about CCA cables stem from use beyond their designed application scope, rather than product defects. Common situations include four types:
1.Ultra-Distance Use:
Some customers use CCA cables for wiring over 100 meters to save costs, resulting in poor signals and packet loss, but attribute it to "poor CCA quality"; in fact, even solid copper cables require repeaters to enhance signals for lengths over 100 meters.
2.Powering High-Power Devices:
Using CCA cables to power high-power PoE devices leads to failures due to long-term overheating. This is a selection error, not a product quality issue – high-power scenarios should use solid copper cables.
3.Use in Harsh Environments:
Using CCA cables outdoors, in humid or high-temperature environments causes oxidation and signal interruption. Such problems can be completely avoided by clarifying "indoor-only use" in advance.
4.Use in Permanent Projects:
Using CCA in long-term projects such as office buildings and data centers leads to insufficient performance when the network is upgraded or the load increases, triggering complaints; such scenarios are inherently suitable for solid copper cables.
It is important to recognize this: most after-sales risks can be avoided through "clear scenario definition + guiding customers to use correctly", without blindly pursuing solid copper materials.
PART 6 Correct Positioning of CCA
Mature cable importers do not classify CCA as an "inferior product", but regard it as a "cost optimization tool" in the supply chain. They build a dual product line of "solid copper + CCA" based on the demand stratification of the local market:
For the high-end market (enterprise customers and large-scale commercial projects), promote solid copper cables, focusing on "stable performance and worry-free after-sales service" to earn premiums through quality and reputation;
For the low-end market (ordinary residences, small shops, and homestays), promote CCA cables, focusing on "high cost-effectiveness and sufficient performance" to quickly seize market share and improve capital turnover rate.
For most customers, what they really need is not "the best material", but "a stable and usable network within budget".
For example, for local ordinary home decoration and small shop networking, gigabit network and 5-year service life are fully sufficient, and CCA cables can meet the needs; forcing the recommendation of solid copper will only result in lost orders due to high prices.
The professionalism of importers lies in accurately matching the needs of different local customers, rather than blindly advocating high-end materials.
PART 7 Core Conclusion
Against the backdrop of high copper prices and differentiated global market demand, CCA cables are not "inferior substitutes" for solid copper, but important tools for importers to optimize the supply chain and expand the market. Their value depends entirely on whether they are used in the right scenarios – when used correctly, they can save costs and expand the market; when used incorrectly, they will cause after-sales problems.
As long as we adhere to the principle of "using the right product in the right scenario", CCA cables can reduce costs, enhance competitiveness, and avoid after-sales risks, becoming a core advantage for importers in the cable business.