CommScope announced the worldwide availability of the new generation of SYSTIMAX® Constellation®, its edge connectivity and power platform designed for increasingly dense and “hyper-connected” enterprises. The solution combines fault-managed power (by design-safe), hybrid fiber and power trunking, and Constellation Points (CPs) within a star topology that aims to simplify cabling, reduce installation work, and extend service distances well beyond traditional LAN capabilities.
The company emphasizes that the system is technology-agnostic, nearly compliant with all global power and data transmission standards, and supports AC and DC applications (110/220 V AC, 48 V/24 V DC, and PoE). Compared to a classic structured cabling system—with telecommunications closet per floor—Constellation enables centralized UPSs and allows CPs to be placed in false ceiling, wall, or rack, supporting converged or segmented networks with fewer components.
“We are giving customers more options to deliver connectivity and power at the edge in a cost-effective, scalable, and sustainable manner,” highlighted Luc Adriaenssens, VP of Building & Campus at CommScope.
What is Constellation (and what changes)
The new platform is part of the SYSTIMAX portfolio and integrates Propel™ fiber panels, power transmitters, and power transition panels connected to CPs through hybrid fiber/power trunking (owned by CommScope). From CPs to the end device, SYSTIMAX preterminated Cat 6A cords are used.
Design Highlights
- Star topology: fewer intermediate cabinet levels, route simplification, and power centralization.
- Fiber/power hybrid: a single trunk for 10 G and higher data (using single-mode fiber) and fault-managed power.
- Flexible CPs: up to 50 devices per CP; deployable in ceiling, wall, or rack.
- IT/OT: designed for convergence (or segmentation) of corporate and industrial networks within a single physical scheme.
Performance and range (by the numbers)
- Data capacity: 10 G (and beyond when using single-mode fiber).
- Power:
- Up to 1,800 W at 250 m effective between equipment room and CP.
- Up to 1,000 W at 500 m effective.
- Up to 700 W at 1,000 m effective.
- Productivity: –57% in qualified installation hours (CommScope estimate).
- Material efficiency: –59% copper, –65% plastic, and –40% embedded carbon compared to a traditional LAN (per the company).
Practically speaking: more power and speed over longer distances, with less work, less material, and fewer rooms.
Suitable for which scenarios?
- Dense buildings and campuses: more Wi-Fi access points, cameras, sensors, PoE lighting, displays, IoT, and edge micro-centers per floor.
- Renovations and retrofits: reduces the need to create/quadruplicate floor data rooms, freeing up usable space.
- IT/OT in manufacturing, logistics, and retail: a unified trunk for visualization devices, light robotics, PLCs, and edge gateways.
- Hotels, flexible offices, healthcare: high density of powered devices with extended distances and centralized UPS.
Operational Benefits
- Simplified architecture: the star reduces distribution layers and dependencies.
- Managed power (“fault-managed power”): electrical safety built into the system design, with centralized UPS to protect critical loads.
- Scalability and “agnosticism”: supports AC/DC/PoE and multiple connectivity standards—useful for long-building cycles and integrating new technologies.
- Sustainability: less copper/plastic, less space, and less embedded CO₂.
- Capex/Opex: CommScope estimates over 50% savings in installation labor compared to traditional solutions.
System composition
- Equipment room: Propel™ panels, power transmitters, and transition panels.
- Trunks: hybrid cables (fiber + power conductors) patented by CommScope.
- CPs (Constellation Points): convergence/segmentation points where devices connect.
- -Patch cords: Preterminated Cat 6A cables to end devices (supporting PoE where applicable).
Comparison with traditional structured cabling
| Aspect | Traditional LAN | SYSTIMAX Constellation |
|---|---|---|
| Topology | Hierarchical (floor TRs) | Star (CPs from central room) |
| Power | PoE over copper; UPS per floor | AC/DC/PoE; centralized UPS |
| Trunk medium | Copper + fiber separated | Hybrid fiber/power |
| Distances | Limited by copper | Up to 1,000 m with power and 10G+ |
| Installation | More work and cabinets | –57% qualified hours |
| Materials | More copper/plastic | –59% copper, –65% plastic |
| Future scaling | Dependent on TRs | Modular and technology-agnostic |
Availability and portfolio integration
The evolved version of Constellation is available from today worldwide and integrated into CommScope’s SYSTIMAX® family. The manufacturer positions the system as a platform (not just a point product) that combines Propel™ fiber, managed power, CPs, and preterminated Cat 6A cords.
What CIOs/CTOs or property managers should evaluate
- Load Map: How many powered devices at the edge today and in 3–5 years (APs, cameras, IoT, signage, edge nodes…).
- Space: Capacity to recover rooms per floor by centralizing UPS/equipment.
- Electrical regulation and safety: Implications of fault-managed power and local compliance.
- Capex/Opex: Civil works, materials, labor, and deployment times.
- Sustainability: Reducing materials and embedded carbon as ESG levers.
- IT/OT convergence: Segmentation and QoS requirements in mixed environments.
Summary
CommScope takes its Constellation a step further with a hybrid star of fiber + power that emphasizes long distances, 10 G+, managed power, and fewer floor data rooms. In buildings and campuses needing more edge devices with less complexity, this approach promises installation savings, technological flexibility, and a lower environmental impact compared to traditional copper LANs.
via: commscope