Thirteen Industry Leaders Unite to Define Active Copper Cable Standards
The ACC-MSA aims to accelerate interoperability and innovation for next-generation copper interconnect solutions
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Feb. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Thirteen global leaders in networking, semiconductors and cabling have joined forces to form the Active Copper Cable Multi-Source Agreement (ACC-MSA). This consortium is committed to defining specifications that will enable a robust ecosystem of interoperable ACC solutions, addressing one of the industry’s biggest challenges: reducing power, cost and latency while enhancing the performance of high speed copper interconnect.
Co-chaired by MACOM and Semtech, founding members include: AMD, Amphenol, Ciena, Cisco, Dell Technologies, Keysight Technologies, Luxshare Technologies, MACOM Technology Solutions, Molex, Multilane, NVIDIA, Semtech Corporation and TE Connectivity.
The initial focus of the ACC-MSA is on optimized copper interconnect featuring integrated linear equalizers. The MSA specifications will define the electrical, firmware and testing requirements to ensure seamless interoperability across multiple vendors of networking equipment and copper cables.
“Extending the reach of copper cabling is critical for scaling intra-rack connectivity for AI and other high-performance applications,” said Marek Tlaka, Vice President, High Performance Connectivity at MACOM. “Through the integration of linear equalizers within cable connectors, we can significantly increase copper’s reach, reduce cable thickness and deliver lower power consumption and latency compared to DSP-based solutions, while maintaining low bit error rate and a pluggable interface compatible with existing passive copper and optical interconnects.”
“The ACC-MSA is focused on driving innovation and collaboration,” said Scott Schube, Vice President, Applications and Business Development, Signal Integrity Products at Semtech. “By creating a multi-source ecosystem, we aim to improve interconnect economics and speed industry-wide adoption of next-generation copper connectivity.”
“AI hardware infrastructure spending is set to exceed $1T by 2029, with networking infrastructure set to approach $200B in the same timeframe,” commented Alan Weckel, Founder and Technology Analyst, 650 Group. “ACCs are a key enabler of these deployments by providing low power, low cost short-reach interconnect, and we expect them to play a major role in the rapidly expanding networking market going forward.”
About the ACC-MSA
The ACC-MSA is an industry consortium dedicated to defining specifications for linear active copper cables and networking equipment. By enabling interoperability across multiple vendors, the ACC-MSA aims to reduce power, cost and latency while improving performance for high speed copper interconnects. Founding members include leading companies in networking, semiconductors and cabling. Learn more at .
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