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SINGLE PAIR ETHERNET: THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR IIOT
Connecting industrial data from field to cloud.
As industrial automation becomes increasingly connected, Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) helps provide the foundation for a scalable IIoT infrastructure. Market trends such as device miniaturization, increasing operational efficiency, and remote power delivery are driving demand for simpler and more scalable network architectures. SPE helps provide a single, open, and scalable Ethernet-based network across automation systems, supporting seamless communication from the field level to higher-layer networks. Traditionally, fast 100 Mbps Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet connections required multiple wire pairs for data transmission. With SPE, data and power can be transmitted over a single pair of wires through power over data line (PoDL). This helps reduce cabling complexity, lower system costs, and supports more flexible and efficient industrial automation designs.
Single Pair Ethernet, or SPE, enables ethernet transmission with two wires, rather than eight. For years, TE Connectivity has been driving innovation in the automotive industry with this smaller, lighter, smarter technology. TE is now bringing SPE’s powerful advantages to the infrastructure for the Industrial Internet of Things.
SPE is the starting point for new product developments and connectivity solutions. Based on transmission standards in accordance with IEEE 802.3, the new Single Pair Ethernet technology has just been integrated into new generations of automobiles and replaces controller area network (CAN) and other bus systems there. Controls, communication and safety functions are going to run uniformly on Ethernet in the future. Now it is time to bring these advantages to industrial automation.
As an enabler of IIOT it allows virtually barrier-free communication from the sensor to the cloud. It provides movement freedom to IIoT applications and makes miniaturization possible with power over data line (PoDL) and hybrid connector solutions. SPE facilitates an open ecosystem, allowing real-time and high-speed communication connections up to 1 Gb/s and cable length up to 1000 meters for 10 MB/s.
- IP20 and IP67 connector solutions
- TE’s data solution with PoDL capabilities up to 50 W
- TE’s hybrid power data solution (power levels beyond PoDL 24 V up to 100 W and 48 V up to 400 W) for easy power distribution (utilizing existing power infrastructures)
RESOURCES
Advancing SPE Through Industry Collaboration
Industry collaboration is accelerating the adoption of SPE and enabling interoperable solutions for the next generation of industrial automation. In 2026, leading organizations merged to form the Single Pair Ethernet Association e.V., creating a unified forum to advance SPE development, standardization, and global adoption. As a founding member of the association, TE Connectivity continues to drive the evolution of industrial SPE through its leadership in the development of the IEC 63171-7 standard, helping enable interoperable connectivity across devices, systems, and manufacturers. Through its commitment to open standards, TE is helping extend Ethernet communication from enterprise networks to controllers, sensors, and actuators at the field level, supporting Industry 4.0 and Industrial IoT applications.
