Belden Cable Equivalent: UK Part Cross-Reference 2026

Matching a Belden part number shouldn't mean paying a Belden premium: what matters on a tender or a call-out is whether the gauge, pair count, screen type and impedance line up, not whose name is printed on the sheath. Belden 8723 is a 22AWG, 2-pair individually-screened cable, and UK stock like the Belden 8723 equivalent LSZH cable or CQR's CABTP2X2 reel are built to the same construction — but not every Belden number on a spec sheet has a drop-in match, so each one needs checking against its actual datasheet, not just its reputation.

What Actually Makes a Cable a Belden Equivalent?

A cable earns the label "Belden equivalent" only when its conductor gauge, pair count, screening method and impedance match the original part number — matching the sheath colour or price point isn't enough. As the Belden Equivalent CCTV Cable guide puts it, "Belden equivalent" is a specification claim, not a brand, meaning the cable is built to match a Belden part number's construction rather than simply resembling it on the outside.

Conductor gauge (AWG) sets resistance and voltage drop along a run. Swap a 24AWG original for a 22AWG substitute and you change current-handling capacity and, just as importantly, whether the conductor actually fits the crimp or gland the installer already has on the van.

Pair/core count and screening type decide how a cable rejects interference on multi-circuit installs. Individually-screened pairs — as used in the Belden 8723 equivalent, a 2-pair LSZH-sheathed cable priced at £57.50 for a 100m reel — reject crosstalk between circuits differently to an overall-braided or foil-only design, so one shouldn't be substituted for the other on a run carrying several separate signals. The CQR CABTP2X2/GY/LSF100, also built to the Belden Style 8723 spec with 2 individually screened pairs and an LSZH sheath rated CPR Euroclass Eca, is priced at £57.27 for the same 100m reel — a useful sanity check that genuine equivalents cluster around similar specs and price, not wildly apart.

Characteristic impedance matters most on coax-style equivalents such as RG59 or RG6-style cable, where a mismatch against the usual 75Ω video standard causes signal reflections and visible interference. On data and control cables — the territory covered by the Belden 73003WS 3 Core Shielded Control Cable used in control panels and building management systems — impedance matching is less critical, but gauge and screening still are.

Getting any one of these three wrong turns a "cheaper equivalent" into a cable that fails on the bench, not just on paper.

Belden 8723 Equivalent: The Cable Everyone Asks About

Belden 8723 is a 22AWG, 2-pair, individually foil-screened cable, and the closest UK-stocked match is sold under the same "8723" reference by multiple suppliers. It's one of the most-searched Belden part numbers in this market because it's the default choice for CCTV telemetry, RS-485 control loops and balanced audio runs where each pair needs its own screen rather than one shared drain wire.

The key spec to match is individual-pair screening, not just "2-pair screened." Two current UK options carry the 8723 construction:

Product	Construction	Sheath	Price	Stock
Belden 8723 Equivalent 2-Pair LSZH Cable	2-pair, individually screened	LSZH	£57.50 / 100m reel	Low stock
CQR CABTP2X2/GY/LSF100	Type 8723, 2 individually screened pairs	Grey, CPR Euroclass Eca	£57.27 / 100m reel	Low stock

Both reels sit within a few pence of each other — £57.50 versus £57.27 — and both are sold as 100m reels rather than per-metre cuts, so factor whole-reel cost into smaller jobs. The CQR version is explicitly rated to CPR Euroclass Eca, useful where a project spec calls out construction products regulation compliance by name.

Before substituting either onto an existing installation, check the pull-through you're replacing was genuinely individually screened per pair, not an overall braid around both pairs — the two constructions aren't interchangeable for noise rejection on multiplexed control or balanced audio signals. If you're only running a single 3-core shielded control feed rather than a 2-pair data pair, the Belden 73003WS 3 Core Shielded Control Cable is the more relevant fit rather than forcing an 8723-style pair count.

Belden Numbers You'll Meet on a Tender — Spec Checklist

A "Belden equivalent" is a construction match to a specific Belden part number, and each family — coax, multi-pair control, or HD-SDI — needs its own equivalence check rather than one blanket answer. Tender specs often quote a Belden number as shorthand for a screen type and gauge, not because the buyer wants that exact brand, so knowing what each number actually locks down matters before you price a substitute.

Belden part	Typical construction	What to verify before substituting
8723	22AWG 2-pair individual foil screen	Individual vs overall screen; LSZH vs PVC sheath
9540	Multi-pair screened control/instrumentation	Pair count, AWG, overall vs individual screen
9729	Screened multi-conductor	Conductor count, gauge, shield type
9501	Screened pair, control/signal	AWG, screen type, voltage rating
1694A	RG6-style 75Ω coax, HD-SDI rated	Impedance, return-loss/bandwidth rating for HD-SDI use
8761	Multi-pair screened cable	Pair/conductor count, screen type, sheath rating

The 8723 is the number you'll hit most often on a CCTV or access-control tender, and it specifically calls for 22AWG conductors in 2 individually screened pairs — an important distinction from an overall-screened pair-count cable, since individual screening stops crosstalk between pairs on multi-signal runs. A belden 8723 equivalent sold as Belden 8723 Equivalent 2-Pair LSZH Cable at £57.50 keeps that individual-screen construction with an LSZH sheath rather than PVC.

For belden 9540 equivalent, belden 9729 equivalent and belden 9501 equivalent specs, the checklist is the same three questions: confirm pair or conductor count, confirm AWG, and confirm whether the screen is overall or per-pair — the number alone doesn't tell you which. A belden 1694a equivalent must additionally match 75Ω impedance and the return-loss/bandwidth rating that HD-SDI signal transport depends on, since a generic 75Ω coax won't necessarily carry that qualification. Multi-pair belden 8761 equivalent cable needs the same pair-count and shield-type check as the 9540 and 9729 families before it goes on the tender return.

RG59 or a Belden-Equivalent Coax — Which for CCTV Video Runs?

For HD-SDI or long analogue runs, choose a specified Belden-equivalent coax such as a 1694a equivalent over generic RG59 — the naming matters less than the impedance and loss tolerance behind it. "RG59" is a loose military-derived descriptor, not a controlled spec, whereas Belden part numbers like 1694A define impedance, dielectric consistency and attenuation to a tighter tolerance.

Why generic RG59 varies so much

Standard RG59 is nominally 75Ω, but braid density and dielectric quality swing wildly between a bargain reel and a proper catalogue-spec cable. That inconsistency is exactly where signal loss creeps in on longer HD-SDI backhaul runs — the picture degrades or drops well short of the cable's rated maximum distance, and it's rarely obvious until the run is finished and the image is soft or unstable.

Where a Belden 1694a equivalent earns its premium

A 1694a equivalent is built for HD-SDI and broadband video with impedance and loss control specified more tightly than generic RG59, so it holds signal integrity over distance far better. It's worth the extra cost specifically where image quality will be scrutinised — evidential footage, long camera-to-NVR runs, or multi-camera matrix installs where cable variance compounds.

Matching cable to the job

• Standard-definition analogue or short IP-camera power/data runs: generic RG59 is usually adequate.
• HD-SDI backhaul, longer coax runs, or anywhere picture quality is critical: specify a Belden-equivalent build such as the 1694A profile.
• Screened multi-pair control or audio wiring alongside coax: a Belden 8723 Equivalent 2-Pair LSZH Cable is a common companion run for interference-free control signalling.

The takeaway: don't buy on the "RG59" name — buy on the impedance and loss spec, and step up to a Belden-equivalent build once the run length or image scrutiny justifies it.

Recommended kit

For the setup above, this is the kit we'd fit from our own range:

• Belden 8723 Equivalent 2-Pair LSZH Cable — Belden 8723 equivalent 2-pair screened cable with LSZH sheath. Ideal for interference-free audio, control & instrument wiring. Buy per metre at CCTV Master.
• Belden 73003WS 3 Core Shielded Control Cable — 3 core shielded control cable with stranded copper, PVC jacket and EMI protection. Buy per metre for industrial control, automation and signal applications.