Category 1 cable, also known as Cat 1, Level 1, or voice-grade copper, is a grade of unshielded twisted pair cabling designed for telephone communications, and at one time was the most common on-premises wiring. The maximum frequency suitable for transmission over Cat 1 cable is 1 MHz, but Cat 1 is not considered adequate for data transmission.
Though not an official category standard established by TIA/EIA, Category 1 has become the de facto name given to Level 1 cables originally defined by Anixter International, the distributor. Cat 1 cable was typically used for networks that carry only voice traffic, for example telephones. Official TIA/EIA-568 standards have only been established for cables of Category 3 ratings or above.
References
Category 1 cable Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA