Direct-attach connector

A method of manufacturing a cable assembly, comprising:

• providing a contact ribbon including:
• a plurality of pairs of first and second signal contacts;
• a ground plane;
• a first row of ground contacts extending from the ground plane in a row along a first side of the ground plane such that a first line extending through the first row of ground contacts does not intersect with any signal contacts of the plurality of pairs of first and second signal contacts;
• and
• a second row of ground contacts extending from the ground plane in a row along a second side of the ground plane such that a second line extending through the first row of ground contacts does not intersect with any signal contacts of the plurality of pairs of first and second signal contacts;
• providing a cable with a plurality of pairs of first and second center conductors, a plurality of insulators each surrounding a corresponding pair of the plurality of pairs of first and second center conductors, and a shield that surrounds the plurality of insulators;
• connecting each pair of the plurality of pairs of first and second signal contacts to a corresponding pair of the plurality of pairs of first and second center conductors at a first end of the cable;
• and
• connecting the shield to the ground plane at the first end of the cable, wherein
• the second row of ground contacts is located on a same side of the contact ribbon as the plurality of pairs of first and second signal contacts.