Modular telecommunications plug and method

A method of terminating a telecommunications cable with a modular plug, the method comprising:

• attaching a wire manager to a terminal end of the telecommunications cable, the wire manager extending along a long axis between a rear portion that receives the terminal end of the telecommunications cable and a front portion;
• using gates on the wire manager to hold twisted pairs of wires from the telecommunications cable;
• straightening the twisted pairs of wires;
• using opposing surfaces on each gate of the wire manager to guide a wire from each twisted pair of wires into an internal cavity of a load bar, the opposing surfaces diverging in a direction of the front portion of the wire manager;
• sliding the load bar onto the straightened wires;
• trimming the straightened wires to be flush with a distal end of the load bar;
• attaching a housing to the wire manager;
• and
• crimping wire contacts housed inside the housing to contact the wires.

A modular plug for terminating a telecommunications cable, the modular plug comprising:

• a housing defining an internal cavity;
• a wire manager fitted within the internal cavity of the housing and having a plurality of channels, each channel having a gate configured to position a twisted pair of wires from the telecommunications cable, the wire manager including a rear portion having an aperture configured to receive a terminal end of the telecommunications cable, the rear portion having a plurality of ribs that define orthogonal edges on exterior surfaces of the wire manager, and the orthogonal edges being configured to receive an anti-snag protector;
• a load bar fitted within the internal cavity of the housing, the load bar defining an array of external grooves, each external groove being configured to receive a wire from each twisted pair of wires;
• and
• a plurality of wire contacts aligned with the array of external grooves.