Receptacle module for a communication system

A receptacle module configured to be plugged into a receptacle cage of a receptacle assembly for mating with a plug module plugged into the receptacle cage, the receptacle cage configured to be mounted to a host circuit board and cover an intermediate connector, the receptacle module comprising:

• a receptacle housing having receptacle housing walls defining a receptacle module cavity, the receptacle housing having a card slot configured to receive a plug module circuit board of the plug module, the receptacle housing walls including a bottom wall facing the host circuit board;
• a receptacle contact assembly including receptacle contacts received in the receptacle module cavity of the receptacle housing, the receptacle contacts including cable contacts and intermediate contacts, each cable contact including a cable contact mating end and a cable contact terminating end, the cable contact mating end arranged in the card slot to interface with the plug module circuit board, each intermediate contact including an intermediate contact mating end and an intermediate contact terminating end, the intermediate contact mating end arranged in the card slot to interface with the plug module circuit board, the intermediate contact terminating end having a contact pad flush with the bottom wall of the receptacle housing defining a separable mating interface at the bottom wall configured to interface with the intermediate connector mounted to the host circuit board;
• and
• cables terminated to the cable contact terminating ends and extending from the receptacle housing.

A communication system comprising:

• a receptacle cage having cage walls defining a module channel, the module channel extending between a front end and a rear end of the receptacle cage, the cage walls including a top cage wall and side cage walls extending from the top cage wall, a bottom of the receptacle cage is configured to be mounted to a host circuit board, the receptacle cage having a front cage interface at the front end, the receptacle cage having a rear cage interface at the rear end;
• an intermediate connector received in the module channel at the bottom of the receptacle cage, the intermediate connector including an intermediate connector housing holding intermediate connector contacts, the intermediate connector housing configured to be coupled to the host circuit board, the intermediate connector contacts configured to be electrically connected to the host circuit board;
• a plug module plugged into the front end of the receptacle cage and coupled to the front cage interface, the plug module including a plug housing having plug housing walls defining a plug module cavity, the plug module including a plug module circuit board held by the plug housing in the plug module cavity, the plug module circuit board having a mating edge;
• and
• a receptacle module plugged into the rear end of the receptacle cage and coupled to the rear cage interface for mating with the plug module plugged into the module channel of the receptacle cage, the receptacle module comprising:
• a receptacle housing having receptacle housing walls defining a receptacle module cavity, the receptacle housing having a card slot configured to receive a plug module circuit board of the plug module, the receptacle housing walls including a bottom wall facing the host circuit board;
• a receptacle contact assembly including receptacle contacts received in the receptacle module cavity of the receptacle housing, the receptacle contacts including cable contacts and intermediate contacts, each cable contact including a cable contact mating end and a cable contact terminating end, the cable contact mating end arranged in the card slot to interface with the plug module circuit board, each intermediate contact including an intermediate contact mating end and an intermediate contact terminating end, the intermediate contact mating end arranged in the card slot to interface with the plug module circuit board, the intermediate contact terminating end having a separable mating interface coupled to the corresponding intermediate connector contact of the intermediate connector;
• and
• cables terminated to the cable contact terminating ends and extending from the receptacle housing;
• wherein the intermediate connector electrically connects the intermediate contacts with the host circuit board.