Electrical connector assembly for a communication system

A communication system comprising:

• a printed circuit board having a first mounting area, a second mounting area remote from the first mounting area and a third mounting area having a communication component electrically connected to the printed circuit board at the third mounting area, the printed circuit board having a first circuit between the first mounting area and the third mounting area being electrically connected to the communication component, and the printed circuit board having a second circuit between the second mounting area and the third mounting area being electrically connected to the communication component;
• a remote connector electrically connected to the printed circuit board at the second mounting area;
• a cable assembly having a bundle of cables extending between a first cable connector and a second cable connector, the second cable connector being mated with and electrically connected to the remote connector;
• and
• an electrical connector assembly electrically connected to the printed circuit board at the first mounting area, the electrical connector assembly comprising a housing having a mating end configured for mating with a mating electrical connector and a wafer assembly received in a chamber of the housing, wherein the wafer assembly includes a PCB terminated contact wafer and a cable terminated contact wafer arranged parallel to each other in a wafer stack,
• the PCB terminated contact wafer including a first contact array having first signal contacts, a first contact holder holding the first signal contacts, and a first ground shield extending along the first contact holder to provide electrical shielding for first signal contacts, the first signal contacts having mating portions arranged in the housing for mating with the mating electrical connector, the first signal contacts having terminating ends extending from the first contact holder for termination to the printed circuit board at the first mounting area, the terminating ends of the first signal contacts being electrically connected to the first circuit of the printed circuit board at the first mounting area;
• the cable terminated contact wafer including a second contact array having second signal contacts, a second contact holder holding the second signal contacts, and a second ground shield extending along the second contact holder to provide electrical shielding for second signal contacts, the second contact holder including a mating interface configured to mate with the first cable connector of the cable assembly, the second signal contacts having mating portions arranged in the housing for mating with the mating electrical connector, the second signal contacts having terminating ends arranged at the mating interface for electrical connection with the first cable connector, wherein the second signal contacts are electrically connected to the second circuit of the printed circuit board through the cables and the remote connector.

A communication system comprising:

• a printed circuit board having a first mounting area, a second mounting area remote from the first mounting area and a third mounting area having a communication component electrically connected to the printed circuit board at the third mounting area, the printed circuit board having a first circuit between the first mounting area and the third mounting area being electrically connected to the communication component;
• a first electrical connector assembly electrically connected to the printed circuit board at the first mounting area, the first electrical connector assembly comprising a first housing having a mating end configured for mating with a first mating electrical connector and a first wafer assembly received in a chamber of the first housing, wherein the first wafer assembly includes a plurality of PCB terminated contact wafers arranged parallel to each other in a first wafer stack, each PCB terminated contact wafer including a first contact array of first signal contacts held by a first contact holder having mating portions arranged in the first housing defining a first mating interface for mating with the first mating electrical connector and first terminating ends extending from the first contact holder for termination to the first circuit of the printed circuit board at the first mounting area;
• and
• a second electrical connector assembly electrically connected to the printed circuit board at the second mounting area, the second electrical connector assembly comprising a second housing having a mating end configured for mating with a second mating electrical connector and a second wafer assembly received in a chamber of the second housing, wherein the second wafer assembly includes a plurality of cable terminated contact wafers arranged parallel to each other in a second wafer stack, each cable terminated contact wafer including a second contact array of second signal contacts held by a second contact holder having second mating portions arranged in the second housing defining a second mating interface for mating with the second mating electrical connector and second terminating ends, the second contact holder including a mating interface configured to mate with a connector of a cable assembly, the second terminating ends arranged at the mating interface for electrical connection to the cable connector;
• wherein the first mating interface and the second mating interface are each configured to mate with either of the first and second mating electrical connectors;
• and
• wherein the first electrical connector assembly is electrically connected to the communication component through the first circuit of the printed circuit board, and wherein the second electrical connector assembly is electrically connected to the communication component through cables of the cable assembly.