frame a single channel sfp cable connector first electrical terminals held by the mechanical frame are configured to mate with respective first pins of the receptacle second electrical terminals held within the mechanical frame are configured to mate with respective second pins of the connector circuitry couples the first and second electrical terminals so as to enable communication between the connector and one channel of the receptacle while terminating the remaining channels of the receptacle application_number US 82536510 A description the mechanical characteristics and pinout of the qsfp module differ from those of other sfp modules such as sfp therefore a cable with a sfp connector cannot normally be plugged into a qsfp receptacle an embodiment of the present invention described in detail hereinbelow overcomes this incompatibility so as to allow interworking of qsfp receptacles with sfp connectors specifically this embodiment provides an adapter that fits inside the qsfp cage the mechanical envelope of the receptacle and accommodates the sfp connector both mechanically and electrically thus enabling cables that are terminated with sfp connectors to be plugged into qsfp receptacles the adapter contains circuitry that enables communication between the connector and one channel of the four channels of the receptacle while terminating the remaining channels of the receptacle fig1 is a schematic pictorial illustration showing a sfp connector 28 plugged into an adapter 20 which is in turn plugged into a qsfp receptacle 22 in a panel 24 of a communication device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention in this example panel 24 contains multiple receptacles 22 with respective indicator lamps 26 and other controls as are known in the art some of the qsfp receptacles will receive cables with qsfp plugs not shown in the figure in some.