HIGH SPEED, HIGH DENSITY CONNECTOR

Electrical connectors for very high speed signals at frequencies to support high data rates, including at or above 112 Gbps. A connector includes lead assemblies, each of which includes conductors held by an assembly housing, and shielding members disposed on opposite sides of the assembly housing. Each conductor has a mating end and a mounting end opposite the mating end. The shielding members have tabs disposed on the mating ends of ground conductors from the opposite sides. The tabs on the opposite sides can be welded to respective ground conductors simultaneously. The tabs are connected to bodies of respective shielding members by beams separated by slots. The slots are sized to both provide tolerances for welding and to reduce crosstalk further. The shielding members alternatively or additionally can have tabs disposed on the mounting ends of the ground conductors from the opposite sides.