A high speed electrical connector is disclosed. The electrical connector includes a plug portion and a receptacle portion. The plug portion has a first plurality of signal contacts contained in a plug back housing. The receptacle portion is adapted to mate with plug portion and has a second plurality of signal contacts in a receptacle back housing. The plug back housing is adapted to contain the first plurality of signal contacts for both surface mount and thru-hole termination and the receptacle back housing is adapted to contain the second plurality of signal contacts for both surface mount and thru-hole termination.