An electrical connector is provided that includes a housing and a circuit board provided therein. The circuit board has a body arranged along a circuit board plane, and the body includes a separable interface configured to directly join to a mating connector. A ground plane is arranged parallel to the circuit board plane. Signal contacts are provided on at least one side of the circuit board at the separable interface. Immediately adjacent signal contacts on a common side of the circuit board are configured to convey signals that are independent from one another.