In a communication system, a wire or cable is usually used to connect transmitting and receiving devices. Currently in the market, there are mainly three types of cables deployed in communication systems, which are twisted pair cables, coaxial cables and fiber optic cables. Each type has been widely utilized and applied in different applications. What's the difference between these three kinds of cables? This article will make a comparison between them.

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In a communication system, a wire or cable is usually used to connect transmitting and receiving
devices. Currently in the market, there are mainly three types of cables deployed in communication
systems, which are twisted pair cables, coaxial cables and fiber optic cables. Each type has been
widely utilized and applied in different applications. What's the difference between these three
kinds of cables? This article will make a comparison between them.
Twisted Pair Cables
Twisted pair cable consists of a pair of insulated wires twisted together, which has been adapted in
the field of telecommunication for a long time. With the cable twisting together, it helps to reduce
noise from outside sources and crosstalk on multi-pair cables. Basically, twisted pair cable can be
divided into two types: unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cable and shielded twisted-pair (STP) cable.
UTP cable, such as data communication cables and normal telephone cables, serves as the most
commonly used cable type with merely two insulated wires twisted together. STP cable
distinguishes itself from UTP cable in that it includes a foil jacket which helps to prevent crosstalk
and noise from outside source. STP cable is typically used to eliminate inductive and capacitive
coupling, and it can be applied between equipment, racks and buildings. The table below shows
several different types of twisted pair cables.
Coaxial Cables
Coaxial cable is a type of high-frequency transmission cable which contains a single solid-copper
core. A coaxial cable has over 80 times the transmission capability of the twisted-pair cable. Coaxial
cables are commonly used to deliver television signals and to connect computers in a network as
Comparison Between Twisted Pair Cable,
Coaxial Cable and Fiber Optic Cable

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well. There are mainly two kinds of coaxial cables: 75 Ohm coaxial cable and 50 Ohm coaxial cable.
75 Ohm coaxial cable
The primary use of 75 Ohm coaxial cables is to transmit video signals. One typical application of 75
Ohm coaxial cable is to transmit television signals over cable, which is why sometimes it is called
signal feed cables. The most common connector type used in this application is a Type F. Another
application is video signals between components, such as DVD players, VCRs or receivers commonly
known as audio/video (A/V) cables. In this case, BNC and RCA connectors are often found. In both
applications, RG59 with both solid center conductor (RG59B/U) and stranded center conductor
(RG59A/U) as well as RG6 are common choices.
50 Ohm coaxial cable
The primary use of 50 Ohm coaxial cables is the transmission of data signals in a two-way
communication system. Several common applications for 50 Ohm coaxial cables are computer
ethernet backbones, wireless antenna feed cables, GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) antenna feed
cables and cell phone systems.
Fiber Optic Cables
Computing and data communications are fast-developing technologies. To meet the transmission of

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ever-increasing data rates, there comes a new generation of transmission medium, which is fiber
optic cable. Fiber optic cable transmits information using beams of light at light speed rather than
pulses of electricity. It refers to the complete assembly of optical fiber. A fiber optic cable can
contain one or more strands of optical fiber to transmit data. Each strand of optical fiber is
individually coated by plastic layers and contained in a protective tube. Fiber optic cable transmits
data as pulses of light go through tiny tubes of glass, the transmission capacity of which is 26,000
times higher than that of twisted-pair cable. When comparing with coaxial cables, fiber optic cables
are lighter and more reliable for transmitting data.
Two widely used types of fiber optic cables are single-mode fiber optic cables and multimode fiber
optic cables. A single-mode optical fiber has a small core, and only allows one mode of light to
propagate at a time. It is generally adapted to high speed and long-distance applications. A
multimode optical fiber has a larger core diameter than a single-mode optical fiber and it is
designed to carry multiple light rays, or modes at the same time. It is mostly used for
communication over short distances because of its high capacity and reliability, serving as a
backbone applications in buildings. And there are many connector types for fiber optic cable, such
as LC, SC, ST or FC connector. You can choose fiber optic cables terminated at both ends with the
same or different connector types to connect different devices, like LC SC fiber patch cable, LC to LC
fiber patch cable. There are both single-mode and multimode, and simplx and duplex fiber optic
patch cables for your options, such as LC to LC multimode duplex fiber optic patch cable, LC to SC
duplex single-mode fiber optic patch cable, or LC LC multimode fiber patch cord.
Conclusion
As we know, the technology in the field of communication networks is developing rapidly. Among all
these three kinds of cables, fiber optic cables seem to have been the trend to meet the increasing
demand of data rates in the market. However, whether to choose twisted pair cables, coaxial cables
or fiber optic cables still heavily depends on applications. And other factors, such as the cost,
transmission distance and performance, also need to be taken into consideration when making a
choice.

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Notice: This document is for informational purposes only and does not set forth any warranty, expressed or
implied, concerning any equipment, equipment features, or service offered or to be offered by Fiberstore.
Fiberstore reserves the right to make changes to this document at any time, without notice, and assumes no
responsibility for its use. This information document describes features that may not be currently available.
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