A comparison of the susceptibility performance of shielded and unshielded twisted pair cable for data transmission

Abstract

In the past, arguments have been made that Shielded Twisted pair cable, STP, should have better susceptibility performance than Unshielded Twisted pair cable, UTP, in an environment where the cable is subjected to significant external noise. This paper shows that currently available UTP has susceptibility performance that is similar to STP when tested according to 1EC 801-4, Electrical Fast Transient, one of the most severe forms of interference to data signals. This result holds the possibility of substantial savings for building wiring installations.