How did twisted pair cabling get its name?

Twisted pair cabling derives its name from the structure of the cable itself, which consists of pairs of insulated copper wires twisted around each other. This twisting helps to reduce electromagnetic interference and crosstalk between adjacent pairs, enhancing the overall performance of the cable in transmitting data. By twisting the wires, the cable maintains a balanced signal and minimizes the impact of external noise.

The design is fundamental to the functioning of twisted pair cables, which are commonly used in networking for telephone lines and data transmission, particularly in Ethernet networks. The use of twisted wire pairs has become a standard practice in telecommunications because of these benefits.