I was recently contacted by the latest acquirer of our local landline provider, with an offer of “really, really fast” internet service, resulting from a build-out of their fiber-optic network. They now offer fiber-to-the-neighborhood (node), with a twisted pair cable running less than 1000 yards from the node to my house.

In contrast, the cable company I currently use as my ISP completed their fiber build-out about ten years ago (I was working for them at the time). The node is also about 1000 yards or less from the house, but it is connected to the house with coaxial cable, rather that twisted pair.

If all other factors are the same, what would be the difference in data quality between a twisted pair cable and a coaxial cable, run about 1000 yards between node and my home network?

Topics: data, networking, ISP, twisted pair, coaxial