Which type of cable is prone to noise and interference?

Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) cables are particularly susceptible to noise and interference due to their design. This type of cable consists of pairs of wires twisted together without any protective shielding, which makes them more vulnerable to electromagnetic interference (EMI) from external sources such as motors, fluorescent lights, and other electronic devices. The twisting of the wires does help to some extent in reducing interference by balancing out the electromagnetic fields produced, but without additional shielding, UTP cables are still at a greater risk compared to shielded options.

In contrast, Fibre Optic cables transmit data as light through glass fibers, making them immune to electromagnetic interference altogether. Coaxial cables, which consist of a central conductor, insulating layer, and an outer shield, provide a significant level of protection against noise and interference. Similarly, Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) cables include shielding that helps to protect the signal from external interference more effectively than UTP cables. This shielding effectively reduces the amount of noise that can affect the data signals during transmission.

Thus, due to its unshielded construction, Unshielded Twisted Pair cables are indeed the option most impacted by noise and interference.