Twisted pair cables are a type of electrical cable commonly used for data transmission. They consist of pairs of insulated copper wires twisted together to reduce electromagnetic interference. This design helps maintain signal quality over distances, making them ideal for applications like telephone lines and computer networks. There are two main categories of twisted pair cables: Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) and Shielded Twisted Pair (STP). UTP is widely used in everyday networking, while STP includes additional shielding to protect against interference, making it suitable for environments with high electrical noise.