What is the difference between Individual Shielding (IS) and Overall Shielding (OS)?

Overall Shield (OS): A single layer of aluminum foil or tinned copper braid wraps all pairs. It protects the signal from external electromagnetic interference (EMI).

Individual Shield (IS): Each pair is wrapped in its own foil. This is critical for preventing crosstalk (interference between adjacent signals) in multi-pair cables.

Combination (IS/OS): Cables with both provide the highest signal integrity, essential for sensitive analog data in petrochemical or power plants.