It is a different kind of coax than is used for cable television. The two kinds of coaxial cable are not interchangeable. Coaxial cable has a bandwidth of 10 to 20 megabits per second. Because of the copper mesh shield, it has very good resistance to electrical noise. In theory, coaxial cable can be used over distances of one or two kilometers.
Coaxial cable is reasonably inexpensive.
It also has the advantage that it can be installed by persons with very little training or experience. The use of coax in LANs is nearly obsolete. It is gaining popularity in what are know as broadband systems. Broadband is actually a cable television term. In broadband, the digital signal is modulated onto a carrier and sent down the same cable as other signals, like cable television channels.