Cables can be measured by the number of bytes of data that can be transmitted per second. A byte is the basic unit of information in computer storage and processing. The higher the number of bytes per second that a cable can transmit, the faster the data transmission will be. Standard telephone cables do not tend to be very fast at transmitting large amounts of data. Specialised high-speed data cables are generally used where speed of transmission is important.
Optical cables transmit data using pulses of laser light.
In some applications, particularly remote locations, physical cables may not be available or appropriate. In these cases data can be transmitted by microwaves or radio waves, using satellites or land-based transmitters. These telecommunications mediums are complex and are constantly being improved upon. An EMB wishing to use specialised telecommunications methods would be advised to consult specialists in the field.