Crosstalk detection, or "crosstalk", is a function of a measuring instrument that detects the amount of unwanted interference between each pair of wires in a data cable. Think of a data cable as a bundle of several separate communication channels. Crosstalk occurs when a signal from one channel is partially and unintentionally transmitted to an adjacent channel, thereby interfering with its original signal. Each conductor through which an electrical signal flows creates a weak electromagnetic field around itself. When the conductors are close together, as in data cables, these fields interact. This interference can corrupt the data being transmitted, leading to errors and the need to re-send information. The consequence is a reduction in the real transmission speed of the network. A cable tester with this function measures how strong this interference is. There are usually two main types. The first is "NEXT" (Near-End Crosstalk), which is crosstalk measured at the same end of the cable from which the test signal is being sent. This is a critical parameter because the interference is strongest here. The second type is "FEXT" (Far-End Crosstalk), which is measured at the far end of the cable. The result of the measurement is a value, most often given in decibels (dB), which indicates how much stronger the useful signal is than the unwanted crosstalk. Here, the higher the value in dB, the better the quality of the cable because the level of interference is lower. Crosstalk measurements are used to verify that the cabling meets the standards for a given category, such as Cat6 or Cat6a, and is capable of operating reliably at the required speeds.