Due to increased international demand from countrys like China and India the price of commoditiy items has skyrocketed in recent years. This rise in costs is especially evident in the metals commodity markets. Since copper is the key element in low voltage electric alarm and audio cables and is a commodity metal the cost of low voltage wire and cable has also dramatically risen in recent years.

Another factor which contributes to the cost of low voltage wire and cable is how much copper production processing is involved in making a particular type of copper conductor for for the low voltage wire and cable.There is much more processing and thus cost in the manufacturing of stranded copper conductors. A less costly alternative is to use solid copper conductor wire and cable since it does not require the extra manufacturing processing costs of stranded wire copper conductors.Wire and cable made with solid bare copper conductors is not as flexible as those made with stranded copper conductors. The loss of some flexibility is made up for with the lower cost of solid conductor wire and cable. Most low voltage alarm systems use a small gauge (22 awg.) size wire and the small loss of cable flexiblity does not just justify overlooking the costs savings of using solid conductor wire.