The longer the copper cable that data has to pass through, the slower and lower quality the internet connection at the other end will be. Fiber still suffers from attenuation, but at a much slower rate than copper cables.
The ultra-pure glass used in its construction is pretty flexible and the buffer does a good job of keeping away moisture, dirt and anything else that could damage the core and cladding. Multiple fiber-optic wires are bundled together into bigger fiber cables that are wrapped in even thicker protective layers and buried underground to keep them safe from floods, hurricanes and other disasters.
If you have a DSL internet connection, your Instagram Stories and favorite Netflix shows are still traveling along the fiber-optic internet—just not for the last mile or two. And fiber-optic cables are even sending signals undersea across the Atlantic. This is good news for everyone who wants a fast, stable, weather-safe internet connection. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Sascha Brodsky. Sascha Brodsky is a freelance journalist based in New York City. His work has appeared in The Ne In other words, a fiber network provides a consistent service. The download speed of cable network ranges from 10 to megabits per second Mbps. Its upload speed range is 5 to 50 Mbps. This broadband speed is sufficient for most small-scale businesses and homes. The cable network speed can accommodate some heavy downloading, video streaming and gaming.
However, since it is a shared network, whenever the traffic is high, the network speed is slower. Fiber-optic internet services is faster compared to the cable network with a speed of not less than , Mbps in both directions. Many people can access the fiber network at the same time without affecting the overall performance. This makes it ideal for high demand use that needs to stay constant, even during peak periods. It used to be considered that a cable internet connection was quite a bit cheaper than a fiber internet connection, but the costs associated with fiber optic have come down significantly.
It is now more comparable to cable service costs, though still more expensive typically. While cable is mainly determined by your location, television, and phone services, you can choose to purchase a combined internet and television package, or a bundle, from your service provider to get some additional savings.
The fiber-optic internet cost can be more expensive and will depend on your usage, the speed of the internet you want, and your location. You may also need to pay installation and activation fees. For businesses that need the fastest internet connections, have larger bandwidth demands, and need reliability for essential functions, fiber may be the best choices.
With fiber, you can use it for both video and voice applications, server hosting, and application hosting. Get Faster Satellite Internet.
How Does Fiber Internet Work? A fiber connection lets you hop online thanks to fiber-optic cables, which use light signals to send data to and from your computer. Because of the newer technology behind it, fiber internet far surpasses DSL and cable internet in terms of speed and reliability. Still curious?
We mentioned before that fiber internet lets you surf the web thanks to fiber-optic cables filled with glass filaments. Those cables send data back and forth thanks to lasers and light signals.
Cue dramatic echo. In terms of your internet connection, attenuation means the strength of the signal sent to your computer gets weaker over time. That change makes the signal harder for your computer to process overall. With fiber, the signal stays stronger so you get faster internet and better streaming. That light signal uses binary to communicate with your computer.
Pretty cool. By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You might now be wondering why fiber is so much better at transmitting data than cable or DSL internet connections.
Well, the answer lies in the types of cables used. Curious to learn more about cable internet? Check out our guide here. DSL and cable internet both rely on copper wires to transmit data—the same kind of wires that transmit your voice over a telephone line.
That goes to show you just how long this technology has been around. The problem of attenuation and distortion for copper wires gets worse the longer those wires get—so the farther away from your neighborhood node and internet service provider ISP you live, the worse your signal could get.
Attenuation and distortion also get worse with your internet speed. Like we mentioned, fiber-optic internet lines transfer data using modulated light instead of electricity. Fiber internet connections work at speeds up to 1 gigabit per second—literally times faster than those old copper wire connections.
But both DSL and cable internet speeds got better over the years, so you may not readily see the difference when you compare these types of internet plans. Here's a quick look at some fiber, cable, and DSL internet plans to compare. This is the holy grail of fiber connections. Fiber to the curb FTTC means your fiber connection goes to the nearest pole or utility box—not an actual concrete curb. This means your connection is made up of part fiber-optic cables, part copper wires.
Fiber to the node or neighborhood FTTN provides a fiber connection to hundreds of customers within a one-mile radius of the node. The remaining connection from the node to your home is often a DSL line that uses existing telephone or cable lines. When A Municipality works on utility projects, like a water main, they use that opportunity to place broadband structure as well.
This way they save money and avoid inconveniencing their community multiple times. No matter how you cut it, bury it, or string it up fiber projects involve a lot of manpower. These are not jobs just anyone can do. Parts of the process can be contracted, such as the trenching, but the majority involves full-time experience employees. Licensed professionals will have to be hired to run the heavy machinery.
Planning infrastructure requires experienced engineers to map out where and how networks will be built. Engineers have to take care of poles even in dangerous situations. It can sometimes end up being more trouble than it is worth, resulting in that project being put aside for another.
One of the reasons it is often easier for municipalities to work in partnership with ISPs to build fiber infrastructure is because of the experienced and expensive personnel needed. This is a challenge for any business venture that involves large expensive projects. Building fiber involves a very large upfront cost. Unfortunately, it takes years for the company to see a return on investment.
Unfortunately, not every home is going to subscribe to fiber. The general monthly cost of the provider has to be subtracted from the monthly cost before you can tell what the actual profit will be, and usually, that is above half of the monthly cost. A municipality building fiber is looking return on investment is going to be much different, because this investment is about community growth and prosperity, not a fiscal profit.
The return on investment a municipality looks for is going to depend on what their broadband goals were. Some common returns on investment are:. Broadband infrastructure is a hot-button issue in government right now. From Washington to your local state house politicians are trying to decide the best way to connect us all. Whatever changes the government makes, now or in the future, have to be carefully considered by anyone building fiber infrastructure.
One way government is helping build better broadband is by providing grant money to ISPs and municipalities. This is great for ISPs because it balances out the high cost of building fiber in rural areas. When an ISP builds new infrastructure in one specific rural area, they can delegate other funds to connect homes they pass along the way.
This way an ISP can connect more homes. The FCC is also providing funds for state government grants that can be granted to rural municipalities looking to build out their broadband infrastructure. Municipal Broadband is a hot-button issue across the country.
For municipalities to qualify for these grants that have to fit certain criteria. Criteria vary from state to state, as does the definition of broadband. To qualify for any government funding though, a community has to have speeds that fall under a broadband definition. An ISP receiving any government funding has to build to the definition, though some grants have a specific build to definition.
Another element of governments increased interest in broadband infrastructure is policy related. There are currently twenty states with laws that prohibit municipalities from building their own broadband network. Many of these state laws were lobbied into action by large telecom corporations. The majority of states do allow municipalities to build and maintain their own broadband though, including 24 states with that have at least one community with their own fiber optic Internet network.
It is possible that, in the future, these state laws will no longer be applicable. Congress has been working on a bill that would overturn these state laws , paving the way for municipalities to build their own fiber infrastructure.
When it comes to building fiber, whether it is an ISP or a municipality, building for the future is an important consideration. It is clear that the Internet of Things is growing and expanding, with new ways to connect our lives every day. The more things we connect the Internet the faster speeds we need to power them. That is why so many ISPs and municipalities are choosing to build future-proof fiber infrastructure now, versus outdated copper that will only need to be replaced in years.
More than that though, they have to build for changes in population and economic landscape. Building for the future often means building more fiber all at once, versus coming back in late to install more.
Yes, building fiber optic Internet is expensive, but those large expenses have more to do with the infrastructure than the fiber itself. The cost of doubling strands of fiber can be a difference of mere cents, whereas the cost of changing infrastructure in the future can be between thousands, if not millions, of dollars.
Dark fiber , optical fibers that are part of a fiber cable but are not currently being used, can be a great asset to an ISP or municipality. Dark fiber can be sold or leased out in the future, helping to speed up the investment return for ISPs or provide extra money to a municipality. Despite the concerns involved, many ISPs have dedicated themselves to fiber optic Internet deployment.
Some ISPs have even committed to only building fiber infrastructure going forward, and are actively working to replace existing copper. OTELCO is one of many ISPs that has decided to embrace the future by using fiber for all new infrastructure projects, while actively working to replace copper wires with optical fibers.
Now that you know more about fiber optic Internet you may be more interested in how one company is deploying it. Back to Top. Aerial fiber: Fiber strung above ground, usually up on utility poles.
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