The Difference Between Cable and Fiber Optic Internet

The newest tech to hit the internet service market is fiber optic internet, but is it as good as everyone claims? What is it, exactly? What are the pros and cons of fiber optic internet? How does it stack up against cable?

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At C1C, we understand that, with any new technological innovation, businesses and consumers alike have questions, and we are here to answer them.

What is Fiber Optic Internet?

Unlike traditional methods of data transmission (like cable or DSL), fiber optic internet does not use metallic wires and electrical signals to send data from one place to another. Instead, fiber optic internet uses a particular type of fiber that transmits light signals carrying data.

Pros and Cons of Fiber Optic Internet

Pros

In the fiber internet vs. cable debate, fiber has numerous advantages. With this next generation technology, fiber can transfer lots of data quickly with very little latency (delays in data processing), making it the fastest internet available. The data flows over long distances without degrading like it does with cable, so the information gets from one place to another quickly and intact. Even better, fiber optic internet does not have bandwidth caps, so you can theoretically use as much as you need.

In addition, fiber optic internet has the scalability, stability, and security that a business needs. Fiber optic wavelengths can be turned on and off on demand, and extra fiber infrastructure can be placed to accommodate growth, which means a growing business can easily customize and scale their services if needed.

Fiber also is more reliable in that it is more resistant to electromagnetic, corrosive, and lightning-related damage, and it is less likely to go down during a power outage; thus, it tends to be a more stable option.

Furthermore, this form of internet service is also harder to hack, and it does not radiate signals the way cable internet does. Breaches are easier to identify as soon as they occur as well, meaning that your data is more secure with fiber internet vs. cable. Plus, the fire hazard associated with traditional copper wiring is also absent with fiber, as it does not use electricity.

Finally, there are cost benefits to fiber optic internet. Fiber internet service usually costs about the same as cable, sometimes a little more, depending on where you are and what you need. In the long run, though, it tends to be less costly as the overhead is lower than for copper networks, and the service costs for consumers and businesses is likely to decrease as fiber optic networks grow.

Cons

While there are significant advantages to fiber, it is far from a perfect replacement for traditional technology. While fiber is thinner and lighter than copper cable, it is also more delicate, making it more susceptible to physical damage from construction mishaps, wildlife, radiation, or chemicals. It is also sensitive to bending, so maneuvering and laying fiber cabling is a challenge. Fiber optic threads are also potentially harmed by what is known as &#;fiber fuse.&#; This occurs when there is an imperfection in the fiber and, when too much light meets the anomaly, it causes permanent damage to the fiber.

Fiber also has the disadvantage of what is known as unidirectional light propagation. In layman&#;s terms, this means that it can only transmit information in one direction. If you need to send and receive information, you need two concurrent fibers.

Another major drawback to fiber internet vs. cable is the high short-term costs. Fiber optic internet requires a whole new infrastructure to be implemented for use, which is very expensive. It requires trained specialists and special equipment to install. Repairs are also very costly if the fiber is damaged.

An additional issue with fiber is its limited availability. As it is a relatively new technology, fiber optic internet is not yet as widely available as cable or DSL.

Pros and Cons of Cable Internet

It&#;s important to carefully consider your options when debating cable vs. fiber internet. Fiber may be very intriguing, but it may not be the best option for your business at this time. In weighing your options, consider these pros and cons of cable internet as well.

Pros

Like fiber, cable is well-known for its reliability. Under most circumstances, barring electrical storms and power outages, you will have a connection readily available at nearly any time with cable. If you are in a location that does not often face power outages and fiber is still fairly new, cable may be the better option. Cable is highly accessible, as it is currently available in far more locations than fiber.

Depending on your business&#;s needs and location, cable may also be less expensive. So, if you don&#;t need the higher speeds from fiber, you may not find it very cost effective at the moment. Plus, with better industry-wide standards established relatively recently for cable, the technology is ripe for performance growth

Cons

With cable, speeds are dependent on usage rates by others in your area, so if you are in a commercially-populated region, you may see slowdowns during peak business hours. Delays (latency) can also be more frequent with cable, in addition to it being generally slower than fiber. Furthermore, cable service providers usually have data caps, and if you go over these limits, you face additional fees. Finally, cable is not as eco-friendly as fiber based on the amount of data it transmits in relation to the amount of energy used.

Choosing Between Cable and Fiber Optic Internet

When weighing the pros and cons of fiber optic internet vs. cable internet, it is important to remember that what will be right for your business depends on a number of factors, including availability, scale, budget, speed and security requirements, and more.

If you have any questions, the experts at C1C are here to help! Contact us here to schedule a free consultation, where we can answer your questions and help you find the internet solution your business needs.

Although new ways of providing internet connectivity are coming up, optical fiber cables are still regarded as the gold standard and preferred by most CSPs for providing internet to their customers due to their unique advantages that outshine any other mode of internet connectivity in terms of speed, cost, maintenance, latency, weather resistance, etc.

The optical cable market has been growing exponentially across the globe due to the rising demand by enterprises and customers for using internet-driven products and services. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has added more impetus over the years. As a result, CSPs have been adding more optical cable capacity to support remote operations, cloud-based services, IoT, streaming video, and 5G wireless technology.

With competitive price and timely delivery, Wirenet sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.

In , the estimated optical fiber cable market was expected to grow to USD 89.91 billion, with a CAGR of 35.1%, from USD 66.54 billion in . Furthermore, by , the projection will reach USD 227.54 billion at a CAGR of 26.1%. So, what makes Optical Fiber Cables such a dominant medium for internet connectivity over other options for improving networks? Let&#;s look at nine benefits offered by optical cables to boost your network capabilities. 

9 Unique Benefits of Optical Fiber Cables

1. Offers faster data speeds than conventional cables

One of the primary reasons why CSPs choose optical fiber cables over regular copper wire cables is that they offer faster data transfer speeds. Optic cables are designed to transfer data at speeds close to 100 Gbps, which is higher than most regular cables can transfer, which is around 30 Gbps. This boosted speed will enable data transfer between devices to happen instantly, which is a big advantage as these days, most business operations are performed through digital equipment that runs on the internet. The reason for such data speeds is WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplexing), which enables different light colors to be transferred through a single optical fiber via different wavelengths.

2. More durability & resistance to damage

Another major perk of optical cables is that they offer more durability than conventional copper cables. This is because the fibers are manufactured using glass or plastic, which are naturally durable. This makes them robust and resistant to damage from harsh weather conditions and terrain.

3. Direct cloud connectivity

Optic fiber cables also provide direct cloud connectivity. This means you can connect all your smart devices directly to the internet without deploying a router or any other pairing device. This can be a massive advantage when you are thinking of transferring big data quickly, as there is nothing acting as a barrier, which is the case with regular cables that can experience a drop in signal over a long distance if the connecting devices are not working efficiently. 

4. Easy to install and maintain

Another major advantage of fiber optic cables is that they are far easier to deploy and maintain compared to all other data transmission systems. This is due to the fact that they don&#;t need any modern installation equipment or high-level skills for deployment. However, with a fiber deployment solution that uses automation and other techniques, optical cable installation has become even easier than before, reducing cost and increasing the number of optical fibers laid daily. In addition, optical fiber cables don&#;t experience issues like signal loss, interference, or latency, which means that you can maintain high data transfer speeds and don&#;t need to deploy frequent maintenance sessions, as optical cables last much longer than conventional cables.

5. Fiber optic cables are resistant to electromagnetic interference (EMI)

Copper network connections produce a field of interference within the cables as it is part of their inherent nature. When multiple cables are running in close proximity, this interference can leak into the adjacent wires, reducing the signal strength and thereby creating latency and buffering. Also, this can lead to crosstalk, forcing the sender to retransmit the message and posing security threats. On the other hand, light transmission is used as a data transfer medium in optical cables, which does not produce any EMI. Hence, optical fiber cables offer more security and require less retransmission, leading to better customer service, low latency, and faster data transfer.

6. Optical fiber cables can cover more km

Both copper and optical cable-based signaling are affected by attenuation, or a drop in signal over a certain distance. However, optical fiber cables can transfer data over very long distances. The differences between both systems are earth and sky. Copper cables can have only 100 meters where there is no drop in signal as per governing standards. Longer distances are possible, but the problems they create prevent copper cabling from being a dependable transmission system over a long distance. On the other hand, optical fiber cables can transmit signals for up to 24 miles without a drop.

7. Higher bandwidth brings faster speed

This is the digital transformation era, and our new normal includes uploading videos, conducting conference meetings online, sending files, and downloading content simultaneously. No business can afford slow internet connections as they result in a loss of productivity, which can reduce ROI significantly. Therefore, your connectivity must be fast, low to zero latency, efficient, and dependable to run business operations 24×7 without any halts or interruptions.

Optical fiber cable networks are miles ahead in data transfer speed compared to other transmission systems, with available speeds ranging from 5 Mbps to 100 Gbps. With an optic cable network, both employees and home users can experience equal upload and download speeds for 365 days.

8. Improved latency

Optical fiber cable networks mitigate most of the latency issues that users experience on conventional copper cable Internet, especially when uploading and downloading a video or streaming high-definition content. The companies can also enjoy lower latency and get top-notch voice quality for VoIP users, migrate more applications to the cloud, download and upload mega files without interruption, and improve coordination between employees when working remotely.

9. Stronger security

Optical fiber cable networkkeeps data much safer and more secure than other transmission methods. It doesn&#;t leak any signals and is almost impossible to tap without using any physical means. In addition, it has higher security, as most hardware and software can be installed in one central location called a data center. But with copper cables, equipment needed to be deployed within distribution locations.

Conclusion

Overall, we can say that there are numerous reasons why optical fiber cables are the best and most dependable transmission choice that most CSPs prefer today and will continue to do so until anything better is developed. Optical cables are the way forward if you need fast, reliable, lower latency, cost-effective internet connectivity solutions.

Are you interested in learning more about aerial install fiber cable? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!