Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard about fiber optic internet and how it is a must-have for everyone that spends hours online.

When it comes to speed and reliability, fiber optic internet surpasses both cable and DSL internet.  

Compared to other internet connections, fiber optic internet may be expensive but it’s definitely worth the cash!

Let’s take a closer look at how fiber optic internet works and why it’s become so popular:

Fiber Optic Internet, Explained

Fiber internet gets its name from the fiber optic cables it relied on. These cables transmit data between different devices using light.

You see, fiber optic cables carry light very efficiently over long distances without weakening its signal. Light signals communicate with your device using binary.

Differences between Cable, DSL and Fiber Internet

So what makes fiber internet so good?

Cable and DSL internet use copper cables to transfer data; these are same type of wires that relay your voice through a phone line.

Copper wires are simply not as efficient as fiber optic cables when transmitting light signals; since they are prone to distortion. The longer the wire, the greater the distortion; this means when your neighborhood is located far away from the ISP then you should expect interruptions with your connection.

The further you live from the ISP the poorer your internet speed becomes. Due to these technical problems, cable and DSL internet isn’t nearly as fast as fiber optic internet.

Is Fiber Internet Right For You?

We’ve established that fiber internet connections are fast but does anyone really need a 1,000 Mbps internet connection since streaming music and video content only requires 25 Mbps?

There are certain perks to installing fiber cable internet that are not available with cable and DSL internet.

For example, fiber optic internet offers symmetrical upload and download speeds so when you get a 200 Mbps fiber connection, your upload speed will also be the same. This is great for anyone that regularly downloads and uploads large files.

Types of Fiber Optic Internet

There are 3 main types of fiber optic internet connections.

Fiber to the premises or home (FTTP or FTTH):

The fiber-optic cables go straight to your house. The ISP may actually need to drill holes into your walls/floors and dig into the ground.

Fiber to the curb (FTTC):
This uses part fibers and part copper cables. The fiber-optic connection is put into the nearest utility box or pole as opposed to your curb. Coaxial cables are used to transmit signals from the roadside to your property.

Fiber to the node or neighborhood (FTTN):
This offers a connection to a large area of buildings that are located at a one-mile radius. Any remaining connection is filled in using a DSL line.

Think a fiber optic internet is right for you?

Use Konnect Eaze to compare fiber optic internet packages from internet service providers near you! Call 888-376-0753 for more information.