Key Advantages of Fiber Internet that will Make You Reconsider Your Company’s Network Requirements

The laws of physics govern the universe. And so, we are quickly reaching the limits of how far we can stretch a copper cable without losing signal strength too much, or how much power we can push through the material itself. Pretty soon, copper wires will reach their output limit in the realm of the internet, but the requirements of the modern growth-oriented companies in this tech-driven age will continue to grow. 

This is why forward-looking business leaders are nowadays switching to fiber internet. In a nutshell, fiber-optic internet uses flexible threads of thin glass to transmit data quickly and with ease. The result is a more stable internet connection boasting unparalleled speeds, excellent signal strength, and more. 

Even though copper wires were originally designed to transmit only sound waves, technological advancement has achieved numerous great feats and stretched its capabilities to create modern internet infrastructures. So there’s no denying that copper has its uses, but its reign is quickly coming to an end. Let’s talk about the advantages of fiber internet, and why you might want to rethink your network requirements.

Reduced latency and better stability

First and foremost, even though network speed is often the most prominent benefit of fiber internet, it’s also important to note that a fiber optic cable provides excellent network stability because it doesn’t conduct any electricity, meaning that it is immune to electromagnetic interference. This means that your network won’t go down in the case of an electric burst such as a short circuit. It also means that you can conduct all of your day-to-day processes without fear of a network failure.

What’s more, this allows the infrastructure to support a low-latency network. Copper wires conduct information with an exponentially-increasing latency rate of around 30-60 milliseconds (more the further you stretch the cables), making it difficult to conduct video calls and run an efficient network. Fiber internet, on the other hand, has lower latency even at distance, making it a more stable solution.

Durability and immunity to RFI

Speaking of network stability, it’s also worth noting that fiber-optic cables are highly durable and resistant to environmental conditions, as well as radio frequency interference (RFI). Interestingly, fiber cables can withstand significant external pressure, up to two hundred pounds, making fiber internet the ideal solution for high-risk and dynamic work environments such as manufacturing, warehousing, construction, military applications, and more. Even if it’s a typical office environment, the resilience to RFI and EI ensures network uptime throughout the day.

Fiber lines are highly-resistant to bad weather conditions, especially thunderstorms and harsh winds that have the tendency to degrade traditional copper networks over time by damaging them with debris and electric discharges. When installed properly and shielded, fiber lines become even more resilient to external influences, and because no electricity is conducted, nobody can hack into the line from the outside.

Unparalleled internet speeds

Of course, one of the biggest advantages of an internet fiber solution is the speed of data transmission. Because fiber moves data through plastic or glass strands via pulses of light, information flows through the infrastructure at near light speed. This allows the network to run at a whopping 1,000 megabits per second, or one gigabit per second, which is almost a hundred times faster than the average network speed in the US. 

Unsurprisingly, fiber is much faster than traditional DSL or cable networks, but perhaps what’s even more important for modern companies is that it eliminates those “slow network times” throughout the day. This ensures that your employees can rely on consistently fast network speed, making their lives just a little bit easier while elevating their productivity.

Excellent business-wide signal strength 

One of the main problems that companies face with copper wires nowadays is the loss of signal strength. Some parts of the office have the expected network strength, while others struggle to keep up. As for the poor guy in HR, well, he can’t even check his email. This is a constant problem, especially in companies that have large, multi-level offices, or are spread out over a large area – such as a warehouse or a manufacturing business that requires a lot of space, but equal network coverage.

With fiber, this isn’t a problem. While traditional networks lose signal strength with distance, fiber lines move data seamlessly and at light speeds, meaning that signal strength is constant no matter the distance. This means that you can navigate through the office and talk with your investors without experiencing any signal loss and that all departments can enjoy a stable internet connection no matter where they are situated.

The price of fiber is dropping

As a physical commodity, copper regularly experiences shifts in market value and average price, meaning that it can be volatile at times. This leads manufacturers to up their prices and for companies using the material to increase their own prices in response. While copper might be volatile at times, fiber cables and all auxiliary components have experienced a steady price drop in recent years, making it a more cost-effective solution when more of the material is needed. Copper wires might do the trick when you need just a few feet, but beyond that, fiber lines will produce a better ROI on all fronts, especially in terms of financial savings.

Wrapping up

Technology is advancing at a rapid pace, and copper just doesn’t cut it anymore for growth-oriented companies. With these advantages of fiber internet in mind, you can create a more reliable internet infrastructure that will take your business forward as a whole.