If you’ve been looking into internet options, then you’ve probably heard of fiber-optic connections. However, do you really know about all of the details associated with this type of internet, such as how reliable it is or its speed? There are a few other internet connections that are available, such as cable, so what makes fiber-optic rise to the forefront of those options? Some of the things to consider are the price of fiber-optic internet and how accessible it is for where you live.
Cutting the Cord
A cable internet connection has been among the most popular for homes and businesses in recent years. It’s faster than DSL and satellite and can reach more homes to offer reliable service. One of the top fiber optic internet provider is Spectrum internet, you can check their affordable plans in this website highspeedplans.com. However, there are times when even a cable internet connection can get slow, such as when more people are using the service in the afternoon after school or in the evening when they get home from work. With all of the changing needs that are arising regarding the internet, it could be time to clip those cable cords and look at the advantages that fiber-optic has to offer.
Basic Details
A cable that’s filled with small fibers made of plastic or glass is the basis of fiber-optic internet. This design allows for data to be transmitted almost 20 times faster than what you would see with cable. The reason behind the increased speed is that there are no other materials in the cable to get in the way, such as copper lines. The metal wires that are inside traditional cables are heated when a signal is sent, and when the metal is heated, it sometimes slows down the signal, especially as more people get online. This is also a reason why DSL and satellite connections are even slower as there are more materials to get through before you get service in your home.
Files are split with fiber-optic internet, similar to what you might see with packets for movies and games. These files consist of ones and zeroes that are read by laser beams to send a signal from one end of the line to the other. Wires located in the cable are about as thin as a piece of your hair. The light stays inside the filament with the support of a sheath, allowing for the signal to bounce off the sides of the cable for about 60 miles sometimes until it reaches your modem.
Speed
When you look at the speed of fiber-optic internet, you might be surprised to see that it’s along the lines of 1 Gbps compared to the 50 to 100 Mbps that cable offers. It takes about 40 seconds to download a two-hour movie with fiber internet while the same movie would take about seven minutes with cable and about 30 minutes with DSL.
Reliable Options
The last thing that you want to see when you’re watching a movie online is a character freezing in the middle of an important scene. This sometimes happens with a cable connection, especially in the afternoon or evening when there are usually more people using the internet. Cable should offer speeds that are reliable enough not to freeze or lag, but that’s just sometimes not the case compared to fiber-optic connections that can handle more traffic and more data. Since fiber lines don’t need as much energy, they usually aren’t impacted by weather outages as much as cable lines.
Throttling
Sometimes, it might seem as though your power goes out at the most inopportune times. It could be when you’re fixing a meal or when it’s 100 degrees outside. Some internet providers use throttling to try to keep outages to a minimum if they think that there could be an outage from overuse. Speeds could be lowered to about 20 Mbps compared to a typical 100 Mbps by your provider in order to allow everyone to get online. Since fiber lines usually aren’t overloaded, there’s no need for throttling.
Comparable Speeds
When you look at the speeds offered by your cable internet provider, you might see a significant difference between the upload and download speeds. The upload speed tends to be much lower. The slower speeds and the wide range of speeds usually don’t occur with fiber-optic internet because the system usually doesn’t get overloaded. You’ll be able to share files a little easier this way and download information online without waiting.
TV
If you have a TV that you like to connect to the internet to stream your favorite shows and movies, then you’re going to enjoy fiber-optic because of the quality of the picture. There isn’t a lag in the connection like there is with cable, which means that you’re going to see an image that’s a bit clearer, especially if you have a 4K television.
Gaming
Playing games online often means communicating with other people while making sure you complete all of your tasks in a timely manner. If there’s any kind of lag, then it could result in losing the game. The faster speeds offered by fiber-optic can prevent this from happening, making playing games online fun and competitive.
Health
You might not think about your health when you think about the type of internet that you have, but fiber-optic internet is a safe option. The 5G signal isn’t strong enough to get through the skin, which also decreases the risk of cancer developing as some doctors have believed. This is due to the signals being protected by a glass cable so that they can’t escape.
Devices
There’s really not a single computer for homes anymore. If you’re like most families, you have a computer, your kids have a computer, there are phones connected to the internet, and a few other electronics are connected. Fiber-optic allows for easily keeping multiple devices connected so that more people can use the internet at one time instead of trying to set a schedule for when everyone can be online.
Safety
Since fiber-optic internet is faster, it means that businesses and emergency personnel can stay connected faster. This means that doctors can quickly get a diagnosis, responders can get information about patients, and important news in the world can reach others when it’s needed in emergent situations.
Medicine
An advantage of fiber-optic internet is that it allows doctors and hospitals to better stay in touch with you if you don’t want to go to the office or are unable to go to the office. This is beneficial for those who are elderly or those who don’t feel safe in being around others who might be sick.
