Telling somebody that fiber optic is the Cadillac of internet services sounds great. Cadillacs are a status symbol everyone recognizes, but what does that have to do with how well your Wi-Fi works? Wi-Fi is about something other than status. It’s a basic need. So, what makes fiber internet so much better than copper?
The need for speed is undeniable. Waiting more than a few seconds for a YouTube video to load feels like you’ve been thrown into the Jurassic era of dial-up. Copper lines are limited to the speed of electrons. At most, it can produce 10GB at a time. This is enough to let you do most things as long as you don’t have more than one device going at a time.
Fiber transmits a signal with pulses of light across glass cables no larger than a human hair. It literally moves at the speed of light. It’s 60 terabits of data headed at you in less time than it takes to blink. A single terabyte holds 1000 GB. That’s crazy fast.
Fiber moves faster than a viper strike and can keep that speed over longer distances. Signals degrade or lose quality the farther they travel from their source. Fiber can carry a signal about 25 miles. That is nearly 1600 times more than copper. At 100 meters, copper loses 90% of its signal. Fiber only loses 3%.
Having a fast, strong signal is important, but it does you no good if it only works about half the time. Reliable internet is essential in today’s society. Work-from-home and distance learning are on the rise. A 2020 study showed that 3.6% of the American workforce, about 5 million people, work from home at least half the time. This would not be possible if their connection was lost every time it rained.
Copper cable is an electrical conductor. This makes it more susceptible to things like rain fade. When heavy rains saturate the ground, the signal traveling through the copper line can disperse into the water, resulting in a weaker signal and more spinning wheels of doom.
Fiber is non-conductive. The lack of electrical signal means it is immune to severe weather or moisture disruptions. It is also far safer since accidentally cutting a buried fiber line will not result in electrocution.
Add all this to the enhanced durability of fiber, and it’s hard to beat. Because of erosion, copper lines may need to be replaced as often as every five years. Fiber cables can last up to 50.
There are no two ways about it. Fiber is the clear champion by a knockout. It’s faster, carries signals farther and is more reliable and durable than copper. It is the undisputed champion in internet service.
