Think about fiber-optic internet when selecting high-speed internet for your company. Although fiber-optic connections are among the fastest and most dependable available, their speed has a price.
We explain what fiber-optic internet is, how it operates, how fast it is, how much it costs to install, and what the main advantages are in this article. To help you decide if fiber-optic internet is best for your company, we also compare it to the other main types of internet connections.
What is fiber-optic internet?
Fiber-optic internet connects your business using single-mode fibre (SMF) or multimode fibre (MMF) cables.
It is frequently cited as one of the fastest internet options, offering speeds that are greater than what other internet networks can support.
How does fiber-optic internet work?
Fiber-optic cables use light signals to transmit data.
This light is transmitted through the glass core of each cable, which transmits and receives data more effectively and with less interference than signals sent through copper lines or coaxial cables. When transferring data over the Internet, fiber-optic cables are faster than cable wires and other methods.
The cables used for fiber-optic internet traffic can either be “lit” or “dark.”
Lit cables are already active, allowing for the transmission and reception of internet traffic. You receive the necessary connection-related equipment from your service provider.
Dark cables have been installed but are not yet in use in order to expand the network. Because activation is necessary, connection costs are higher up front, but the advantages include dedicated bandwidth for your business and greater network control.
The fiber-optic cables are incredibly thin — not much thicker than a human hair. Fiber-optic cables have a glass core, as well as cladding, which is a protective covering of plastic or glass around the core. The cladding guarantees that the fiber-optic internet’s light signals won’t be lost, supporting the connection’s fast speeds.
How is fiber-optic internet installed?
An external and an internal component make up a fiber-optic internet installation.
Although fiber-optic cables are frequently buried underground, some can be installed above ground along telephone poles. Before connecting to fiber-optic internet, your company must have this infrastructure in place.
You must verify that your area is served by fiber-optic internet before installation. You can confirm this by looking up local service providers who support and install fiber-optic internet online. Your ZIP code, neighbourhood, or exact address may be used by your regional internet service provider (ISP) to ascertain this.
You can set a date for installation once you’ve determined that your company can use fiber-optic internet. A dedicated fiber-optic internet connection or a shared fiber-optic internet connection are both options. The two connection types differ in the following ways:
- For your business alone, a dedicated fiber-optic connection is set aside. The network is only used for business-related activities. This can make the network more responsive, ensure that promised speeds are met on schedule, and give you complete control over exactly which devices are accessing and sharing the network. The drawback is that installation might be more expensive, challenging, and time-consuming. A dedicated fiber-optic connection requires much more installation work than a shared connection does. In order to maintain a dedicated fiber-optic connection, you need the right power source, a path from the provider network to your router, and tools for properly grounding the fiber-optic cables.
- Whether the other businesses are housed in the same building as you or elsewhere in the neighbourhood, a shared fiber-optic connection divides the service between your company and others in the neighbourhood. It goes without saying that sharing a fiber-optic connection can lower your monthly costs, but your connection might be slower during peak hours (even though it will still be extremely fast by other internet connection standards). Given that the infrastructure is already in place, installation is also less difficult. A shared fiber-optic connection makes use of a single strand to simultaneously serve multiple businesses. The ISP will install splitters to send the signals to various businesses and permit each business to receive the service in order to set up a shared fiber-optic connection to serve your business.
The next step after selecting a dedicated or shared fiber-optic connection is to set up the connection in your business’s location. Select a location that is safe for the fiber-optic equipment because it cannot be exposed to heat, humidity, or dust. Before completing installation, the ISP will install the apparatus and test the connection to make sure it is operational.
How fast is fiber-optic internet?
One of the fastest connection types for use at home and in business is fiber-optic internet, according to many experts. Although the majority of fiber-optic internet connections typically run at around 1 Gbps, fiber-optic cable can deliver speeds of up to 100 gigabits per second (Gbps).
The provider’s options and other factors, such as whether your connection is hardwired or wireless, can affect the speed of a fiber-optic connection. Your business can carry out other high-intensity tasks more quickly with cloud-based software, even at speeds of 1 Gbps or less, than with other types of high-speed internet.
How much does fiber-optic internet cost?
The cost of fiber-optic internet is influenced by your location, your ISP, and the minimum guaranteed speeds, among other things. Prices start at around $50 per month, but for the quickest connections, they can reach hundreds of dollars. Additional fees, such as installation costs, equipment purchases, or equipment rentals, might also apply to you.
Benefits of fiber-optic internet for business
Many businesses find fiber-optic internet to be an appealing option. But it offers benefits that go beyond just speed. Here are some reasons why fiber-optic internet is a wise choice for your company.
Great for high bandwidth use
Fiber-optic internet can support these uses without affecting your overall speed, even if your employees are working on simultaneous high-intensity tasks like streaming video, transferring large files back and forth, running webinars, and other similar activities.
Fast upload time
Due to the fact that internet networks are built to allow for faster downloads than uploads, files typically upload and download at different speeds. (The FCC’s minimum download and upload speed requirements show this: The minimum upload and download speeds are 3 Mbps and 25 Mbps, respectively.)
The need for uploading speed is taken into consideration by fiber-optic internet. This should be the first feature you look for in an internet provider if you livestream content.
Compared to other high-speed ISPs, fiber-optic networks provide download and upload speeds that are much closer to one another.
Delivers performance without sacrificing speed
Other internet connection types can cause the network’s overall speed to slow down if numerous devices are using it concurrently.
No matter how many devices are connected to the network, fiber-optic internet can withstand these drops and guarantee quick speeds.
Less latency
The distance that the internet signal must travel is known as latency. The length of time, expressed in milliseconds, plays a role in determining how quickly your internet connection is.
Fiber-optic cables boast lower latency than other high-speed internet types because they provide superior data transfer compared to other cables.
More reliable
The majority of underground fiber-optic cables are not impacted by weather conditions like wind, rain, snow, or storms.
This means that it is less likely for a storm to disrupt your internet service, resulting in increased uptime for your company and your employees, who depend on quick, dependable, and stable internet to perform their jobs.
How does fiber-optic internet compare with other high-speed internet types?
You’ll come across a variety of options as you weigh your business internet options, and you can read about their benefits and drawbacks. Here, we contrast the key distinctions between fiber-optic internet and other types of internet.
Fiber-optic internet vs. cable
Cable internet provides internet service to your company using the same coaxial cables that transmit television.
These copper-core cables transmit data from the ISP to your company using electrical currents. Cable internet is widely available, and if your business already has a cable TV connection, adding cable internet is typically simple.
Fast speeds up to 1,000 Mbps can be supported by cable internet connections. They still fall far short of the potential speed of fiber-optic internet, though. Additionally, fiber-optic internet is much better for supporting relatively equal download/upload speeds than cable internet.
Cable internet still has a significant speed advantage over DSL and other connection types, but it also experiences more power outages than fiber-optic internet.
Fiber-optic internet vs. dial-up
The method of internet delivery is the main distinction between fiber-optic and dial-up. While fiber-optic internet uses specialised cables, dial-up internet uses phone lines.
Although dial-up was among the first technologies to be used to connect homes and businesses to the internet, it is currently one of the slowest. Dial-up modems are only capable of supporting speeds up to 56 kilobits per second (Kbps), due to the device’s technical limitations.
Dial-up internet has become a less common option as new and emerging technologies have gained popularity. For some rural businesses and homes, however, that are not yet served by fiber-optic and other high-speed internet providers, dial-up remains the only choice.
Fiber-optic internet vs. DSL
DSL internet, which stands for “direct subscriber line,” was novel when it was first introduced. You can use the phone and access the internet simultaneously thanks to these direct subscriber lines that separate voice and data traffic. Today’s businesses, many of which depend on the Internet to stay connected and carry out routine tasks, must do this.
The main distinction between DSL and fiber-optic cable is speed, much like dial-up. The typical DSL speed is no more than 35 Mbps, which is a far cry from the 100 Gbps and higher fiber-optic internet speeds.
If your staff frequently downloads or uploads large files or streams content, DSL may be challenging to use. Multiple devices using the network simultaneously may also overload DSL connections, greatly reducing the already-slower speeds that this connection type offers.
DSL is less expensive than fiber-optic internet in terms of cost. This is due to the fact that phone lines already serve as the infrastructure for DSL. Since it makes use of these already-established networks, it is also more widely accessible than fiber-optic.
Does your business need fiber-optic internet?
Your company’s needs and your willingness to pay a price determine whether you should proceed with fiber-optic internet. The more expensive fiber-optic internet may not be worth it for small businesses on a tight budget.
The best option for your company may be fiber-optic internet if you frequently upload and download large files, take part in video conferences, or use cloud-based software that depends on the internet to function.
However, whether fiber-optic internet is accessible to your company will determine all of this: You might not have easy access to fiber-optic internet because it is a developing technology with limited infrastructure. Check with your local ISP for more details.
Who are the best fiber-optic internet providers?
Here are some of the top internet service providers that offer fiber-optic connections, in case you decide to invest in that kind of connection for your internet:
AT&T Business Internet: AT&T provides extremely quick business fiber-optic plans without a yearly commitment, and you can add VoIP and cell phone service to your fiber-optic plan for even bigger savings. Read more about AT&T Business Internet in our review.
Comcast Business Internet: The fiber-optic plan from Comcast allows for download speeds of up to 1.25 Gbps. The service has a 99.9% uptime rate and offers customer support around-the-clock. Read more about Comcast Business Internet in our review.
Spectrum Business Internet: Spectrum stands out for not capping data or throttling speed in its month-to-month contracts. Read more about Spectrum Business Internet in our review.
High-Speed Internet from Verizon: Verizon offers some of the fastest internet connections available, with almost equal upload and download speeds. Read more about Verizon High-Speed Internet in our review.
