When you feel the need for speed, fiber internet delivers. It can reach speeds up to 300 times faster than traditional internet. And when you need unwavering reliability? Fiber internet delivers again with over 99.99% uptime. It's simply the best option on the market for organizations needing a powerful, reliable connection.

Why is fiber more reliable?

You’ve already learned what makes fiber internet so fast. Now let’s compare the reliability of traditional internet with fiber-optic internet by looking at three main concerns: electrical and radio interference, signal strength over long distances, and how it’s affected by damage and aging.

Signal strength

Both light and electricity are weakened when they travel long distances. The farther information must travel, the more it breaks down and the weaker it will be when it reaches your business. However, there is a dramatic difference between what is a long distance for copper and what is a long distance for fiber.

The copper cables of traditional internet begin to lose signal strength the moment they begin and are limited to roughly 330 feet or less. That’s just under the length of 1 football field. Fiber-optic cables, however, have the capacity to run nearly 25 miles without losing strength. That’s the length of 440 football fields.

Interference

Electromagnetic signals or radio interference can have a big impact on copper, reducing signal strength. Indoor and outdoor radio signals near the copper cables can interfere and induce noise. Fiber, however, is more insulated against outside interference, making its signal much more secure.

Damage & aging

While fiber may seem more fragile than copper, it’s not. Fiber lines can withstand between 100 and 200 pounds of pressure, while copper can only hold up to 25 pounds. Plus, internet providers often bury fiber underground, protecting it from the elements so pressure is rarely an issue, unlike that of copper, which is strung up to polls and subject to the weather and accidents. Also, copper is much more likely to break down over time because it is exposed to the heat of its electrical current.

As technology such as cloud computing has changed the way organizations do business, the need for improved internet connectivity has grown. The business internet industry is answering that demand with fiber.

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