While most of us are familiar with home internet delivered by fiber, another option known as fixed wireless internet is a solid alternative when fiber isn’t available.

But what exactly is fixed wireless internet, and how does it work?

Picture this all-too-common scenario. The new movie you’ve been wanting to see is finally available to stream at home. You grab your snacks and drink, you settle in, and you click on the movie — only to get a blank loading screen that just won’t go away. Buffering strikes again.

You wake up prepared to make the most of the day — but is your internet up to everything you throw at it?

As our lives become increasingly digital, our need for fast, reliable internet access at all times has become vital to winning the day. Well, high achievers, we have the cure. It’s called fiber internet.

Here are the top five activities where fiber internet truly shines, and why it’s essential for an optimal online experience.

When home internet access was a new curiosity, providers connected homes to the web over phone or cable TV lines. In fact, DSL services still use phone landlines to transmit data. Cable is only marginally better, but its speeds top out where fiber-fed internet begins.

As streaming, gaming, remote work and smart devices proliferate, the demand for robust internet infrastructure continues to grow. Among the various technologies available, fiber-optic internet stands out for its exceptional resilience to slowdowns. But what exactly gives fiber-optic internet its edge?

If you’ve shopped home internet prices in the past, you know fiber internet can sometimes cost more than older technologies. Don’t let the sticker shock fool you, though. Compared to cable, DSL and wireless options, fiber consistently delivers the best value in home internet. Here’s a look at why.

When fiber internet first hit the scene with Gigabit speeds, many conveniences we take for granted today — such as streaming movies, live TV and music, as well as video conferencing, online gaming and more — were still in their infancy.

Those early adopters of fiber were rewarded with the fastest and most reliable internet available and a front-row seat for the future of the internet. And it didn’t take long for it to arrive. Today, 89 percent of households use the internet to stream entertainment.