Why Fiber Is the Reliable Choice

You’ve probably heard that fiber broadband is reliable—but what does that even mean? Is it fast enough that you can count on it for all your internet needs, going to last a long time without needing to be upgraded or capable of weathering the worst storms? Well, fiber technology is all of those things, so let’s dig in, cut past the marketing materials and look at why fiber optic internet is a dependable way to get a fast, stable internet connection.

Fiber transmits data using light

Let’s start with the basics. With a fiber connection, data is sent through fiber optic cables using lasers. We’ve looked at how this works in detail before, but the important takeaway is that light beams shot by lasers are an efficient way of sending data.

Fiber optic cables can transmit a strong signal great distances, which means you get fast internet even if you’re far from your ISP’s local substation.
Fiber signals are immune to electrical interference. This means the cables can run close to power lines, heavy machinery and other strong electrical sources without it affecting the speed and stability of your internet connection.

Fiber cables are protected

Fiber optic cables are designed to be hardy and to operate effectively for years. A big part of this is how fiber internet cables are designed and how fiber optic internet is installed.

Fiber optic cables have three layers. The inner two layers—the “core” and “cladding”—are responsible for transmitting data through the cable. The “buffer” layer is designed to protect the inner layers from the elements.

The good news is that the buffer layer is super at its job. Different materials are used for fiber cables in different situations, but they’re all designed to withstand bad weather, temperature changes, water and the unexpected.

Plus, on top of all this, fiber cables are typically buried at least 18 inches underground. Even if a massive storm takes out your power grid, blows down dozens of trees and floods the road near your home, your fiber connection should be unaffected. If you’ve got a generator, you may even be able to use your connection in the middle of a blackout—it just depends on if your ISP has power!

Fiber technology is designed to last

Right now, Gigabit speeds—that’s 1,000 Mbps—are the gold standard of home internet connections. That’s fast enough for everyone in your house to stream 4K UHD videos, play all the online games they want to and work from home. All at the same time. Impressive, right?

Well, that’s nowhere near the top speed that fiber optic cables can potentially transmit. A few years ago, researchers reported they were able to transmit data at over 300 Tbps—that’s 300,000,000 Mbps—using existing fiber infrastructure and “a few advanced add-ons.”

Of course, you’re not going to see those kinds of speeds with a home connection for a long time, but current fiber optic connections can easily offer Gigabit, 2 Gig and even 10 Gig speeds. If you get a fiber connection now, you’ll be able to count on it for years.

Fiber offers all around performance

Best of all, fiber offers the kind of performance you can rely on. Fiber is able to provide symmetrical speeds, so files upload as fast as they download. So whether you’re sharing photos and videos for fun or uploading a massive PowerPoint presentation to your work colleagues, you can count on your fiber connection to deliver the speed you need to deliver.

Fiber is the future

Fiber is the technology that high-speed connections will rely on for the next few decades—so you can rely on it for your internet needs right now and well into the future. The only downside is that if you don’t already have a fiber connection, you need to get one installed to see the benefits.

Frontier Fiber is built for the way you live today—and tomorrow

If you’re still on the lookout for the right ultrafast internet connection for streaming, gaming, working from home and running your smart home—all with enough bandwidth for everyone—find out about Frontier Fiber. Frontier Fiber is available in select areas—check here to see when it’s available at your address.