FIBER OPTIC vs COPPER

 

The Difference Between Fiber and Copper

Underlying technologies cause the bandwidth gap between fiber and copper. Fiber Internet uses thin bundles of optical fibers, or strands of very pure glass as narrow as a human hair, to transmit data using pulses of infrared laser light. Copper cables literally use copper wires and are a significantly bulkier technology which was first designed to carry

voice calls data via electrical pulse. The bandwidth differences are, effectively, the difference between photons and electrons. Copper uses electrons for data transmission, while fiber uses photons. Light is faster than electrical pulses, so fiber can transmit more bits of data per second and offer higher bandwidth. The transmission capabilities aren't the only difference between these technologies, however.

 

Distance

All data signals degrade over a range, but fiber offers significantly better signal durability. Fiber only loses 3% of the signal over distances greater than 100 meters, compared to copper's 94% loss of signal.

 

Interference

Fiber optic bundles do not conduct electrical currents, making fiber data connections fully-resistant to fire, electromagnetic interference, lightning, or radio signals. Copper cables are designed to conduct electricity, making copper Internet vulnerable to power lines, lightning, and deliberate signal-scrambling.

 

Durability

Copper cable can easily be broken during an installation or by accident. Despite its large size, copper has a low tolerance for tension. Fiber is smaller, lighter, and more durable than copper cabling and can generally only be damaged through deliberate vandalism, though you do have to be careful with fiber as it is made out of glass. Typically, it's sheathed in a protective coat to make it more durable.

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What is Bandwidth?

Bandwidth is best defined as the maximum data transfer rate of data (usually Internet connectivity), or a network's capacity which is generally expressed in gigabits per second (Gbps) or megabits per second (Mbps). The more bandwidth offered by your business Internet service, the more data you can transmit at one time. Bandwidth is not the same as speed since bandwidth refers to the maximum amount of data transfer per second. Measures of Internet speed are based on the actual rate of data transfer per second. Bandwidth is effectively the amount of potential speed which can be used. However, a slow data connection and other connectivity issues such as packet loss and jitter, are frequently caused by insufficient bandwidth. Bandwidth is critically important, but it's not the only factor which will impact the quality of business Internet service. Speed, performance, and reliability can often be confused with bandwidth, and are likely equally important to business satisfaction with a data connection. Bandwidth is a significant difference between copper vs. fiber, but these technologies also provide different levels of reliability and costs for equipment required to transmit data.