Did you know that only 43% of US households have access to fiber optic internet?
No one likes to have slow internet. Lagging connection speeds mean you’re not getting the best out of the internet services you pay good money for. If you’re struggling with slow internet, you should consider upgrading to fiber internet optic.
Fiber optic internet is the fastest internet out there, but how fast is fast? Find out in this quick guide to fiber optic internet speed.
What is Fiber Optic Internet?
Fiber optics are the fiber cables that run for miles underground to provide a connection to the internet. These cables are made up of plastic or glass and transmit light. As the light transmitted moves through these cables, information is transmitted and decoded as media (audio, video, images, etc.).
Fiber Optic Internet Speed is the Fastest
Fiber optic internet can reach speeds of up to 1,000 megabits per second (Mbps). At 1,000 Mbps (or 1 Gigabit per second), a two-hour movie can be downloaded in under 10 seconds.
Let’s compare fiber versus DSL and cable.
Of the three types of internet connection, DSL connection is by far the slowest. DSL has download speeds of up to 35 Mbps, which is about 97% slower than fiber optic.
Cable has download speeds of up to 500 Mbps, making it half as fast as fiber.
What Makes Fiber Optics So Fast?
What makes fiber optics so fast is the ability to transmit light and its incredible bandwidth capacity. Compared to the copper wiring of DSL or cable, the glass wiring of fiber optics transmits light much faster than the electrical currents going through copper. The speed of light transmission can also be sustained over much longer distances than electrical currents over copper.
Fiber optic cables are also highly resistant to electromagnetism. This gives fiber cabling durability that copper wiring does not have.
Where Can I Get Fiber Optics?
Fiber optic internet has a number of different providers but is not available in every town or city. While fiber is available in every state, many states have very low coverage. No one fiber provider covers every state but each provider does cover certain states and regions.
For example, Verizon is a major provider of fiber optics but only serves ten states on the east coast. Cable provider Century Link serves 36 states with fiber optics, but mostly in the South and Southwest regions. Google even has its own fiber services, called Google Fiber, and serves just twelve cities and counties total across the US.
If you live in Pennsylvania, Virginia, or West Virginia, and are interested in trying a new provider that focuses exclusively on fiber optics, then check out glofiber.com.
The Bottom-Line on Fiber Optic Internet
If you’re looking for the fastest internet connection money can buy then fiber optic is the way to go. Fiber optic internet speed is simply unmatched and, while not available everywhere, is well worth paying for if it’s available in your area.
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