Which of the following is the best advantage of fiber optic networks over traditional networks?

An optical fiber or fiber optic cable is a flexible, transparent fiber made by drawing glass, which are used most often as a means to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber and find wide usage in fiber-optic communications, where they permit transmission over longer distances and at higher bandwidths (data rates) than wire cables. Whether should I use optical fiber cables in my network? What are the advantages and disadvantages of optical fiber?

Advantages of Optical Fiber Cable

Fiber optic cables have a much greater bandwidth than metal cables. The amount of information that can be transmitted per unit time of fiber over other transmission media is its most significant advantage.

An optical fiber offers low power loss, which allows for longer transmission distances. In comparison to copper, in a network, the longest recommended copper distance is 100m while with fiber, it is 2km.

Fiber optic cables are immune to electromagnetic interference. It can also be run in electrically noisy environments without concern as electrical noise will not affect fiber.

In comparison to copper, a fiber optic cable has nearly 4.5 times as much capacity as the wire cable has and a cross sectional area that is 30 times less.

Fiber optic cables are much thinner and lighter than metal wires. They also occupy less space with cables of the same information capacity. Lighter weight makes fiber easier to install.

Optical fibers are difficult to tap. As they do not radiate electromagnetic energy, emissions cannot be intercepted. As physically tapping the fiber takes great skill to do undetected, fiber is the most secure medium available for carrying sensitive data.

An optical fiber has greater tensile strength than copper or steel fibers of the same diameter. It is flexible, bends easily and resists most corrosive elements that attack copper cable.

The raw materials for glass are plentiful, unlike copper. This means glass can be made more cheaply than copper.

Disadvantages of Optical Fiber Cable

The optical fibers are difficult to splice, and there are loss of the light in the fiber due to scattering. They have limited physical arc of cables. If you bend them too much, they will break.

The optical fibers are more expensive to install, and they have to be installed by the specialists. They are not as robust as the wires. Special test equipment is often required to the optical fiber.

The fiber optic cable is a small and compact cable, and it is highly susceptible to becoming cut or damaged during installation or construction activities. The fiber optic cables can provide tremendous data transmission capabilities. So, when the fiber optic cabling is chosen as the transmission medium, it is necessary to address restoration, backup and survivability.

The transmission on the optical fiber requires repeating at distance intervals. The fibers can be broken or have transmission losses when wrapped around curves of only a few centimeters radius.

Conclusion

Fiber optic cable has both advantages and disadvantages. However, in the long run, optical fiber will replace copper. In today’s network, fiber optic cable becomes more popular than before and is widely used. FS.COM, as a leading optics supplier, provides all kinds of optical fiber cables with high quality and low price for your option.

Source:What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Optical Fiber Cable?

When you’re planning a new network cable installation or considering upgrades to an existing network, you might want to consider using fiber optic cables.

Network fiber cables have some definite advantages over copper cables.

Copper cables were originally designed for voice transmission and have a limited bandwidth. Fiber optic cables provide more bandwidth for carrying more data than copper cables of the same diameter. Within the fiber cable family, singlemode fiber delivers up to twice the throughput of multimode fiber.

Fiber optic cables have a core that carries light to transmit data. This allows fiber optic cables to carry signals at speeds that are only about 31 percent slower than the speed of light—faster than Cat5 or Cat6 copper cables. There is also less signal degradation with fiber cables.

Fiber optic cables can carry signals much farther than the typical 328-foot limitation for copper cables. For example, some 10 Gbps singlemode fiber cables can carry signals almost 25 miles. The actual distance depends on the type of cable, the wavelength and the network.

Fiber is immune to temperature changes, severe weather and moisture, all of which can hamper the connectivity of copper cable. Plus, fiber does not carry electric current, so it’s not bothered by electromagnetic interference (EMI) that can interrupt data transmission. It also does not present a fire hazard like old or worn copper cables can.

Compared to copper cables, fiber optic cables are thinner and lighter in weight. Fiber can withstand more pull pressure than copper and is less prone to damage and breakage.

Media converters make it possible to incorporate fiber into existing networks. The converters extend UTP Ethernet connections over fiber optic cable. Modular patch panel solutions integrate equipment with 10 Gb, 40 Gb and 100/120 Gb speeds to meet current needs and provide flexibility for future needs. The panels in these solutions accommodate a variety of cassettes for different types of fiber patch cables.

Although some fiber optic cables may have a higher initial cost than copper, the durability and reliability of fiber can make the total cost of ownership (TCO) lower. And, costs continue to decrease for fiber optic cables and related components as technology advances.

Looking to purchase Fiber Optic Network Cables?

Internet connectivity over fiber-optic networks has become the gold standard for fast, high-quality data transmission for businesses. The relatively new nature of this technology can leave some hesitant to invest in it for their business.

Fiber relies on light instead of electricity to transmit data, which facilitates much faster Internet connections that are capable of handling higher bandwidth. According to the FCC, fiber providers consistently offer 117% of the advertised speed, even during times of peak demand.

The most recent legislation the Biden administration passed includes lots of spending on fiber infrastructure. The money will be distributed to different states and bring down costs for small businesses, providing affordable high-speed Internet access.

So, if you haven't already, consider the benefits fiber-optic internet connectivity brings that we highlight in this article and make an informed decision.

Advantages of Fiber Optic Cable For Business

While most business decision-makers are aware of the speed benefits of fiber, other advantages are less commonly understood. Spending on a newer technology can feel risky, especially for organizations that rely heavily on their Internet connectivity for customer communications, productivity, and collaboration.

In this article, you'll learn a bit more about the various ways fiber-optic Internet compares to standard copper cable, including bandwidth potential, speed, and reliability, among other factors.

Fiber Optic Cable: 8 Advantages

1. Bandwidth

Investing in fiber-optic internet can significantly increase your bandwidth potential. Originally designed for transmitting voice calls only, copper wire infrastructure and TDM technology are limited in nature. For instance, T-1 can only carry 1.5 Mbps of throughput. 

Ethernet over Copper service (EoC) is typically unavailable if the circuit is longer than 15,000 feet. For organizations considering shifting their voice communications to Voice-Over-IP (VoIP), having your bandwidth delivered over fiber can be an indispensable asset.

2. Upload/Download Speed

Is the speed increase of fiber-optic internet noticeable compared to copper? Absolutely.

Many Atlantech Online customers using fiber to connect to our network can transmit data at 1 gigabit per second. That's many times faster than the federal government's definition of broadband service, which is 25Mbps uploads and 3Mbps for downloads as of January 2015.

Tech blog NorthWest writes that downloads that take 22 minutes over most copper wire internet connections can take as little as 8 seconds on internet connectivity delivered over fiber.

3. Distance

The signal for copper internet networks degrades as the signal is carried from the central office (CO). Fiber was originally used for long-haul networks. Cell phone towers in remote locations use fiber optic cable to connect towers to the network.

Certain types of fiber connections can be transmitted for almost 25 miles. While most business build-outs won't require similarly robust types of fiber connections, your signal isn't in danger of degrading within metro fiber rings that would serve your business.

4. Security

In an era of increased attention toward cyber security, fiber-optic internet is touted as a cost-effective way of instantly increasing your internet security. Intercepting copper cable can be performed by connecting taps to a line to pick up the electronic signals.

Putting a tap on a fiber-optic internet cable to intercept data transmissions is incredibly difficult. It's also easy to quickly identify compromised cables, which visibly emit light from transmissions.

5. Reliability

Several factors can cause outages when an organization relies on copper cable-based internet. 

• Temperature fluctuations
• Severe weather conditions
• Moisture
• Old or worn wires are a fire hazard
• Telephone company personnel sometimes make mistakes and fiddle with the wrong wires.

Outside of physical factors:

• Risks of interference from electronic or radio signals
• Copper wires all go back to the telephone company's central office where disconnections can happen.

Fiber is typically independent of the phone company, its equipment, and its termination points.

6. Cable Size

The speed of the internet transmitted via copper cable is directly correlated with the weight of the cable used. For a business to achieve higher speeds, more cable must be used, which requires more space in a company's telecommunications room.

Fiber cable's speed is not connected to its size, and it's far lighter than copper, meaning it takes up less space and it's easier to use.

7. Cost

Investing in fiber internet will cost more than copper in the short term though costs are drastically decreasing as this option becomes more commonplace. Ultimately, the total cost of ownership (TCO) over the lifetime of fiber cable is lower. It's more durable, cheaper to maintain, and requires less hardware.

The advantages of fiber make it a more cost-effective investment for organizations of all sizes.

8. It's Sturdier

Copper cable is a relatively delicate technology. Typically, it can sustain about 25 pounds of pressure without damage, which means it can be compromised with relative ease during routine operations in a company's telecommunications space.

In contrast, fiber can withstand about 100-200 pounds of pressure, meaning it is far less likely to be damaged during routine operations nearby.

Investing in Fiber Optic Internet

While organizational information technology needs can vary drastically, the benefits of fiber-optic internet are making it an increasingly common choice for business data transmission.

Companies who choose to invest in fiber typically find that the total cost of ownership, bandwidth potential, and speed gains are noticeable.

For more information on the benefits of fiber internet and Atlantech's solutions for businesses, click here and learn more about connecting your location.