Are you curious about why fiber internet is considered such a huge deal? Do you want to explore the hype about the ‘gold standard’ of Internet technology?
It is easy to fall into the trap of ads touting ‘blazing fast speeds’ for fiber internet. Because everyone wants to get rid of problems like internet downtimes and connection errors, right? And fiber internet is often advertised as the end of these problems.
But before you get lured into subscribing to a fiber internet plan, you should know all about it.
Don’t worry, we have got you!
Let us learn all about fiber internet to help you make an informed decision.
How Does Fiber Internet Work?
Fiber internet works with the help of fiber optics cables. It converts internet signals into light pulses, which are carried by the fiber optic cables installed in your neighborhood. As the light pulses reach your home, the Optical Network Terminal (ONT) converts these light signals into electrical ones, which then power your devices with internet connectivity.
The fiber cables that carry signals are coated with a reflective material called cladding, which prevents signals from getting out. The signals bounce back and remain inside the cable. This allows the data to travel long distances without losing speed or quality.
What is So Great About Fiber Internet?
Fiber internet is such a big deal because it provides velocidades (speeds) as high as 8 Gbps.
Fiber optics cables carry data in light waves, and light travels at a very high speed. Plus, fiber optic is a medium that carries data without any loss or delay, so that makes it very reliable.
Moreover, since fiber internet does not share its infrastructure with any other service, unlike cable, its users don’t face problems like network congestion during peak usage times either. Fiber internet also has incredibly low estado latente (latency), which ranges between 5 and 20 milliseconds, and it has symmetrical upload and download speeds.
These features make it a perfect connection for high-bandwidth online activities like multiplayer gaming, 4K streaming, and quickly downloading large files. For instance, my Cox’s Go Super Fast internet plan gets me up to 1Gbps speeds, which easily supports my large family’s connectivity needs. I am so glad the service rep at Cox servicio al cliente guided me about the right plan to support my family easily, and I was able to save $40 every month by not going for the 2 Gbps plan.
Is Fiber Internet More Expensive Than Regular Internet?
Yes, fiber is considered pricier than other broadband options.
This is because fiber has a dedicated infrastructure that is super costly. Material and labor costs also add to its overall cost. Since it is a sensitive medium, it requires special labor. Plus, digging up trenches to lay down the cables also requires special permisos (permits).
In short, the reasons that make fiber so special are the same reasons why it is so costly.
Fiber internet plans for top-tier speeds (multi-gig speeds), on average, can cost you up to $150 per month.
How Can I Get Fiber Internet If I Cannot Afford It?
Before you lose hope after reading the above section, let me tell you that there is a way for you to afford fiber internet.
The cost I mentioned above is for completely fiber connections, also called fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) connections.
There is another kind of hybrid fiber connection, called Hybrid Fiber-Coaxial. In this kind of connection, fiber internet is transmitted using copper coaxial cables when the fiber infrastructure ends. While it offers slower speeds than the OG fiber, it still offers better performance than other broadband options. HFC networks can provide speeds up to 1 Gbps, which can support feats like high-fidelity gaming and 4K streaming without lag or buffering.
These hybrid fiber connections are more affordable than fiber ones. The plans start from $25 per month. Moreover, most cable proveedor de internet (internet providers) now offer HFC or fiber-backed cable connections.
But in fiber providers, less than 1Gbps fiber plans are affordable than 8 Gbps ones. These will cost you roughly the same as the HFC.
Why isn’t Fiber Internet Available Everywhere?
Only 56.5% of US homes have access to fiber internet. Fiber internet has limited availability in the US because it is a fairly nuevo (new) internet technology. Moreover, it has a very costly and complicated infrastructure that requires a lot of time and money. This makes it unaffordable for most US families.
However, it is slowly becoming available in most urban cities. So, people can look forward to fiber internet availability if they don’t have it in their area yet.
What are the Top Fiber Internet Providers in the US?
I am going to talk about both fiber and HFC internet providers.
Fiber ISPs in the US include Verizon Fios, Frontier Fiber, and AT&T Fiber. These have multiple fiber pans ranging from 300 Mbps speeds to 7 Gbps. The cost roughly varies from $30 to $110 monthly.
Then there are HFC providers Cox, Xfinity, and Spectrum that are more widely available than a pure fiber connection. These also have plans starting from 300 Mbps, but they only offer speeds up to 1 Gbps.
These are the basics on fiber internet that you need to know, so you can make an informed decision while buying it. If you do not have a huge bandwidth need, then you can easily do with fiber plans with lesser speeds. However, if fiber is not available in your area, you can give HFC internet a go.
