Can you imagine the world without the Internet?
It’s hard to believe that it was only a few decades ago that we weren’t all connected to the behemoth that is the Internet.
But now we are more connected than ever before, and in no other place does this affect our modern lives than in the business world.
As more and more companies go paperless, transfer data from spreadsheets to large database management systems, and adopt cloud-based technology, the importance of quick, reliable connectivity has only increased.
That’s why many businesses are switching to fiber-optic networks to improve the speed and reliability of their connectivity.
Fiber-optic networks, as you’ll discover below, are faster, more reliable, and more durable than many of their counterparts and can provide you with the continuous, high-speed connectivity you need for today’s business operations.
Here’s how.
1) The speed of light
The speed of fiber-optic networks comes from how they work. Optical cables (also known as fiber optics) consist of bundles of narrow, long strands of glass that transmit light over long distances.
This occurs because of a process called total internal reflection, wherein light bounces along the walls of the cable core, which are lined with mirrors.
We all remember how in Star Wars, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca, and their friends could often outrun their enemies because the Millennium Falcon would travel at the speed of light. Light is fast. In fact, it can travel up to a staggering 186,282 miles per second.
Because the speed of light is fast, the speed of fiber-optic networks is fast – much more so than copper internet connections, for instance. Companies who use fiber-optic networks will find that both their upload and download speeds are faster – even (or especially) when done simultaneously (also known as symmetric speed). This means that your employees can upload and download content at the same time. This is especially applicable to the multitasking employees of today, who often upload or download content in concert.
2) Resistive to electromagnetic interference (EMI), fluctuations in temperature, water damage, weather conditions, etc.
Another reason that fiber-optic networks can improve the speed and reliability of your connectivity is due to how resistive they are to factors such as EMI, temperature fluctuations, water damage, and others. This lies in the makeup of the fiber optics. Because fiber optics are made of glass, the cable core acts as an insulator, preventing the flow of electric currents. Consequently, fiber-optic cables are resistive to EMI.
Copper wires, on the other hand, often are impacted by EMI. Unlike copper wires, fiber-optic cables are rarely affected by outside changes in temperature or inclement weather conditions. They are also impervious to water damage. This is great news for businesses in the Midwest, where the weather is famous for constantly changing!
3) The cloud
Perhaps you’re using the cloud already. Or maybe you’re planning on doing so this year. If so, you’re not the only one; in fact, adoption of cloud technology is only expected to increase.
As Gartner predicted, the worldwide use of public cloud services would grow 18% last year.
One benefit of fiber-optic networks is that they can provide you with faster access to data you store in the cloud – making it so that you and your connectivity will be perfectly aligned for your future needs.
4) Decreased latency
Fiber-optic networks decrease the possibility of latency (the delay before a transfer of data begins following an instruction for its transfer).
The most obvious way to see a potential delay (or latency) is by how it affects your download or upload speed – especially with large files and videos. As we mentioned before, fiber-optic networks ensure faster symmetric speed and decreased latency.
As a result, you’ll rarely suffer from any delays, and your symmetric speed will be consistent and fast – something not to overlook, especially as video consumption and traffic are expected to rise and be used by businesses in their marketing and sales efforts.
5) Reliable signal over a distance
Though some alternatives like copper signals can worsen over time, the internet signal of a fiber-optic network is reliable and constant – particularly over a distance.
This is because fiber-optic transmissions have less attenuation than copper cabling. The low attenuation of fiber-optic cables ensures that your internet signal will be consistent, regardless of how far the distance is. In fact, fiber-optic cables, on average, can transmit signals further than copper cables altogether.
6) Greater bandwidth
In comparison to copper networks, fiber-optic networks offer a high amount of bandwidth – far outpacing the volume of data that copper networks can transmit.
If you expect that your business will need to transmit more data – especially larger files – this will be extremely important.
Therefore, if you use a fiber-optic network for your connectivity, you will know that the network is designed to any changing needs or demands you have for your business’s internet use.
Conclusion
In summary, fiber-optic networks can significantly improve the speed and reliability of your connectivity.
By using a fiber-optic network, you will know that your internet speed is consistently fast, will not be affected by EMI or other conditions, offers a reliable signal over a distance, and has a large bandwidth to accommodate increased use in the future regardless of whether it’s for connectivity to the public Internet cloud or for your private interoffice WAN cloud.