There was once a time when connecting to other people and engaging in the world of technology was a simple process. Those days are long gone as there are several more options that are available for connecting to the internet so that you can stay connected to each other. Aside from more internet providers who are ready and available to provide the services that you need, there are also different types of technology that are behind powering the services that you use. Some of the most popular options include satellite, DSL, cable, and fiber-optic. These are options that are usually available for television services as well as the internet, which can sometimes make it a little harder to decide which would be best for your family.
If you’re looking for options that provide more coverage, then consider DSL or satellite internet. However, these aren’t always reliable and might have data caps each month, which means that you would need to purchase more data if you use all that you’re allotted. Cable and fiber-optic are options that offer more speed and better quality. Even though these options are similar, there are a few differences to keep in mind that could result in choosing one over the other because of the price, reliability, or speed. In general, fiber-optic is faster, but it’s more expensive. Cable offers fast speeds and is affordable, but it’s not quite as reliable as fiber-optic lines.
General Differences
One of the primary differences between cable internet and fiber-optic is how each of them transmits information to the source. If you look at a fiber-optic line, you’ll see that it’s made with strands of glass that are small and flexible. Transmissions can usually be sent much faster due to the protection that’s offered with little interruption in the lines. Fiber-optic lines usually carry more information as well compared to traditional cable lines even though they are generally smaller in size.
Electricity is at the base of cable transmissions. Coax cables are often used to send data with copper lines and aluminum protected by plastic. While cable connections are better than satellite internet or DSL, they aren’t always the best as they can be impacted by weather conditions and malfunctions from human interference compared to most fiber-optic lines being buried in the ground so that they usually aren’t as susceptible to these issues.
Quality
Fiber-optic tends to offer better quality because of how data is sent and because of the materials that are used as there’s a clean pathway instead of one that’s designed with various metals. You’ll usually see speeds with fiber-optic connections between 250 Mbps to as high as 1,000 Mbps. The average internet speed for most homes is 70 Mbps, which means that you’re going to be able to download and upload data in a fraction of the time with fiber compared to cable and other connections. With fiber internet, you’ll usually see that the upload and download speeds are similar as well compared to one being significantly higher than the other with a cable connection. If you play games online or if you work from home, then this is beneficial as you won’t have to worry about lags with sending and receiving information.
With cable internet, speeds range between 20 and 200 Mbps depending on where you live and what you use the internet for in your home. If there are more people using the internet at one time, then you might see speeds slow down. Upload speeds are typically slower than download speeds, which means that it can sometimes be difficult to receive files when they are needed.
Availability
When you’re trying to figure out which option is better for your home, consider the availability of each option. About 14% of homes have access to fiber-optic internet because of the costs associated with installing the equipment and the equipment itself. About 88% of homes have access to cable internet because it’s more affordable and easier to install. Fiber technology has come a long way over the past five years, but it still has a long way to go before it’s readily available like cable internet. This typically means that fiber internet is more expensive than cable, which is something you need to consider as well if you’re trying to watch your budget.