Fiber optic Internet It uses the speed of light to get you online, giving you the fastest internet connection money can buy.
What does that mean for affordability and accessibility?
When I started writing about the Internet, I was dizzy trying to understand the difference between the Internet and the Internet. Cable Internet vs. Fiber Optic Internet (And also, Wifi, Ethernet and 5G? ).
It didn’t take long for me to notice that fiber optics was all the rage, not just in the broadband news but also among my internet providers and neighbors. Everyone wants the fastest (and most cost-effective) internet connection, and I quickly learned that fiber optic speeds are faster than cable. 5G Fixed WirelessSatellite internet and medium-speed DSL have become obsolete.
Fiber is one of the most popular internet service connections among customers across the country. If people who buy fiber are happy with their internet service, why not recommend fiber optic internet to everyone? Why bother with other internet connection types?
The answer is simple: High speeds and customer satisfaction alone don’t make fiber the best option for every home. Price, availability, rates and other details affect how efficient fiber is for your broadband needs and budget. Plus, most homes don’t have average download speeds above 600 megabits per second, according to the latest data from OpenVault, so you may not need the 1,000 Mbps or 5,000 Mbps speeds that some fiber optic providers offer.
Fiber optic internet is still an incredible technology. Because fiber optic internet connections use the speed of light to transmit data, we are only just beginning to understand the full potential of this technology. Still, fiber optic internet is already having a profound impact on how we communicate and use the internet.
This is the internet connection that CNET has recommended many times (if available): If, like me, you’re wondering what fiber optic broadband is and how it works, let’s take a closer look at how fiber optic internet works as the fastest internet connection and whether it’s a worthwhile investment.
What exactly is fiber internet?
Fiber internet gets its name from the fiber optic cables used to get online. Cables are long, thin strands of glass or plastic with layers of cladding and coating that transmit data over long distances via light signals.
Technically, the speed of light used to transmit this data is reduced by 30% due to refraction that occurs within the cable, but the speed is still very fast. All of this may seem mysterious, and I did too, but fiber optic cables have been used to connect the internet for a long time.
The reason you’re reading this article right now is because undersea, super-fast fiber optic cables are powering your internet connection, whether it’s fiber optic or not.
What does this mean for you? It means that you get symmetrical download and upload speeds at every speed tier, all the way up to the 50 Gigabit (or 50,000Mbps) plan. That’s a huge improvement over upload speeds from most cable internet providers, which are typically in the 20-50Mbps range.
You should also know that fiber optic cables are very expensive, and the process of installing a fiber optic network is also expensive, which means that it may be difficult for some providers to extend their fiber optic network to your neighborhood, especially if you live in a rural area or just outside a major city.
Because fiber optic internet requires an existing infrastructure, or fiber optic network, to function, the speeds you get will depend on which fiber optic internet providers are already operating in your area. Fiber optic providers sometimes share each other’s networks to reduce costs.
There are a few different ways that internet providers can connect their fiber network to your home, depending on your existing infrastructure: It’s important to note that the only true fiber internet connection is a direct connect, or fiber to the home connection.
- Fiber Optics: Fiber optic cable runs directly from the network to your home. This is the fastest option.
- Fiber to the Curve: If you can’t run fiber directly into your home, you can connect the fiber optic cable to a coaxial cable coming from a pole or cabinet. This will inevitably result in a slower connection, but still provide sufficient speeds.
- Fiber optics to the neighborhood: This fiber optic internet connection, also known as fiber to the node, runs from a connection hub or node utility pole. Your home is then connected to the network via coaxial cable. This means it has the furthest reach of the three options and is the slowest connection type of the three.
Whether or not you have a direct fiber connection available, fiber internet is installed using a small utility box, or optical network terminal, that a technician places inside or outside your home. The ONT is wired into the fiber network and converts the optical signal into an electrical signal to give you the fastest internet connection on your block.
Is Fiber Optic Internet the Best Internet Connection?
Before calling fiber optic the “best” internet connection type, there’s a lot to consider. While fiber optic is arguably the fastest, it’s also the most limited internet connection type in terms of availability.
According to the Federal Communications Commission, less than half of the population has access to fiber optic internet connections, compared with cable connections that cover 82% of the population, meaning fiber optic providers have some catching up to do.
The cost of fiber optic internet will also determine whether it’s a good option for your home. There’s no doubt that the starting price for fiber optic internet is higher than cable. In many cases, the starting price averages around $50 per month. There are several inexpensive fiber optic internet providers, such as Frontier Fiber and Ziply Fiber, that start at $30 per month for 200 Mbps and $20 per month for 100 Mbps.
If you look at Cost per MbpsFiber optics is often the most cost-effective type of internet connection and doesn’t experience yearly price increases like some cable providers. For example, spectrum and AT&T Fiber Both offer 1,000Mbps for $80 per month, or 8 cents per Mbps. Spectrum plans to increase this price to around $110 per month in a year or two. AT&T Fiber is not raising its prices. It’s also worth noting that AT&T Fiber offers 1,000Mbps upload speeds, lower latency, and better overall reliability than Spectrum’s 35Mbps upload speeds at the same tier.
parable Google Fiberis one of the more expensive fiber optic providers, starting at $70 per month for 1,000Mbps and going up from there, but if you look at the cost per Mbps you’ll see that it’s a pretty good deal for the speeds offered: $125 per month for 5,000Mbps might seem like a lot, but that’s about 3 cents per Mbps.
Again, think about how much internet speed you actually need first to get the most bang for your buck. Not everyone needs 5,000Mbps, but if you’re a remote worker, an avid gamer, or have multiple people in your home who use the internet a lot, a multi-gig internet connection might be the best fit.
Finally, fiber optic internet boasts the best customer service track record compared to other internet services. American Customer Satisfaction Index This reflects a trend of favorable results for fiber optic internet providers over the past few years. AT&T Fiber received an 80 on ACSI’s 2024 Satisfaction Benchmark, with the lowest score being Optimum Fiber’s 66. For comparison, non-fiber optic internet providers (DSL, fixed wireless, cable) scored a low of 56 and a high of 76. T-Mobile Home Internet.
Data Source J.D. PowerAnother customer satisfaction research firm, AT&T, noted that while they may not have separated out fixed wireless and fiber-optic services from a single provider, customers were generally more satisfied with their wireless internet in 2023. For example, Verizon offers 5G home internet as well as fiber through Verizon Fios, but there are no separate categories in the data. Regardless, AT&T, Frontier Fiber, Verizon and Google Fiber received top scores in every regional survey.
Which internet providers offer fiber?
According to the latest FCC report, there are more than 1,400 fiber optic internet providers in the United States. Most of these providers are local. Only about seven providers serve more than 1-2% of the population, with Verizon Fios and AT&T Fiber providing the widest coverage, at 9% and 12%, respectively.
Conclusion: Is Fiber Optic Internet Worth It?
The answer to this question depends on a few factors, but perhaps the most important is whether fiber is available in your area. If you have fiber, it’s absolutely worth it. You might not need the multi-gigabit tier for $100+ per month, but even the lower tiers of 300 Mbps download/300 Mbps upload will beat the speeds offered by cable, fixed wireless providers, and especially DSL. Fiber typically offers unlimited data, plus no contracts or monthly equipment fees (depending on the provider). Fiber Internet isn’t the only solution to your broadband needs. Expanding fiber networks and improving the affordability of multi-gigabit tiers are among the biggest priorities, but while you wait for those improvements, you’ll be hard-pressed to find an Internet connection that’s as fast as the speeds you can get from fiber.
What is Fiber Internet? FAQ
How fast is fiber optic internet?
The fastest residential internet connection known today is Ziply Fiber’s 50,000Mbps tier, which raises the bar for all internet providers. Some fiber providers, such as Google Fiber, start at 1,000Mbps and max out at around 8,000Mbps or 10,000Mbps. There are also providers with lower starting speeds, such as Frontier Fiber and Verizon Fios, which start at 200Mbps and 300Mbps, respectively.
Is fiber optic internet expensive?
Depending on your internet provider and how fast you want your internet to be, definitely yes. Some of the cheapest fiber optic providers have plans that start at $20/month for 100Mbps (Ziply Fiber) or $30/month for 200Mbps (Frontier Fiber), but most starting prices average around $50.
What is the difference between fiber internet and “fiber-rich” internet?
Cable providers often use the term “fiber rich” to describe their service, but this doesn’t mean you get true fiber internet. It usually means that they have fiber optic cable somewhere in their network, but they don’t have fiber all the way to your home. You can usually tell if your internet provider offers true fiber service by looking at their download and upload speeds. If the speeds are symmetrical, it’s probably fiber.
Where is fiber optic internet available?
If you live in or near a large city, your chances of getting fiber optic internet are much higher. You can enter your address into an availability checker on most providers’ websites, or use data from the FCC to determine if your address has fiber optic coverage.
