We know that fiber is one of the fastest internet types that you can get. Though it is not accessible everywhere, if you can get fiber, you will have internet speeds that you didn’t even know was possible before.
Fiber to the home (FTTH) and fiber to the subscriber (FTTS) are the fastest internet options that you should consider if they are available to you.
Fiber Internet is the way to go in 2019. We tested the best wireless routers for Verizon FiOS Internet and also best routers for Frontier FiOS.
Fiber Speeds
Let’s take a quick look at the type of speeds we are talking about with fiber internet. Cable internet can offer speeds up to 1,000 Mbps. DSL usually tops out around 50 Mbps, but it depends on the provider since all providers are pushing the limit to try to get beyond that Gig they are aiming for.
When it comes to the fastest internet speeds in the United Sates, the top three are listed as Google, Verizon, and RCN, all of which are fiber connections. While cable comes up in the fourth and fifth positions, fiber is still the clear winner. The fiber speeds can be 20 to 100 times the speeds that you can get from the average cable or DSL internet.
Accessibility
Since fiber is so remarkably fast, why is it not offered everywhere? The issue is that fiber requires fiber optic cables. Cables have to be run separately from any other connection, making it difficult cost-wise for many companies as well as time-consuming. It is simply not a reasonable solution for internet everywhere.
DSL is effective because it uses your telephone line that likely already runs to your house. If you have cable television, cable internet is a breeze to set up to your home as well. You simply plug it into the jack that is already present and use the lines that have already been run.
Fiber hasn’t existed outside of the internet, so the lines do not exist already. Everything has to be run separately, including being run to an ONT box in each home or business receiving the service.
What Does FTTH And FTTS Mean?
FTTH is referring to fiber that comes directly to the home and FTTS is referring to fiber that comes directly to a business. The lines are run to the establishments to which a router can then be connected to for service. Having the fiber cables run directly to a home or business is the tricky part.
Some lucky communities out there have what’s called fiber to the curb (FTTC). This operates where the fiber cables are run along curbs in a neighbourhood, near buildings. Then, subscribers can use a copper medium that brings the signal from the curb to the end user without needing the direct line to the building.
The Future
As the dependence on high speed internet is constantly increasing, as is the need for bigger broadband, it should come as no surprise that people prefer fiber when they can get it. Smart homes are becoming a more common occurrence, with infinite amounts of devices requiring a connection. The demand for fiber is increasing with the demand for internet speeds.
Yet, internet subscribers are also looking at convenience. Having FTTH or FTTS is nice, but not practical for every home or establishment out there. Until it is easier to acquire fiber, cable and DSL aren’t going anywhere.