Internet Tips and Tricks

Fiber or Cable Internet: Which is Best for You?

Fiber vs. Cable internet, what’s the difference? If you are looking to learn more about your internet options, you’re in the right place. Today we are breaking down the differences between fiber and cable internet so you can decide what is best for your home or business. 

Cable Internet

Cable was designed for transmitting voice calls and is a common option for home internet. It uses copper wires that send data via electrical currents. Cable Internet uses the same coaxial cables to transmit data as your TV. Most cable internet providers use the same existing wires present for phone lines or cable TV to send information. 

Fiber Internet

Fiber internet is cutting-edge technology. It also uses cables, but instead of copper wires, the lines contain tiny strands of glass and send information through bursts of light from point A to point B. The light travels much like electricity would through a copper wire. The advantage is that fiber cables can carry multiple signals at once at about 70% of the speed of light. 

FIBER OR CABLE
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Availability

Cable internet providers use the same established and existing cables as cable TV and other devices. Therefore, it’s been around longer and doesn’t require new infrastructure. Because of this, cable internet is widely available and the most common type of internet in the United States. 

Fiber internet, on the other hand, is a newer form of technology. It requires new infrastructure and can be a long process to deploy into neighborhoods for use. However, the demand is growing, and internet providers diligently work to install fiber across the country. Visit Broadband Now to see which fiber internet providers may be in your area.

Speed 

Fiber shines when it comes to speed. It’s capable of bringing much faster speeds than cable. Fiber can reach speeds up to 2,000 Mbps making it an excellent option for homes and businesses that require fast internet connections. Many factors affect wireless speeds. If you stream video services, games, or work from home on video calls, Fiber Internet can meet these demands. 

Cable internet speeds are asymmetrical, meaning cable internet often has slower upload speeds (uploading photos to the cloud) and faster download speeds (streaming a TV show). Fiber internet is more symmetrical, providing even speeds which allow for faster upload and download speeds.  In today’s world, people work from home and go to school remotely. This change demands speedier upload speeds to turn in homework assignments or work projects. 

FIBER OR CABLE
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Reliability 

Cable internet is less reliable than Fiber internet. Cable sends data through electricity, power outages, extreme weather, and moisture can also cause a loss of connectivity. On the other hand, fiber optic internet is less likely to go down during power outages because it is made of glass and doesn’t use electricity. 

Bandwidth

Bandwidth is the maximum amount of data transmitted over an internet connection. Typical bandwidth uses include streaming a movie on Netflix, video meetings, or web browsing. As mentioned above, cable technology has been around for a long time and was initially used to transmit voice calls, so the demand for bandwidth wasn’t high. However, fiber provides up to 1,000 times as much bandwidth as cable and is an excellent option for a highly connected home.

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Cost 

For most people, options for fiber internet are more expensive than cable internet. However, costs will decrease as fiber grows in availability and popularity. Race Communications is committed to bringing Fiber internet into communities and is more cost-effective than competitors in the fiber space gigabit starts at $60/month. 

Now that you know the difference between cable and fiber internet, you can make the best choice for your needs. The Internet is not one size fits all. Each person has different requirements for their usage. If you would like more information on internet services contact our specialists at 877-722-3833 or send us an inquiry and we will help you pick the right service for you.