If you are choosing between different internet packages, you might have seen people talking about fibre broadband. But what is it, why is it better and why does it cost more?
What Is Fibre Internet
Fibre internet is internet which is delivered via fibre-optic cables. This is distinct from traditional internet connections which use copper wiring.
These fibreoptic cables are made up on thousands of strands of fibre. This makes them extremely durable as even if a few of the fibres break, the overall connection in maintained. Copper wiring is a single strand of copper which is easily damaged or eroded.
These fibres transmit internet data in the form of light. This means the connection is faster than the speeds of copper connections.
Fibre cables have less signal loss than copper or wireless connections. As the fibres are made of glass, they are much less susceptible to electromagnetic interference (which is often referred to as cross talk). They can also carry more data simultaneously than any other connection method.
What is Wireless Internet?
Wireless broadband internet (WiFi) uses radio frequency to transmit data rather than a physical cable. These signals are sometimes relayed by satellite as well as transmitter towers.
Fibre Connections vs Wireless Connections
Business fibre is the most secure means of linking to the internet, not only when compared to wireless, but when compared to all other methods. This is because fiber-optic cables aren’t prone to intrusion (unlike copper cables which can be easily “tapped” by physical devices) and aren’t worth stealing (unlike copper which is valuable even as scrap metal), so there’s no reason to be concerned with theft-related downtime.
Cost
Fibre remains expensive in the UK due to the facilities that must be put in place, because when it comes to these optic cables, there are many costs, including the cost of the cabling, work crew wages, permits, and drilling. However, some areas and some properties already have fibre installed. If this is the case it will significantly reduce the setup costs.
Speed
Fibre is far superior to wireless internet in terms of speed. The best fibre lines can reach speeds of up to 1 Gbps. However, before deciding on Fibre, you should consider whether your business truly needs that fast a connection. If all you need the internet for is sending email, then you really don’t need that high of a speed. But if your business is making multiple simultaneous video calls or constantly backing up large amounts of data to cloud services, it may be worth investing in a fibre connection.
Installation
Wireless connections are simpler to install and can often be completed in 1-2 weeks, although they have been known to take longer.
Fibre takes even longer to install because it is dependent on the location of the premises and the business telecoms provider chosen. Infrastructure preparation, planning permission, drilling and trenching will take anywhere up to 6 months.
Of course, some premises will have existing lines already installed which can be utilised. This will often cut the set-up time down to less than a week. However, it is also worth noting that in some areas, Fibre is not available at all.
Which Is Right For My Business?
The right decision for your business depends on the particulars of your business. Read over the points in this article again and compare them to your business circumstances. You should also investigate which providers and packages are available in your location. If there are multiple providers, you should compare their customer service offerings.
Some business internet providers also supply other enterprise technology services such as IT support, digital marketing, managed print services, cybersecurity, and more. By combining these services into a single monthly invoice, you can get some great discounts on these services and also simplify your technology supply chain. You would then have a single point of contact for multiple enterprise technologies. This helps get things sorted out quicker if there are ever any problems. No more, will you be bounced back and forth between various providers’ call centre – just make one call to your account manager and ley him liaise with the different departments.
We hope this has been a useful guide to the ins and outs of business broadband, wireless and fibre connections, and the differences between the two.
