The Cable War (Fibre vs Copper Cable)

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Is there a big difference between copper and fibre cable?

In this day and age, fast and reliable internet and Wi-Fi networks are essential.

What makes for a good connection? This question has been asked many times over, and I’m sure the answer isn’t as exciting as you thought, but it is cable that makes or breaks your connection. You could have spent top dollar on the best and newest tech equipment, but it is only as fast as the cable bringing you connection. So, if you surf the web and use applications for video, you owe it to yourself to compare and look at the difference between Fibre and Copper.  

Background 

The copper cable brought the first major change of fast speeds and signals to the telecom infrastructure through electric signals. When fibre optics were introduced, it was the real game-changer for technology. The cables of fibre optics carry signals between two locations at the speed of light, rather than the speed of electricity, that copper cables use.  

Copper and fibre both work in the same fashion of carrying information from one location to another and back. The difference between them is how they perform in the category of the internet. Fibre optics can provide over 1000 times the amount of bandwidth as compared to copper and can travel 100 times faster while doing so. The difference is how they transmit data: radio frequencies vs. light. 

Comparison 

Security: Copper is easily susceptible to tapping into your private information since it uses electricity. Since fibre optics don’t use electricity, it is nearly impossible to tap. 
Weight: On average, copper weights about five times as much as fibre. 
Reliability: Fibre is a passive network that is immune to several environmental factors that copper isn’t, such as electromagnetic fluctuations. 

I’d say the next is the best advantage of them all: Sustainability. 
Did you know? Fibre is made from plentiful resources like silica and sand, while copper mines are depleting resources and causing environmental impacts. This is one positive outlook.  

So, who wins? 

Cost is still a battleground for fibre, but as it steadily lowering, and will soon rule the cost-effective advantage. Though facts show that fibre cables are better in bandwidth, high speed, reliability, and have perfect security; we won’t argue your choice for which one you use.  

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