How it Works
Fibre optic lines transmit information by using light emitting diodes (LEDs) or laser diodes to send pulses of light through optical fibres, which are in turn constructed from incredibly pure glass coated in plastic to produce a mirror-effect. This mirror-effect allows the light to bounce and keeps it completely within the fibre. A transmitter creates an optic signal and sends it along optical fibres. It is then received and converted into an electrical signal. Multiple lasers of different colours can be used to fit multiple signals into the same fibre. This technology has revolutionised telecommunications due to its advantages over electrical transmission. In fact, it would take thousands of electrical links to replace a single high bandwidth fibre cable. Since the amount of bandwidth determines how fast information can be transferred, a more efficient mode of transmission adds up to faster speeds.
Speed
Although fibre optic lines have been used as part of the inner workings of internet data transfer for years, this technology has only recently been offered to consumers. With fibre optic technology, telephone companies can now offer consumers fibre optic broadband services that rival services offered by cable companies. Fibre optic lines are dedicated to one purpose, resulting in a more consistent speed than cable lines, which are shared. Consumers can typically get speeds ranging from 5 to 50Mbps, with some services offering speeds of up to 100Mbps. With future improvements in bandwidth, fibre optic broadband is expected to get even faster, with speeds expected to reach 400Mbps. This is undoubtedly faster than typical cable speeds in the 3 to 10Mbps range.
Choosing a Service Provider
To get the best fibre optic broadband deals in the UK, research available speeds and costs in your area. At present (according to the 2012 Ofcom report) Virgin Media has the fastest average broadband speeds that are widely available to customers. Check bundling offers, which typically offer more for your money. Contact your current provider to see if your existing service can be modified and find out the length of your contract to avoid fees. Don’t be afraid to research competing services to find out if you can save additional money over the course of the year by switching. Choose the right speed to fit your needs, and consider choosing a package with a higher or unlimited download limit to avoid penalties if you spend a lot of time streaming.
Other advantages of fibre optic service (FiOS)
• Durability and reliability
FiOS cables are more durable and less prone to breakage, and transmissions are more reliable than previous types of cable.
• Compatibility
FiOS is compatible with existing technologies.
• Less interference
FiOS suffers less interference from outside sources.
• Higher bandwidth
FiOS offers a higher bandwidth and can carry the signal over a longer distance, which means faster transmission and better reception.
If you frequently stream clips or movies, fibre optic broadband technology is for you. Eliminating the annoyance of buffering is just one of the many benefits of this technology. If you are interested in more information on fibre optic broadband services in your area, and bringing faster, more reliable broadband service into your home, contact your service provider, and research other options. Once your broadband service is moving at the speed of light you will never have to buffer a video again.
Written by
Nathan Morgan has been a technology professional for 16 years and has diverse hands-on experience starting off with a couple of years of mobile phone SMT repair. That was followed by three years as a freelance Visual Basic developer and then a decade dedicated to Linux server security, ecommerce site management and coding in a variety of languages including PHP, SQL and Java.
