Fibre Optic Broadband: How Fast Is It And How Does It Work?

If you’re struggling with slow internet speeds and have done some research you have no doubt come across the term fibre optic broadband.

All household-name broadband providers offer fibre packages – but with the jargon the tech industry uses, it can be confusing when you’re trying to find out exactly what you need.

Here we explain what fibre optic broadband is, how it works, and how fast it is.

What is fibre optic broadband?

Fibre broadband is a type of internet connection that offers faster speeds and a more reliable connection than the alternatives.

It gets its name from the type of cables that are used to deliver the broadband to your home.

How does fibre broadband work?

The lines that deliver fibre broadband consists of fibre optics – tiny strands of plastic or glass.

Each fibre optic strand has a reflective inner wall.

Information is transmitted down the cable by sending flashes of light – bouncing off the inner walls along the way.

At the other end the equipment can then interpret the flashes of data, giving you access to the internet.

What are the different types of fibre broadband?

There are two main types of fibre broadband – FTTC or fibre-to-the-cabinet, or FTTP or fibre-to-the-premises.

FTTC is the Moore common of the two, and means the fibre cables are laid to the local cabinet in your street.

From there copper wires are used to collect to your home, still offering “superfast” broadband speeds.

The second type of fibre, or FTTP, means the cable goes directly to your home.

This can offer faster “ultrafast” or “gigabit” speeds – but it’s also more expensive.

How fast is fibre broadband?

Because the data literally travels at the speed of light, it’s easy to see why fibre optic broadband offers the fastest internet connection.

Fibre optic cables can handle much larger volumes of data than a copper cable without degrading.

Source:  Mirror