Table of Contents
What is fibre Internet?
Updated
by FibreStream
Fibre optics sends information in a beam of light. A fibre-optic cable consists of microscopically thin strands of glass, each strand less than a tenth as thick as a human hair.
Fibre-optic cables are important because they allow information to travel farther without signal loss or interference. Fibre optics are much faster than traditional Internet mediums.
FibreStream provides Internet service using fibre optic cabling brought to your condominium building.
Here are some of the differences in other lines that connect homes to the Internet:
DSL
Some telecommunication companies provides DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) Internet that travels along existing phone lines. It’s cheaper, but it’s not very fast, and speeds sometimes depend on how far you are from your Internet Service Provider. If you live in a rural area, it’s sometimes your only option. DSL speeds range from 5–50 Mbps (download) and 1–10 Mbps (upload).
DSL is popular because of widespread availability, thanks to existing telephone infrastructure. DSL can be problematic, however, because it’s not as fast as cable, and if you live far from your ISP, it can impact your experience.
Cable
In a similar way to DSL, telecommunication companies provide cable Internet, and often package it with TV service. Cable utilizes coaxial cabling to provide service via the DOCSIS (Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification) Internet protocol. Much like DSL, it's popular because it operates on the existing cable infrastructure.
Cable speeds range from 10–1000 Mbps (download) and 5–50 Mbps (upload), so it’s faster than DSL.
Satellite
Satellite Internet works because of a receiver dish on your property (often the roof of your house). Your data comes from earth-orbiting stations. A modem in your house converts the radio-frequencies used for transmitting the data by the satellites. Satellite service tends to come with higher prices and limits on data.
Satellite ranges from 12-100 Mbps (download) and 25 Mbps (upload), so it won’t win any prizes for speed. It can also be a victim of outside interference such as bad weather and tall trees, and this can stall or even stop your access to the Internet at random.
