Cable internet is available to 82% of households, and fiber internet is available to 43% in the US. These two are the commonly used channels for transmitting internet data packets. But do you know the science behind them?
This is exactly my point of interest for today. I will compare the technology behind the two, their pros and cons, performance, and more.
Generally, fiber internet is the fastest but is costly to operate, whereas cable internet is fast and has wider availability.
Anyhow, that was just the tip of the iceberg; there is a lot more to cover. So, join me as I unfold the details about the two most common types of internet connection.
Do you remember your good ol’ TV for game nights? Yep, that TV used a coaxial cable to transmit the live game to your home. Coaxial cables are the main infrastructure through which internet and TV are provided in the US.
These coaxial cables have a copper core insulated by aluminum and plastic on top. Electrical signals are utilized to transmit data through these cables, which is why they are not considered as reliable as fiber optical cables. These electrical signals are susceptible to climate change and interference from other electrical cables.
Also, the cable connection has a shared bandwidth for an area. For example, if multiple people are using the internet in the same area through the same network of coaxial cables, they might experience slow internet because of the sharing.
I call them resilient cables because of their reliability. While cable uses electrical signals, fiber optic cables use light signals to transmit data. You might wonder ‘Light, How?’
Yes, light.
Fiber optic cables have thin glass strands twisted together and protected by plastic. That glass carries the light to longer distances without any loss of data. Light not only travels much faster than electricity, keeping your internet speed faster, but it can carry a much larger amount of data. That’s why fiber optic cables are placed on the bed of the ocean to connect continents with the internet.
Another benefit of using fiber optic cable for the internet is that the bandwidth is dedicated to each user, and it is not shared, unlike the cable connection.
Cable: When it comes to the speed of the internet, cable connection might struggle due to the physical limitations of electric signals and coaxial cables. The download speeds are fine as they can reach up to 2 gigs, but the upload speed is where it begins to struggle a lot. The maximum upload speed on cables can reach up to a mere 200 Mbps.
Fiber: On the flip side, a fiber-based connection offers symmetrical speeds (similar upload and download speeds). The maximum data rate for download and upload can reach up to a whopping 50 gigs. They can carry a lot more data, which is why high-speed connections are mostly seen on fiber-powered internet.
Cable: If you are a gamer, you might already know that cable internet is not dependable when it comes to latency. As I mentioned earlier, these cables use electric pulses that are vulnerable to physical conditions. That’s why you might experience lag in your game because of high latency.
Fiber: When the data is transmitted using light through fiber optic cables, latency, and pings are much more stable. External factors don’t affect the performance of fiber optic cables much, and the gaming experience is top-notch through fiber optical cables.
Cable Internet: This is one of the major plus points of cable internet: more coverage area at a cheaper cost. TV has been around for a while, and so are coaxial cables. Cable Internet uses the existing TV infrastructure laid around half a century ago to provide internet. Whether it is a suburban or rural area, you will likely find a cable internet provider.
Fiber Internet: It is expensive and has limited availability. Only a few providers in the US like Google Fiber, AT&T, Optimum, and some others are providing fiber-powered internet. Fiber internet plans are comparatively more expensive than cable internet plans because of the high cost of building fiber infrastructure. As for the suburbs, only Kinetic by Windstream is providing fiber internet in such areas.
Cable: Getting a cable connection is pretty easy, first because of availability and second because of the low cost of equipment. You can use your normal 2.4 GHz router to get it up and running in your home. Also, since TV cables likely already exist in your area, installation costs are lower for users if they opt for cable internet.
Fiber: Internet connections that rely only on the fiber optic cables need somewhat of the extension of cables to your home and that could cost more when compared to the inexpensive coaxial cables. Routers needed to give maximum output of the fiber-powered connection are different, so that would be another expense that you might need to cover with the fiber optic internet connection.
Cable: Generally speaking, cable internet plans are cheaper than most internet plans, whether it is fiber or satellite internet. Internet service providers (ISPs) offer promotional prices with cable internet that usually hike up after a certain period (say 12 months). But in my opinion, the overall cost still is cheaper with cable internet.
Fiber: It majorly depends on the area you reside in. If it has a great fiber infrastructure, then you might be able to find affordable options. If the availability of fiber is limited, the ISPs have the edge to offer you higher pricing.
Well, the answer to this question is highly subjective.
If you are a geek who loves gaming and streaming movies of the highest quality, then you are better off with a fiber-powered internet connection. On the flip side, cable internet is okay for most households.
Also, cable internet can easily be bundled with a TV plan, whereas with fiber internet this option is extremely limited. Now, the ball is in your court, whether you want to go for fiber internet or cable internet. I recommend reading this buying guide before choosing your connection type and ISP.
Q: How does the security of cable internet compare to that of fiber internet?
Fiber internet is considered more secure because it is difficult for hackers to intercept. However, no type of connection is fool-proof.
Q: Are there specific types of users or activities better suited to one technology over the other?
Yes! Gaming, for example, is better suited to fiber internet because of low and stable latency. On the other hand, cable internet is fine for everyday tasks and may support casual gaming.
Q: What are the environmental impacts of cable and fiber internet infrastructure?
It is generally accepted that fiber infrastructure is more environmentally friendly than cable internet. However, both of these can have negative environmental impacts when establishing their infrastructure.
Supriyo Khan
Supriyo Khan
Supriyo Khan
Supriyo Khan
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