Since its inception, the Internet’s growth has been tremendous and continues to be an essential part of our lives today. In fact, the UN recognized the Internet as a catalyst to the enjoyment of human rights.
Most people consider a decent Internet connection as non-negotiable for daily tasks in work, school, public use, and personal endeavors. To cater to these needs, some Internet providers turn to fiber optics to provide massive data bandwidth to consumers. Rather than using electricity, fiber uses light to transmit data through long, thin strands of glass, resulting in light speed connections for an excellent Internet experience.
If you’re looking to upgrade your Internet connection, here are some reasons to consider fiber and how it can benefit your home.
It’s Future Proof
Future-proofing means finding solutions for anticipated problems and innovation, and the resilience of fiber infrastructure provides just that. Fiber can outlast copper-based systems and boasts an impressive capability of transmitting potentially up to 100 Gbps or even 1 Tbps of data. This means fewer issues with connectivity and upgrades for your Internet connection at home for years to come, and although we haven’t reached those 1 Tbps Internet speeds just yet due to limitations of equipment on either end of the fiber optic cable, the future certainly looks bright!
Fiber is Faster
The number of people working from home has jumped from 17% to 44% pre and post-pandemic, creating new environments, norms, and standards for professional growth and productivity. Although there are the usual work from home tips like following a schedule and exercising regularly, arguably one of the most important things is to make the most of technology. However, productivity can be stunted by time wasted on lagging video calls or sites that won’t load, which is why reliable and fast Internet speeds are required at home.
Gigabit is currently the standard, with fiber speeds running at 1,000 Mbps, allowing you to download 5 GB of data in just 40 seconds! Bandwidth is also an important consideration for households with multiple users and devices so that you can enjoy zero buffering, super-fast downloads and uploads, and more stable connections in the face of inclement weather. This allows you to accomplish your work with no interruptions, even with someone else streaming shows in 4K on Netflix all day long!
Having Fiber Can Increase Your Home’s Resale Value
Apart from fast and reliable connectivity, having fiber installed in your home can add resale value to your home. A study conducted in 2015 found that high-speed fiber Internet can boost a home’s value by as much as 3.1%.
With the increasing demand for greater bandwidth, it’s safe to predict that installing fiber Internet connection is a good investment to make for your home.
Fiber Internet Makes Your Home and Our Communities Safer
Fast fiber connections also ensure our security by transmitting important data as quickly as possible, which is paramount to the success of responders and healthcare professionals in saving lives. Faster Internet connections also provide Americans with easy access to emergency services and resources during disasters or matters of national security.
However, it’s important to remember that security goes both ways. Keeping yourself safe against cybercriminals is essential no matter where you are. Protect your technology and data by taking the following measures:
- Ensure your Wi-Fi is secure by configuring your fiber Internet connection
- Install anti-virus and anti-malware on your devices
- Use a VPN
- Have a file back-up
- Switch off unused devices
Investing in fiber optics promotes security for everyone, not just in the home but also for the general public.
As we move further into the digital age, we depend more on the Internet to support everything we do, from communications to entertainment and work across different industries. Home life is no different as it merges with professional and social endeavors, highlighting the essential connection that all of us need — thanks to fiber.
Published: December 28, 2023 • Guest Author: Jane Bayfield