What Makes Fibre Optic Broadband Superior to Copper?
In today’s world, having a fast and reliable broadband internet connection is as essential as having electricity and running water. Whether you’re streaming your favourite show, working from home, or connecting with loved ones, the type of broadband you choose can make a big difference in your online experience. The two main types of broadband technologies you’ll come across are copper (cable is also a form of copper) and fibre. Have a quick look at each of their characteristics:
Speed: How Fast Is It?
Think of copper broadband as an older car. It gets you where you need to go, but it’s not winning any races. Copper can handle everyday activities like browsing websites and checking emails just fine. However, if you have multiple people streaming videos or gaming online at the same time, you might start to notice some lagging and buffering. Typically, copper broadband offers speeds of up to 100 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 20Mbps.
On the other hand, fibre broadband is like a high-performance sports car. It’s built for speed and efficiency. A fibre optic connection into your house can transmit >1 Gigabit of data per second. This means no more waiting buffering on games, and your video calls will be crisp and clear, even if several people in your household are online at the same time.
Reliability: Will It Keep Working?
Copper: Sensitive to Distance and Interference
Copper broadband can be less reliable because the signal quality diminishes over long distances. Additionally, copper wires can be affected by electrical interference from other devices and weather conditions, which can cause your internet to slow down or drop out.
Fibre: Consistent and Robust
Fibre broadband is much more reliable. Since it uses light signals, distance has a minimal impact on performance. Fibre-optic cables are also less susceptible to interference and weather conditions. This means you get a more consistent and stable connection, rain or shine.
Bandwidth: Can It Handle Multiple Devices?
Copper: Limited Capacity
Copper broadband has limited bandwidth, which can be a bottleneck if you have many devices connected simultaneously. For example, if someone is streaming a movie in the living room, another person is on a video call in the office, and someone else is gaming in their bedroom, you might notice slower speeds and buffering.
Fibre: Plenty of Room
Fibre broadband offers much higher bandwidth, making it perfect for households with multiple devices. You can stream HD or 4K videos, play online games, and have video calls going on all at the same time without any noticeable slowdown. It’s like having a multi-lane highway versus a single-lane road; there’s just more room for data to flow.
Copper Switch-off: Saying Goodbye to Outdated, Slow Broadband
Besides the superior performance of fibre against a copper connection, it is important to consider that the days of copper are numbered. Ireland’s telecoms regulator, Comreg, has approved the commencement of the copper switch off process. Separately, the European Commission wants all copper broadband to be switched off across the EU by no later than 2030.
Copper switch-off refers to the planned discontinuation of the traditional copper broadband network. Copper is being switched off because it simply can’t meet the demands, of more bandwidth, higher speeds and greater data needs, now placed upon it.
Not only will copper broadband be phased out but a wide range of devices currently dependent on copper may need to be upgraded to be compatible with modern broadband. These include many everyday home and business devices, such as landline phones, house and fire alarms, medical and security monitors, lifts, retail sales terminals or CCTV systems.
In summary, fibre broadband is faster, more reliable, and better suited for the demands of modern broadband usage. If you are currently on a copper connection, it’s time to find out if fibre broadband is available to you and make the switch. You can check if SIRO is available at your premises here.