

Fiber cables are also safer as they do not carry a current and therefore cannot generate a spark. lightening) that can reduce speed of transmission. And because fiber-optic cables are non-metallic, they are not affected by electromagnetic interference (i.e. Also known as optic cables or optical fiber cables, they transfer data signals in the form of light and travel hundreds of miles significantly faster than those used in traditional electrical cables. Fiber-optic cablesĪ fiber-optic cable contains anywhere from a few to hundreds of optical fibers within a plastic casing.

It is this technology that provides homes and businesses with fiber-optic internet, phone and TV services.

Optical fibers are about the diameter of a strand of human hair and when bundled into a fiber-optic cable, they’re capable of transmitting more data over longer distances and faster than other mediums. (See if Verizon Fios fiber optics is available in your area.) Department of Energy is evaluating the feasibility of expanding fiber optic networks. Fiber optic broadband has historically been limited in where it is offered, though the U.S. Fiber optics is the technology used by internet services such as Verizon Fios home internet to transmit information as pulses of light through strands of fiber made of glass or plastic over long distances.
