QUESTION: What are the pros and cons of fiber versus copper?
ANSWER:
To begin, some basic definitions because semantics matter…. Copper carries electrical pulses on metal strands, most often for voice signal due to its limited bandwidth. Fiber carries pulses of light on tiny strands of glass and provides superior bandwidth over copper for new or upgraded networks.
Our business works with the industry to improve signals over long distance. With singlemode fiber optic cables carrying data over 25 miles and copper cables carrying around 100 meters (0.0621 miles), the advantages are clear.
For attenuation or signal loss, fiber is superior with only three percent loss every 100 meters over copper’s ninety percent loss for the same distance. Fiber travels up to 60 terabits per second while copper cables perform at only about 10 gigabits per second. Fiber has become synonymous with the phrase ‘speed of light’ for a data driven reason (see what we did there?).
Fiber uses total internal reflection instead of electricity to carry light signals and is immune to temperature changes and both of these factors help avoid data transmission interruption. Copper cable connectivity is susceptible to interference and electrical surges and compromised by temperature fluctuation, moisture and severe weather conditions. Additionally, copper can present fire hazards as it ages and shows wear which does not occur with fiber.
Fiber optic cables are the better choice for both durability and security. Though lighter, fiber can withstand up to 200 pounds of pressure compared to copper wire only being able to withstand around 25 pounds. That durability difference makes fiber the preferred material for local area network (LAN) construction lasting up to 50 years over copper in as little as five years due to corrosion in many instances. This segways into the security of data with fiber protected from being tapped into because it is not carrying electrical signals like copper.
Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is an important factor in the discussion of fiber vs copper. EMI is the unwanted noise or interference by an outside source in an electrical path. Caused by natural (lightning and solar storms) or human-made (electrical and cellphones) sources, EMI can cause electronics to malfunction or fail. Human-made EMI can come from high-power radio, electrical sources, and even everyday devices like cellphones; it can also come from malfunctioning or improperly designed consumer devices. In copper cables, electrical noise can reduce the speed of transmission. Fiber optic cables, non-metallic glass threads, are immune to any magnetic interference removing potential security hazards.
Copper holds the advantage when it comes to cost. Copper is the cost-effective option for both the material, itself, and the installation due to equipment needs for fiber like specialty test equipment. Though fiber is the more expensive option in up front costs, the hidden costs of copper, including general maintenance and replacement costs, fiber optic cable has the financial advantage for an overall budget.
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