Fiber Optic cables, also called optical-fiber cables, are utilized in high speed communication applications or over long distances. They are used in telecommunication situations where wired cables may not provide adequate bandwidth over long distances and where interference, or crosstalk, from wired cables must be avoided.
Fiber optic cables are most frequently used to provide internet, cable television, and telephone services. Unlike electrical cables, they do not carry electric current. Instead, fiber optic cables transmit light signals. They are comprised of very thin strands of glass with a center core that allows the transmission of light.
Although fiber optic cables are most used for long-distance telecommunication applications, modern uses include those in suburban areas and neighborhoods. Households and businesses can now receive gigabit-speed internet through fiber optic cabling from service providers. These networks may include fiber optic cables that run directly to the home. In addition, they may involve fiber optic cabling that runs to a neighborhood or area then splits into other fiber optic cables or wired cables that run directly to the home or business.
There are many benefits of fiber optic cables over traditional wired cables. Primarily, fiber optic cables physically require less space. While copper cables require an increased diameter in order to obtain faster signals, fiber optic cables deliver gigabit speeds with very little data loss while remaining small in diameter. This means that fiber optic cables deliver high security and a low chance of interception. In addition, fiber optic cables avoid the predicament of cross-talk, often a side-effect wired cables.
Fiber optic cables traditionally provide telecommunications via light over long distances, up to miles, in some applications. Because of this, such cables are used to communicate between buildings or cities. More recent applications include those from cable, internet, and phone providers into neighborhoods or directly to businesses. Fiber optic cables provide the security, speed, and reliability that today’s businesses and home consumers desire and require.
