Broadband vs Fiber Optics: Comparison, Insights & Plans

What is bandwidth

In terms of network connectivity, bandwidth refers to the volume of information or data that can be transmitted over a connection in a given amount of time. It is measured in bits per second and can range from megabits per second (Mbps) to terabits per second (Tbps).

Bandwidth vs Speed? What’s the Difference

While they are often mistaken for each other, there is a distinct difference between Bandwidth and Speed. Bandwidth is the amount of information you can send or receive every second while speed refers to how fast that data can be received or downloaded.

What is Traditional Broadband?

Traditional broadband consists of technologies like Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) or fiber-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC). These are older methods of providing internet to the masses where copper wires were used to transmit the data. While ADSL uses the copper wires already present in our telephone lines to provide internet, FTTC uses fiber optics cable to send data from a telephone exchange to a local distribution point called a cabinet. From there, copper wires are used to send the internet to residential premises or offices.

Traditional broadband is considered best for individuals or small businesses that don’t require heavy internet usage. These connections are quite low-speed and not that stable as the internet connection can be distributed across a network of computers. If you need to access high-speed internet at all times, don’t opt for traditional broadband.

How does a Broadband Connection work?

In a broadband connection, you’re entire phone line is not hogged up for connecting to the internet. It divides the line connecting your computer and the ISP’s network into different channels. Now information can run in parallel in these channels and thus internet speeds can be higher than a dialup connection. Even a slow broadband connection of 512Kbps is nine times faster than the fastest dial-up connection.

Types of Broadband Connection

Let’s look at some of the most common types of broadband connections. We have listed them below.
 

Fiber-optic

In a fiber-optic connection, data is converted into light and sent through transparent glass fibers using the principle of total internal reflection (TIR). It requires specialized tools for installation and can usually cost a lot for initial set-up.
 

Wireless

A radio link between the service provider’s facility and the customer’s location makes the basis of a wireless broadband connection. This connection comes in handy in remote and sparsely populated areas where wired services would be costly to provide. Wi-Fi is a great example of a wireless broadband connection.
 

DSL

Digital Subscriber Line or DSL technology uses the existing copper wires in our telephone lines to transfer data. This is a very inefficient way of connecting to the internet and it’s speed is so low that it is seldom used nowadays. There are two kinds of DSL technologies:

• Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL)
• Symmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (SDSL)

Cable & Satellite

Cables operators also provide internet to homes by using the same coaxial cables for data transmission. Transmission speeds depend on the cable network, traffic load, and the type of cable modem used.

In satellite connection, as the name suggests, satellites orbiting around the Earth transmit data to and fro the consumer.
 

What is Required for a Broadband Connection

For installing a Broadband connection, you need to first subscribe to a service or plan provided by your telecommunications provider. Once you’ve subscribed to the service, here is what you’ll need for setting up the complete broadband connection.

1. Internet modem or router
2. A Power adapter
3. Internet Cable
4. Telephone Cable
5. Phone Filters
6. ADSL Splitter

For a fiber broadband connection, a fiber optic modem and the wireless router is needed along with a fiber optic cable infrastructure. While the modem and wireless router you can purchase by yourself, the cable infrastructure is in the hands of your service provider.

Does Broadband come Through a Phone Line

A broadband connection can come in four different forms: DSL, fiber Optic, Cable, and Wireless. In a DSL connection, unused telephone wires are used to transmit data from one end to the other. So yes, broadband does come through a phone line, depending on your connection type.

What is fiber optic broadband?

In fiber-optic broadband, as the name suggested, fiber optic cables are used to transmit data from the service provider to our homes and offices directly. Since optical cables use light as a medium to transmit the data, it provides extremely fast speeds that are very stable as the connection is not shared with anyone else.

Fiber optic cables are best suited for medium to large businesses, colleges, MNCs, and even households that have multiple devices connected to the internet at any given point of time. One of its best qualities is that the fiber optics broadband connection offers speeds of 10 Gbps for both downloads and uploads making it great for bigger offices, streaming games, working remotely, and more.

How Does fiber Broadband Work?

Fiber broadband is a high-speed broadband connection. It uses fiber optic cables that can transfer data at the speed of light. In fiber optic cables, data is converted into light and transmitted through thin hair-like cables following the principle of total internal reflection. There is very little loss in this method and the speed of transmission is high as well.

How Fast is fiber Broadband

At present, fiber broadband is the fastest way to connect to the internet. As compared to DSL or cable broadband, fiber broadband can provide speeds up to 1 Gbps as well. This is in no way the highest speed or the limit of this technology. Some providers are already providing higher speeds touching the range of 10 Gbps in some countries.
 

How is fiber Optic Internet Installed

In order to get fiber-optic broadband installed in your home, you need to subscribe to a service and schedule the installation. fiber optics requires completely different infrastructure and it is better if you let a professional do the installation.

When the appointment comes, the technician will install an optical network terminal or ONT which is a small utility box placed either inside or outside of the house. The tech will then connect the ONT to a nearby equipment box using a fiber cable. This will bring the high-speed fiber-optic connection from the service provider to your home. A router is then linked with the terminal box through an ethernet connection and you can start browsing the internet.
 

How to Find Out if fiber Optic Internet is Available in your Area?

Contact different internet service providers and telecommunication vendors in your area to find out whether they’ve laid a fiber optic line around your house and will they be able to provide you with a new fiber connection.

Here is an example of finding the availability for a Jio Fiber connection:

1. The first step is to visit the official website of Jio Fiber Broadband Service which can be accessed at the link here.
2. Once you are on the website, enter your name and your contact number.
3. Click on the ‘Generate OTP’ option.
4. You will receive an OTP on the contact number provided. Enter the OTP
5. Next, you will be asked to fill out some more details about your region.
6. If the service is available in your region, the website will display all the relevant details.
7. In case the service is not available at the moment, you will receive a notification from the company once the service is available.

What are the Benefits of Having a fiber Broadband

The biggest advantage of having a fiber broadband connection is its high speed. If you live in a high-bandwidth home with multiple devices connected to the internet and you are streaming videos and movies online, playing games, sending or receiving large data files, or something else, a fiber optic connection is the best choice to have.

Fiber optic cables are installed underground so unless any physical damage happens to them, the internet connection and speed won’t be affected by weather at all.

What is FTTH (fiber to the Home)

Fiber to the home or FTTH is a new and fast-growing method of providing high-speed internet to consumers and businesses. In this method, optical fibers are installed from the operator’s equipment directly to a home or business. It improves the bandwidth a user can receive and provides more robust, internet, voice, and video services.

What is Dark fiber

While building a fiber-optic network, the biggest cost comes in digging the ground to bury the cable. This is an expensive process and to save money for digging in the future, telecom companies can place some extra optic cables for an increase in demand later on. These fibers are called “Dark fiber” as they are present but don’t carry any data. fibers that are working and transmitting data are known as “lit fiber”.

What to choose? broadband or fiber?

Whether you should opt for internet provided by your cable operator, a DSL connection or a fiber optic connection depends on a number of factors.

• How much you are willing to pay?
• How many devices will be connected to the internet?
• What speeds do you want?
• How is the existing infrastructure around you?

These factors will decide if you should go for a broadband connection or a fiber connection. Dividing your requirements into these categories can help you decide on the type of connection.
 

Light Use

If you are a small business consisting of less than 10 people and need internet for trivial stuff like writing emails, taking down orders and stuff, a DSL connection could be sufficient and budget-friendly as well.

Medium Use

Apart from responding to emails, if you have to download files, upload them on the cloud, stream movies and do things that require a fair bit of internet speed, you can go for a cable internet connection that uses coaxial telephone lines and is faster than a DSL connection.

Heavy Use

If most of the stuff you do happens online and there are multiple users connected to the same network at once, a fiber-optic connection is the best choice. It provides uninterrupted internet to your premises or office and has speeds around 10 Gbps which is sufficient for a large group of people to work simultaneously without any latency or connection issues.

Best broadband and fiber internet service provider in India

The Indian internet market is going through a golden stage when there are several different vendors competing with each other to provide the fastest and most affordable internet connection to users. Both private and public companies are present in this market and the result of which, internet connectivity is reaching even the farthest corners of the country. Some of the most prominent vendors and their offerings are:

• Airtel: Airtel Xstream fiber with plans ranging from ₹499 to ₹999 depending on the speed.
• Reliance: Reliance Jio fiber with plans ranging from ₹399 to ₹1,499 depending on the speeds opted for.
• BSNL: BSNL fiber with plans ranging from ₹449 to ₹1,499.
• Tata Sky: Tata Sky Broadband with plans ranging from ₹699 to ₹1,200.

Which fiber Network is the Best in India?

With the availability of several internet service providers in India offering fiber broadband, it can be difficult in deciding which one is the best. Getting a broadband service depends on what is your budget and your internet requirement. Some of the best companies providing fiber internet connection in India are Airtel, Reliance Jio, BSNL, and Tata Sky.

What are the top 3 cheapest fiber plans available?

Traditional Broadband Plans Available in India

While almost every ISP has moved to fiber broadband and discontinued their ADSL plans, BSNL still offers DSL broadband connection starting from ₹299 for a 10Mbps speed limit. The speed will be reduced after 100GB usage and you’ll surf the internet at 2Mbps speed. This plan can go as high as ₹1,299 for a 1600GB capacity maxed out at 10Mbps.

FAQ

Can fiber have Wi-Fi connection?

Fiber optic is a distinct technology from Wi-Fi, but you can definitely use W-Fi in with the support of fiber optic technology, provided that have the necessary equipment.

Is fiber and broadband the same?

Fiber differs from standard broadband in various ways, from the technology behind it to the fast speeds and its reliability. A fiber connection tends to be more reliable, so is ideal for busy households where everyone is online at the same time using multiple devices simultaneously.

Does broadband Internet need a phone line?

The broadband connection does not necessarily require a phone line. However, some broadband connections do come with a phone connection. You can use the phone for making calls and use broadband for internet connectivity at the same time, unlike the dial-up connections that used to exist earlier.

Which is the fastest broadband service in India?

Jio is the fastest broadband network provider in India with the highest ratings in Q4 2020, according to network speed tracker Ookla's findings.