When assessing speed and quality, the two best internet connections are cable and fiber. Each of these is superior to DSL, satellite and fixed wireless internet. Within that, though, both cable and fiber internet have their pros and cons. Still, there is a clear winner when it comes to the question of fiber vs cable internet.
Here are some insights into these leading technologies.
The Differences Between Fiber and Cable
The primary factor separating cable and fiber is the way information is transmitted. Cable uses electricity to carry data, while fiber accomplishes this with pulses of light. Cable uses heavy-duty wires containing a copper core, which is insulated by aluminum, a copper shield and plastic. Fiber uses a small, highly flexible strand of glass wrapped in a protective coating to transmit the pulses of light containing the data.
Because it relies upon electricity, cable can be disrupted by weather events as well as electromagnetic interference. Thus, your cable connection might fail or run very slowly in extreme cold or during storms. Distance, interference, and network congestion can also hamstring cable. Fiber avoids these drawbacks because there is no electrical signal to disrupt. As a result, fiber can carry more data with greater clarity, as well as travel greater distances at higher speeds without amplification.
Of course, any objective discussion of fiber vs cable internet must acknowledge that both have their pros and cons.
Cable – Pros & Cons
The elder of the two technologies, cable internet has been around much longer than fiber. As a result, cable enjoys a much larger footprint. Cable Internet is available everywhere you can get cable TV, which is most of the country. Cable modems can also be placed nearly anywhere in a typical home, which can help you optimize its location for the best Wi-Fi connection. Cable is also typically offered at lower introductory prices.
On the other hand, as mentioned previously, cable is considerably slower than fiber; both in terms of upload and download speeds. Further, the more users there are trying to access a cable network, the slower the speeds users will experience. Cable internet plans also tend to come with all sorts of conditions, such as price hikes, data caps, equipment fees and contracts.
Fiber – Pros & Cons
The fastest internet connection type, fiber has upload and download speeds that match—which is particularly beneficial for gaming. Network congestion and interference are much less likely to occur with fiber.
The other side of fiber is limited availability. According to recent FCC findings, fewer than 50% of households in the U.S. have access to fiber. Fiber’s starting prices can be higher than cable as well. The availability of fiber Internet bundles also trails those of cable, which can sometimes mean fewer TV and home service options.
Got a Need for Speed?
Cable doesn’t even come close to fiber when it comes to speed. Most fiber systems are good for a minimum of 200 Mbps up to 1,000 Mbps. That’s upload and download. To give you an idea of just how fast this is, a typical two-hour movie can be downloaded in just under 10 seconds with a 1,000 Mbps connection. It would take about 10 minutes to download that same film with a 20 Mbps connection.
What’s more, fiber’s upload speed tends to match its download speeds. The same cannot be said for cable, as its upload speeds are significantly slower. This symmetry is ideal in situations that require heavy two-way internet usage such as gaming.
Cable’s lower Mbps transfer rate is just one of the speed-related concerns. Cable networks split their bandwidth among all the users on the system. This can make your connection even slower when—for example—everyone in your neighborhood is streaming the big game on Super Bowl Sunday.
It Really Comes Down to Availability
The fastest internet connection on Earth is only as good as your ability to access it. And here, when it comes to fiber vs cable internet, cable does have a significant advantage. As things currently stand, the availability of cable internet exceeds the availability of fiber, so you’re more likely to have access to cable internet than fiber—for now. However, you’ll be much happier with fiber than cable, if fiber is available to you now. Your internet connection will be more stable, you’ll enjoy higher speeds, and your system will be future-proofed.
