The first internet cabling network in Aotearoa was the trusty copper line. This network, made from copper wires, uses electricity to send data to and from your device. Within the past decade, the copper networks have been replaced by fibre – scientifically called fibre optic cables. These cables are made up of hundreds of tiny glass strands, which use light to transmit data. This means that fibre can transmit information at super fast speeds. After all, how fast is the speed of light?
Fibre internet has been transformative in propelling the digital world to new heights. We now even have hyperfibre, which is the new generation of fibre.
So, why is fibre so much better than copper? And why is it considered the future of the internet?
Fibre delivers lightning-fast speeds for uploading and downloading data. This means you can game, stream, and download large files without experiencing buffering. Fibre can transmit data at up to speeds of 1GB/s, which is a lot faster than what copper could do!
In this day and age, no one wants to have to worry about their internet connection going down during a storm. Fibre cables are a lot more durable to the elements than copper cables. The technology is also not affected by high traffic so you can still enjoy speedy connection during busy periods of usage in your area. With many of us working from home, reliable internet connection and speed is imperative.
As the digital world continues to evolve and change, security and safety is going to become even more important, especially with the development of AI. Fibre cables offer far better security than copper cables as they are a lot more difficult for hackers to tap into.
Latency refers to the time it takes for your device to send and receive data. Copper wiring has been known to have a high latency, which means it takes more time to download videos and other information. Fibre delivers lower latency means that your device will receive messages near instantly, which makes video calling more time-accurate – great for those who work or study from home – and gaming more “in real time.” This makes for a smoother and more enjoyable gaming experience.
The bandwidth refers to the amount of information that can move back and forth between the fibre cables at the same time. Fibre cables are larger than copper, meaning that they can transmit a lot more data at once. This is awesome because it means that everyone in your house can use the internet for different purposes at the same time – so people in your busy household can be streaming, gaming, video calling, and scrolling through social media without experiencing buffering!
We will continue to need faster and faster internet speeds. As times change, our internet technologies and infrastructure will have to change with it. Hyperfibre is a testimony to this. Kiwis are already needing to achieve ultra-fast speeds. It is very likely that we will see even further developments in fibre technology.
Jump on Broadband Compare to compare the different fibre plans available to you so that you can enjoy the right internet speed for your needs, for a better price! Here at Broadband Compare, we are all about helping Kiwis make better choices with their money, and we do so by making comparison easy and quick. Our user-friendly platform makes it easy to compare the different plans available to you so you can choose a plan that best suits your household needs and find one that offers more value for money!
