Why Optic Fibers Are Better for Data Cabling
IT experts prefer fiber optics over copper-based cabling for their data cabling needs. Listed below are some of the main benefits of fiber optics that make it a more suitable choice for data cabling.
Fiber Optics Offer Better Bandwidth
In simple terms, bandwidth can be regarded as the data transmission speed. Since fiber optics carry data in the form of light rather than as electrical signals, as copper wires do, fiber optics offer much larger bandwidths than their alternatives.
Copper-based cables usually offer maximum bandwidths around 40Gbps. On the contrary, fiber optics can carry data at near light speed. The bandwidth limit for fiber optics lies somewhere around 60Tbs, potentially going much higher.
Fiber Optic Transmission Can Cover Greater Distances
While both copper and fiber optic cables are prone to signal attenuation – loss of quality and strength of the transmission signal – fiber optics, tend to be much less affected by this problem of signal degradation.
Government regulations restrict the length of copper cables up to 100 meters (330 feet). Longer distances are theoretically conceivable, but they may introduce additional issues, making copper an unreliable transmission medium over longer distances. On the other hand, depending on the cable type and signaling, fiber optic cables can cover distances much greater than 24 miles!
Fiber Optic Cables Are Impervious to Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)
Electrical signals in a copper network generate a current-induced magnetic field that encompasses the cables. Having multiple wires in close vicinity, the electromagnetic field of one wire can interfere with the signals being transmitted in a nearby wire, thereby disrupting the signals. This is referred to as crosstalk, and it can result in costly retransmissions or even security breaches.
On the contrary, signal transmission through fiber optics is conducted in the form of light, which does not induce, or is affected by EMI making fiber optics more secure and reliable.
Conclusion
Keeping in mind the benefits of fiber optics mentioned
above, it is no surprise that IT experts prefer it over their copper-based
alternatives. Having said that, it is quite apparent that fiber optics are the
future of data cabling.