The times of excruciatingly slow website loading and long download and upload wait times are now becoming things of the past. Broadband internet has revolutionised our use of the web, opening a plethora of new opportunities for both individual customers and businesses alike. For the last year, many people have worked in their own apartments rather than from the office, while school classes were held not in the classroom, but through videoconferences. This period has made it very clear that transfer speeds have a tangible impact on the quality of our life and education. For this reason it’s worth taking a more detailed look at the nature of fibre optic technology, as it is responsible for super fast data transmission.
What is an optical fibre and how does it work?
An optical fibre is a wire made of plastics and glass fibre. It enables sending data using light waves at speeds reaching several terabits per second. A huge advantage of fibre optic technology is data transmission without any interference, which is the main cause of reduced internet speeds with traditional telephone lines. External factors, such as storms, strong winds, heavy rainfall and blizzards greatly impact internet connection speed and range both for radio connections and regular copper wires. With fibre optics, however, they are completely irrelevant. All this makes fibre optic internet not only very fast, but also stable.
What do you need to know about fibre optic technology?
The technology itself is interesting enough that it warrants learning about its key aspects and advantages in greater detail. Currently, fibre optic internet not only enables fast web surfing but it also allows the opportunity to use many other services. Fixed phones, television, access to multimedia platforms and control over smart home-type solutions are but a few examples of modern applications for optical fibres. With the ability to combine them all, a single wire running to a house, apartment or office can deliver all essential telecommunication and multimedia services.
Major advantages of optical fibres
The dynamic development of fibre optic technologies, referred to as FTTH (Fiber To The Home), stems from the growing requirements of users, who expect an increasingly faster and more stable data transfer. When you compare the traditional ADSL technology (internet over a telephone modem) to an FTTH connection, you will notice a colossal difference, and one that is not limited to speed alone. An optical signal, as used in fibre optic networks, is not susceptible to any external interference. Also there is no sharing phenomenon in fibre optic technology, and the connection enables access to various telecommunication services at the same time.
Another definite advantage of fibre optics is a much higher longevity of FTTH infrastructure compared to traditional connections. Fibre optics also come out on top thanks to lower operating costs with no need to install additional active equipment between the server room and the user. With all this, FTTH guarantees fast and stable internet access and convenience that no traditional connection can match. These advantages also translate to tangible benefits for the environment. Longer installation life means less frequent equipment replacement and smaller quantities of plastics used. A lower energy consumption, in turn, means less CO2 and other harmful gases emitted to the atmosphere.
No optical fibres without the right components
When discussing fibre optic technology, one has to say a few words about the components responsible for the stable, fast and safe data transfer to devices that use FTTH. The glass fibres and plastics that fibre optic cables are made of are carefully selected materials with parameters enabling ultra fast signal transmission. Fibre optic cable production is a complex process, a key element of which is preparing the preform, which is used to make the fibre. One of the materials used to manufacture the preform is silicon tetrachloride, available from the PCC Group – one of the largest Polish producers of professional industrial chemicals. The Group’s product range also includes ultra-pure silicon tetrachloride, used to produce low-attenuation optical fibres.
Fibre optics is the technology of the future
Fibre optic networks are being developed very dynamically all around the world. Progress enables us to send data between continents using cables characterised by ever greater efficiency. This makes transfer even faster and more stable. With all this, many internet users who for years have connected to the world using regular connections can no longer imagine going back to the old technology once they have tried fibre optic internet.