Fiber or DSL… Which Should You Choose?
As the need for higher bandwidths increases, phone carriers, the Fiber Optic Association in Cebu, and cable providers continue to improve their setups. Cable providers don’t monopolize fiber service anymore. In fact, telco companies now offer fiber services in many major metropolitan areas such as Manila. What advantages does fiber optics Internet service provider and is it worth it to upgrade from DSL? In this article, we’ll compare both so you can decide.
What Is DSL?
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) is a land-based broadband Internet service transmitted using copper phone wires. The basic DSL service needs an active phone line. Although, some DSL services that do not need a phone line exists in some locations. The speed of DSL usually ranges from 768 Kbps to as around 7 Mbps. However, this depends if you are located within the proximity of the phone company’s main office to achieve the best speed.
What Is Fiber Internet?
Fiber-optic broadband, also known as “fiber,” is broadband Internet transmitted via fiber-optic lines, in which light is used to transmit data signals at rapid speeds than the usual coaxial cable made of copper. As of the first half of this decade, majority of DSL service providers have turned towards utilizing fiber technology to accommodate higher DSL speeds. This is called Very high Speed DSL or VDSL. This type of Internet can obtain download speeds higher than 25 Mbps.
The Basics of DSL
DSL, or Digital Subscriber Line, uses high frequency digital signals over existing copper voice phone lines to carry data directly from the phone company’s switching station to residential homes. Bandwidth ranges from 1.5 to 6 MBPS downstream, but only 64 to 640 KBPS (0.064 to 0.640 MBPS) upstream. Service is always on and each home has exclusive use of its line from house to central office. Computers and other devices connect through Ethernet cable or Wi-Fi using a DSL modem.
Fiber Optic Basics
Fiber optic cables transmit data using a single strand of fiber optic beaming light instead of electricity. In contrast to copper wire, optical cable is not affected by electrical interference and can accommodate way higher bandwidth. The speed of fiber optic Internet for residential districts may reach 40 MBPS downstream and 5MBPS but still vary depending on how many household members share the service.
Why Should We Upgrade?
DSL service is okay if you are just doing the basic stuff on the Internet. However, if you own a business with a higher demand for Internet, you may find that shifting to fiber optic Internet is the right choice.
The Future Is in Fiber Optic Internet
DSL is okay for the usual household. But, with the advent of popular video technology and cloud computing, it may not suffice. For example, if you watch movies via NetFlix, your DSL bandwidth may be not enough. Aside from videos, current and upcoming Internet technology may tax the already slow and overused DSL bandwidths.
