As humans in today’s technologically advanced society, we strive for response, speed, and consistency. Why? Simply because time is something we cannot get back—hence the yearning for the next best thing. This ideology can be applied to the era when the Internet began to ramp up in the early 90s.
As we increasingly rely on the Internet for work, education, entertainment, and communication, understanding the inner workings of fiber Internet becomes essential. Let’s demystify the mechanics of fiber Internet and appreciate the marvel that drives our modern online world.
Internet in the early days
The expansion of worldwide information relocation created waves that allowed people to access data and communicate like never before, meaning everyone wanted to get their slice. In the case of the Philippines, it began recognizing this demand and expanding and upgrading existing infrastructure in the early 2000s.
Fast forward a few years, and the deployment of Fiber Optic Networks made its mark around 2013, granting accessibility to even better connections. But that's enough history. Today, we are going to dive in on how Fiber optics work and how it compares to its previous iteration of copper wires.
How does it work?
Have you ever heard the phrase “fast as the speed of light?” It may come out in superhero movies, exaggerated chika moments, or even your 5th-grade science textbook, but in terms of network connectivity, fiber optics function through the bouncing of light. Yep, light, or photon particles, travel down the fiber optic cable by bouncing off the walls repeatedly in a mirror-like reflection. This technology transmits data as optical signals using this pulse of light that carry information in the form of binary code represented by combinations of ones and zeros.
From Warner Bros. Pictures Official GIPHY
It’s like using the Bat-signal for Batman to come, but in this case, Batman is inside several layers of glass, sliding up and down and hitting everything in the tube—poor Batman.
Fiber vs. Copper
Before fiber optic cables were used, copper wires provided us with the Internet. If you want to check a speedy overview between the two, you can refer to the table presented below.
If your network still uses copper wires, you may need an upgrade. If an upgrade is what you want, you can subscribe to PLDT Home Fiber Plus Plans, which grants you the fiber-fast speeds you need for work and for play today.
From Tobias Rothe Official GIPHY
Where do we go from here?
Predicting the future of Internet technology is speculative, but there are researchers with ongoing projects attempting to elevate our surfing experience further, such as Terahertz Communications, Quantum Internet, and more of the sort. We just have to wait and see.
Are you excited to see where Internet technology will be going in the near future?