FIBER TO THE PREMISE BASICS
Fiber optic communications have become an essential link the world now relies on, but there are other technologies that can carry digital traffic. It is common in the early part of a fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) project to field questions about satellite, cellular, fixed wireless, or other methods of transmitting data that cost less to install than a fiber system. We hope the information we provide will help you answer those questions.
Internet service today can be delivered through two broad methods; through wireless technology or wired technologies.
WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY
CELLULAR SYSTEMS
Cellular systems are relatively slow because the signal is dispersed across wide areas. To overcome the limitation, cellular providers have implemented new technologies relying on shorter wavelength transmissions. These short wavelengths can carry lots of data, but only for short distances. Longer wavelengths travel further but carry less data than short wavelengths. Cellular systems are often “throttled” to slow transmission, they may include data caps with extra fees for exceeding the plan’s limitations, and in general, cellular transmission of data is expensive.
FIXED OR LINE OF SIGHT
Fixed wireless uses similar signals but instead of being dispersed over wide areas, fixed systems are focused on individual homes or businesses. This makes a more powerful signal, but some inherent problems associated with cellular transmissions still occur.
Fixed systems are also known as “line-of-sight” transmissions. In other words, there has to be a direct and unobstructed line from the transmitter to the receiver. Rain, snow, and even leaves can result in slower or less reliable service. Fixed systems can transmit at fast speeds, but again, the cost per megabit is relatively high.
SATELLITE SERVICE
Satellite service is the least reliable and most expensive of wireless internet technologies. While useful to reach remote areas, signals from satellites in geosynchronous orbit at an altitude of 22,000 miles have high latency (lag time between a signal leaving the transmitter and reception at the other end). Though there are efforts to create smaller satellites orbiting closer to earth and using different methods of managing data transmission, the cost of satellite service relative to other systems will still be relatively high and in the near future will most likely continue serving those living in remote areas.
WIRED TECHNOLOGY
Fixed wireless uses similar signals but instead of being dispersed over wide areas, fixed systems are focused on individual homes or businesses. This makes a more powerful signal, but some inherent problems associated with cellular transmissions still occur.
Fixed systems are also known as “line-of-sight” transmissions. In other words, there has to be a direct and unobstructed line from the transmitter to the receiver. Rain, snow, and even leaves can result in slower or less reliable service. Fixed systems can transmit at fast speeds, but again, the cost per megabit is relatively high.
CABLE TELEVISION
Cable TV began in 1948 and cable companies installed coaxial cable to transmit RF (radio frequency) signals to televisions. They eventually used the same cable to provide internet services. Cable TV operators providing service through coaxial cable offer faster speeds than the phone companies can through copper wire, but a drawback is that the system slows down as more people use the system at the same time. Many cable TV companies also receive poor ratings from consumers because of the quality of their customer service.
FIBER OPTIC
Fiber optic cables are what most new communications systems being built in the U.S. are constructed with. Fiber systems are highly reliable because there isn’t much equipment between the point of transmission and the receiver. DSL systems, by contrast, have multiple pieces of equipment boosting and routing the signal between the transmitter and the receiver.
Fiber optic cable is used to link cellular towers, fixed wireless towers, and provides the best dedicated service for critical systems like healthcare. A drawback to fiber systems is the cost of construction, but this is offset by higher speeds, greater reliability and lower cost per megabit to the consumer.
What we often miss in our conversations about technologies used to distribute internet services is the rapidly growing need for transmitting data. In 1984 the total global internet traffic was 15 Gigabytes a month. By 2014, total traffic PER PERSON was 15 GB per month. Put another way; internet traffic increased 2.7 billion times in the 30 years between 1984 and 2014. This trend will continue as we add more internet-connected home monitors, medical devices, automobiles, and other devices.
Wireless technologies have a role to play in connecting homes and businesses, in very dense areas (5G) and in sparsely populated areas (fixed wireless). Everything indicates, however, that the workhorse of the internet will remain light transmitted through glass fiber cables that reliably provide service at speeds up to 1 Gig, or 1,000 Mbps.
