subject: Advantages of fibre broadband for homes and businesses [print this page] Advantages of fibre broadband for homes and businesses
Fibre broadband - also known as fibre optic broadband - is a term that has been talked about for several years in the UK but is still not in wide-use. Today, fibre broadband connections are available to homes and businesses in certain parts of the country. However, the number of households that will have access to fibre broadband looks set to increase by 2012. This could rapidly modernise the UK's broadband infrastructure, making it a world leader in the field and rolling out the advantages of fibre optic connections to thousands of households and companies.
But what exactly are the advantages of fibre broadband? First and foremost, it offers much faster internet speeds than prevailing broadband offerings. Theoretically, this type of 'super-fast broadband' may offer estimated speeds of up to 50Mbps. That's compared to basic advertised speeds of between 8Mbps and 20Mbps that are usually offered to customers today. For home users, this could mean download times of just seconds, as well as uninterrupted streaming and a much speedier internet experience in general.
For businesses however, the advantages of fibre optic broadband will perhaps be more noticeable. The time it takes to upload and share large files with colleagues and clients may be drastically reduced, which could lead to increased productivity. HD video conferencing will also be a more viable communication option with super-fast broadband, an advantage that may have a knock-on effect on your company's travel expenditure. Moreover, fibre optic speeds could mean faster and more reliable access to software in the cloud. In turn, this may lead to an overall reduction in costs, as cloud computing and off-site hosting options become a more realistic alternative for your business.
The faster speeds offered by fibre broadband aren't simply a theoretical estimation. They are achieved by replacing the regular co-axial copper wires used to transmit current broadband signals with glass fibres. As light signals travel along these glass fibres, much faster transmission speeds are possible.
If fibre optic broadband is available in your area, or you're considering adopting it when it does roll out in your region, you may see an increase in your monthly broadband bills. However, this extra cost should result in long-term savings for businesses, as productivity potentially increases and cost-saving cloud computing applications become a more accessible option. What's more, as fibre broadband becomes available in more areas of the UK and a greater number of households and companies take it up, its cost will inevitably decrease in the future.
