But with so many service options, speeds, and technical terms, choosing the right internet plan for your home or business can feel overwhelming. Understanding the differences between traditional cable internet and fiber internet is the first step toward making a smart, future-ready choice for your business and your customers.

In this article, we’ll explore what the differences are between different types of internet, what you can expect from each, and tips for selecting the best internet option for you.

What Is Traditional Cable Internet?

Cable and fiber are two of the most common types of broadband internet. They both offer wireless access, but how they transmit and receive information differs. Traditional cable internet uses coaxial cables (like those used for cable television) to transmit data via electrical signals. Inside the coax cable is a copper core coated with aluminum, a copper shield, and a plastic coating. 

Traditional internet cables are usually buried to avoid damage to the cables, but the cables can be accidentally cut, and are more susceptible to extreme temperatures than fiber-optic cables are. 

You can expect decent browsing speeds from traditional cable internet, typically up to 100-500 Mbps, with upload speeds significantly slower than download speeds. One of the biggest drawbacks of traditional cable internet is that you share your bandwidth with your neighbors, meaning the network runs slower if more people are trying to connect.

What Is Fiber Internet?

Fiber internet uses fiber-optic cables made of small, flexible glass strands. Data travels through these cables as light, which enables much faster speeds and efficiency. Light travels faster and more reliably over distances, and carries more data than traditional copper internet cables.

One of the key benefits of fiber-optic internet over cable internet is faster speeds. Fiber can net speeds from 250 Mbps up to 1 Gbps or more, for both uploads and downloads, depending on your plan. For example, it would take you less than 10 seconds to download a two-hour movie with a fiber internet connection, compared to 20 minutes with traditional cable internet download speeds.

Key Differences Between Broadband and Fiber

Fiber internet generally offers higher security, and faster upload and download speeds and better reliability than traditional cable internet or DSL. Because fiber isn’t as sensitive to temperatures, weather, and electromagnetic interference as cable, it means you get more consistent, reliable service

Leading fiber internet providers (like FirstDigital) provide symmetrical speeds, which means download and upload speeds are similar, which is useful for businesses who need to send and receive large files from clients. Symmetrical speeds also make for crisper video calls, efficient remote work, and lag-free streaming.

Which Internet Option Is Best for Your Business?

Fiber internet is becoming more popular, and fiber networks are expanding all the time. FirstDigital, for example, now owns and operates the largest privately owned fiber network in the Intermountain West, with over 2,000 fiber miles. However, availability remains the biggest challenge for many prospective fiber users. 

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) estimates that only about 14% of the U.S. can access fiber-optic speeds of 1,000 Mbps or more. On the other hand, 88% of the United States can access cable internet coverage at speeds of 25 Mbps or more. That means if you live in a rural area, you’re likely to have more cable internet options than fiber.

If you live in an area where fiber is available, and you rely on fast, secure internet access to do the bulk of your business, fiber is likely the superior choice for you. If you live in an area where fiber options are limited, or you don’t need ultrafast upload and download speeds to do your work, a higher tier of cable internet service may suit your needs just fine.

Future-Proof Your Business with Fiber

Even if you think you don’t need the speed and reliability benefits of fiber at this time, fiber is a great choice for future-proofing your business. Every year, American society becomes more and more reliant on high-speed internet and streaming, and businesses will need to adapt to keep up. Even the slightest drop in speeds and reliability can cause you to lose business, so choosing the right connection is critical for your future success and market share.

Ready to upgrade your business internet for unparalleled speeds and 99.999% uptime? Let FirstDigital design your custom fiber network so you can reach your biggest business goals faster.