What Is Fiber Internet? Everything I Learned After My First Months Writing for CNET

Fiber internet has steadily become one of the most popular internet connection types among customers nationwide. It’s no secret as to why: Fiber internet is the fastest internet connection type, by far.

If you’ve ever struggled with speeds from cable, 5G, satellite or (God forbid) DSL internet, you’ve probably considered switching internet providers for a faster, more cost-efficient one. So should you switch to fiber?

The answer is complicated and depends primarily on what internet providers are in your area. Fast speeds and customer satisfaction alone don’t automatically make fiber the best option for every household. Prices, availability, fees and other details all determine fiber’s efficiency for your broadband needs and budget.

Plus, most households don’t exceed an average of 600 megabits per second in download speeds, according to the latest data from OpenVault. So while you could be due for a speed tier update, especially if you have remote workers or gamers in the house, you may not need the 5,000Mbps speeds offered by some fiber providers.

Still, fiber internet is pretty marvelous. A fiber-optic internet connection relies on the speed of light to transmit data, making it incredibly efficient and able to deliver symmetrical download and upload speeds — a luxury other internet connection types have yet to offer.

We’re still getting acquainted with all the possibilities of the technology, but it has already had a tremendous impact on the way we communicate and use the internet. 

Fiber internet is a connection that you’ll find CNET recommending again and again, provided it’s available to you and at a competitive price. Have doubts or questions about fiber? Let’s explore what makes this internet connection so popular.

What is fiber internet exactly?

Fiber internet gets its name from the fiber cables it relies on to get you online. The cables are made up of thin, long strands of glass or plastic encased in layers of cladding and coating that transmit data through light signals across long distances.

Technically, the speed of light used to transmit this data is reduced by 30% because of the refraction that occurs within the cables, but the speeds are still very fast. All that may seem baffling, and it was to me too, but fiber cables have long been used to get us online.

You’re reading this right now because of the lightning-fast fiber cables under the ocean, powering your home internet connection — whether it’s fiber or not.

What does all that mean for you? The speeds with which fiber-optic cables can relay data means you can get symmetrical download and upload speeds on any speed tier, even up to a 50-gigabit (or 50,000Mbps) plan. Compared to the upload speeds of most cable internet providers, which usually range between 20 to 50Mbps, that’s a vast improvement. 

You should also know that fiber cables are very expensive, as is the installation process for a fiber network. Laying down fiber-optic cables requires extensive planning and funding. That means it may be difficult for some providers to extend a fiber network to your neighborhood, especially if you’re in a rural area or just outside a big city. 

How does fiber internet get installed?

Because fiber internet requires an existing infrastructure or fiber network to work, the speeds you get depend on which fiber internet provider has already been active in your area. Occasionally, fiber providers will share each other’s networks to mitigate costs. 

There are a few different ways an internet provider will connect a fiber network to your home, depending on the existing infrastructure. Note that the only true fiber internet connection is a direct one or a Fiber to the Home connection.

• Fiber to the Home: Fiber-optic cables run directly from the network to your house. This is the fastest option.
• Fiber to the Curb:  If your household can’t be wired for fiber directly, the fiber cables connect with a coaxial cable from a utility pole or cabinet, which will inevitably slow the connection down but is still plenty fast.
• Fiber to the Neighborhood: This fiber internet connection, also known as Fiber to the Node, runs from a connection hub or node utility pole. Your house is then connected to the network through coaxial cables, meaning it travels the furthest of the three options and is the slowest connection type of the three.

Despite what direct fiber connection may be available to you, fiber internet is installed using a small utility box or an optical network terminal that a technician installs either inside or outside your home. The ONT is wired to the fiber network and converts light signals into electric signals, giving you the fastest internet connection on the block.

Most big fiber internet providers waive your installation fee, as is the case with AT&T Fiber, Quantum Fiber, Ziply Fiber, Kinetic and Verizon Fios if you opt for the 1Gbps plan.

Is fiber internet the best internet connection?

There’s plenty to consider before calling fiber “the best” internet connection type. Let’s discuss availability, pricing and customer satisfaction to see how fiber internet measures up.

How available is fiber internet?

Fiber is definitely the fastest, but it’s also the most limited internet connection type in terms of availability. 

According to the Federal Communications Commission, less than half of the population is wired for a fiber internet connection. Compared to cable internet availability, which covers 82% of the population, fiber providers have some catching up to do.

Do fiber internet providers offer competitive pricing?

The costs of fiber internet also determine whether it’s a good option for your home. There’s no doubt that fiber internet has higher starting prices than cable, with many starting prices averaging around $50 per month. There are a few cheap fiber internet providers, like Frontier Fiber and Ziply Fiber, which start at $30 for 200Mbps and $20 for 100Mbps a month, respectively. 

If you look at the cost per Mbps, fiber is often the most cost-efficient internet connection type, despite the higher average price tags. Prices also don’t typically increase year after year as they do for some cable providers. For example, Spectrum and AT&T Fiber both offer 1,000Mbps for $70 a month and $80 a month, respectively. In this case, Spectrum offers a better deal, at least in terms of introductory pricing. After yearly price increases, that $70 will jump to around $100 monthly in a year or two, averaging 10 cents per Mbps. AT&T Fiber won’t do that. Your price will stay at $80 a month or a cost per Mbps of 8 cents. note that AT&T Fiber offers 1,000Mbps upload speeds, lower latency and more overall reliability than Spectrum’s 35Mbps upload speed for that tier.

Google Fiber, a more expensive fiber provider, starts at $70 a month for 1,000Mbps and only goes up from there; but the cost per Mbps reveals you’re getting pretty good value for the offered speeds. Paying $125 a month for 5,000Mbps may seem like a lot, but that price comes down to around 3 cents per Mbps. 

Again, consider first how much internet speed you actually need, so you can make the best use of your dollar. Not all of us require 5,000Mbps, but for those who work at home, are avid gamers and have multiple busy internet users in the house, a multi-gig internet connection may be the way to go. 

How does customer satisfaction compare to other internet types?

Fiber internet has the best customer service track record when compared to other internet service types. The American Customer Satisfaction Index points to positive trends for fiber internet providers in the past few years. AT&T Fiber scored at the top of the ACSI’s 2024 satisfaction benchmark with a score of 80, while the lowest score came from Optimum Fiber at 66. For context, the scores for non-fiber internet providers (DSL, fixed wireless and cable) ranged from a low of 56 to a high of 76, held by T-Mobile Home Internet. 

Data from J.D. Power, another customer satisfaction surveyor, notes that customers were happier with wireless internet overall during 2023, although they may not have separated the fixed wireless offerings from the fiber offerings from one provider. For example, Verizon offers 5G home internet as well as fiber through Verizon Fios, although there are no separate categories in the data. Either way, AT&T, Frontier Fiber, Verizon and Google Fiber scored at the top of all regional surveys.

What internet providers offer fiber?

There are upwards of 1,400 fiber internet providers in the country, according to the latest report from the FCC. Most of those providers are local. Only around seven providers serve more than 1% to 2% of the population, with Verizon Fios and AT&T Fiber covering the most ground with 9% and 12% coverage, respectively.

Bottom line: Is fiber internet worth it?

The answer to this question will depend on several factors, but perhaps most important is whether fiber is available in your area, but in my opinion, if you can get fiber, it’s absolutely worth it.

You may not need multi-gigabit tiers for over $100 a month, but even the lower tiers of 300Mbps download/300Mbps upload outpace the speeds offered by cable, fixed wireless providers and especially DSL. Plus, fiber usually features unlimited data as well as no contracts, monthly equipment fees or installation costs, although this varies by provider.

Despite its reliability and appeal, fiber internet isn’t the only solution to our broadband needs. Working out the expansion of fiber networks and improving the affordability of multi-gig tiers are essential to making fiber internet more accessible. While we wait for those improvements, you’d be hard-pressed to find an internet connection that’s as lightning-fast as the speeds you get from fiber.

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