Fiber vs. 5G: The Continued Supremacy of Wired Connections

Hold off on ditching your broadband cable. While 5G home internet has its merits, fiber internet maintains its position as the superior service.

Despite the impressive capabilities of 5G and its impact on the functionality of your new smartphone, it's premature to consider it a replacement for your home Wi-Fi service, especially when fiber-optic internet is an option in your vicinity. While 5G home internet displays significant promise, I hesitate to endorse it as a superior choice over fiber or cable internet at this point.

What's the scoop on fiber versus 5G? How both technologies operate.

Fiber-optic internet transmits data through light signals over long, slender glass cables (fibers), typically delivering it directly to your home on a dedicated line. The service connects to an optical network terminal, essentially the fiber counterpart of a modem, which establishes your internet connection. Subsequently, a router may convert these signals into Wi-Fi, but the entire connection remains fully wired up to your router.

5G, the fifth generation of wireless technology, transmits and receives wireless internet signals across low-, mid-, or high-frequency airwaves, each spectrum band featuring distinct speed and range capabilities. Within your residence, a compact, portable device captures these wireless signals and transforms them into the connection used for activities such as streaming, gaming, and browsing. 

Let’s analyse the various factors around 

Speed

Fiber internet connections are capable of providing users with speeds up to 10 Gbps, however it can provide more speed even up to 100 Gbps with some high-end/specialized devices. While 5G can provide max download speeds of 300 Mbps – 1 Gbps & upload speeds of just 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps. However, the speed of 5G depends on the frequency band used and can vary depending on other practical factors like distance from nearest cellular tower, 5G Network planning by operator, concurrent users latching on respective cellular tower etc. Since 5G is used to serve in masses there are high chances of loading on the tower which results in low practical speed. 

Fiber also has symmetrical speeds, so its uploads are just as fast as downloads. It provides a more consistent and reliable connection. Users who want to stream large amounts of HD video and play online games at high speeds may want to opt for fiber instead.

Range & Coverage

The range of 5G networks is limited due to the high-frequency waves used, while fiber networks can span large distances. This means that users who live in areas where 5G is not available yet may need to opt for a fiber connection.

Cost

The cost of both 5G and fiber internet connections depends on the provider and the service plan chosen. Investment in Fiber is higher as compared to 5G. In competitive markets like India, for Customer point of view there is no installation cost for Customers as operators are subsidising it. In fact, Fiber in terms of subscription cost is cheaper as one connection is being used by multiple users in a family while on the other side to use the 5G connection every member of the family needs to opt for the 5G plan along with investment in individual 5G enabled mobile device. 

Availability

5G networks are still in their early stages of deployment, and only select regions have access to 5G services. Fiber networks are more widely available, but their coverage also varies from region to region.

In the future, both 5G and fiber networks will become more widely available, making them an even better option for users looking to get the best speeds and reliable connections.

Reliability

When it comes to reliability, fiber internet is more reliable than 5G as the cables are protected from interference. 5G networks can be affected by obstacles such as buildings, mountain ranges, or trees, while fiber networks are not affected by such obstacles. 

Response Times

5G networks have slower response times than fiber due to the high-frequency waves used. Fiber networks have faster response times due to their wired nature, making them ideal for applications that require fast response times, such as online gaming.

Security

Both fiber and 5G networks provide secure connections, but fiber internet is generally more secure due to being wired. This means that fiber networks are less vulnerable to hacking and other security threats than 5G networks.

All things considered, recommend fiber

Undoubtedly, the advent of 5G is a boon for our smartphones, but the technology isn't fully prepared to supplant a fiber-to-the-home internet connection. Despite noteworthy pricing and service terms, they fall short of diverting my attention from the current superiority of fiber internet in terms of speed, reliability, and value.

- Mr. Pankaj Nagpal, COO-Fusionnet, enlightens audience with perspectives on future of connectivity