Many people have asked about the difference between fiber optic internet and the 5G network since their launch. We all need to have access to fast internet since things are changing quickly in this world and because people rely more and more on it. You may be wondering how 5G differs from fiber optic. Here this article gives the information about the difference between 5G and Fiber to better understand about this topic.
5G(Fifth Generation) is wireless technology expected to offer customers download rates that can reach 10 times the speed of fourth generation(4G) technology. 5G networks provide users higher upload and download speeds by combining several technologies, such as beamforming, huge MIMO antenna arrays and millimeter waves. While 5G is currently only available in a few places and is still in the early stages of implementation, it should soon be available everywhere.
Pros of 5G
- 5G network can offer up to 10 times faster speeds compared to 4G networks.
- 5G network can support more devices simultaneously compared to previous generations of wireless technology.
- 5G network offer lower latency.
Cons of 5G
- 5G technology is more expensive compared to other broadband technology.
- It is few areas have access it.
What is Fiber?
Many businesses have adopted fiber optic as their internet communication method. Though it is offered via the use of a copper wire connection. Fiber optic internet operates on a somewhat different concept. It is one of the most popular option because the connection primarily uses light, rather than power to transmit data.
Pros of Fiber
- It is symmetrical speeds
- Lots of plan and price options.
- It is long lasting.
- It is greater bandwidth.
- It is cheap to replace.
- Less interference.
- It is multi gigabit speeds.
Cons of Fiber
- It is expensive to install.
- It is limited nationwide availability.
- It is not available everywhere.
- It may slow down during high traffic periods.
- It is not as fast at transferring data as 5G.
5G Vs Fiber | Difference between 5G and Fiber
1. Technology
5G is the 5th generation of mobile wireless system, which use radio wave for sending and receiving data. But the Fiber uses light to transmit data through fiber optic cables.
2. Speed
5G can reach up to the scale of 20 Gbps Downlink, and 10 Gbps uplink. Fiber optic can reach up to 1 petabit per second. However the practical speed up to 100 Gbps. So the fiber download speed are quicker than 5G download speeds.
3. Cost
5G is lot of cheaper to install and roll out, but the operational cost of 5G is significantly higher than fiber optic.
4. Distance
5G reach up to few 100 meters, On the other hand, Signal over Fiber can travel up to 70 Km without losing signals. Where's the cost of the end user is also considerably lower than fiber.
5. Security
Fiber internet is generally more secure due to being wired. 5G network utilize end to end encryption. This makes 5G the more secure choice.
6. Response Time
5G is slower than fiber optics whereas Fiber is faster than 5G.
7. Latency
5G has a latency of around four milliseconds, Whereas the fiber figure of one millisecond.
8. Set up
5G is wireless, it is simple and easy to set up. For 5G connection, first you'll need to check whether a 5G connection is available at your address. On the other hand, Fiber optic connection is a lot of more complex, and you'll require a fiber optic cable running from a junction box to the place you want the modem installed in your home.
Conclusion
As you can see, 5G is certainly an advantages for smartphones, the technology isn't yet ready to completely replace fiber to the home internet service. These two technologies share many characteristics but also offer differ in a few ways. The most important is speed. The bandwidth of fiber optic is significantly more than of a 5G network.