Fiber Optics Vs. DSL? What An Imba!

I have seen it from somewhere. Old titans replaced with newer, flashier demigods. Kodak booted from the picture with Canon’s EOS 300D camera release. And now, we have Fiber Optics vs. DSL? That is saying literally glass versus copper. Isn’t everything obvious yet?

Nevertheless, since comparison should be subjected to a bit of explanation, we’re going to do just that.

Let’s Talk about Fiber Optics vs. DSL –in Detail.

DSL, acronym for Digital Subscriber Line, is an internet access technology employing the telephone line. And copper is the main medium for this access. That makes miles and miles of copper telephone lines that transmit data back and forth. Yes, there had been talks about computers using silver as a better conductor circuit but, hey, saying that a silver telephone line should also be better isn’t really feasible, isn’t it?

That leaves us with the copper medium. Technically, copper telephone lines can grow into a considerable medium, considering how Broadband, HDSL, ADSL and SDSL technologies have surfaced from DSL recently. And the average 128 kilobit per second to 24,000 kilobits per second achievable by DSL is already withstanding. However, comparing it to fiber optics capability is simply outrageous.

Copper can transmit data by electrical pulses and fiber optics can transmit data as light, enough said. The comparisons are clear: copper although speedy, light is speedier –way speedier than electrical impulses can ever be. There is also the considerable factor of attenuation. Fiber optics can easily handled attenuation (at longer and vaster distance) than copper, as evident in how ADSL (or most DSL) technology runs. ASDL speed, mind you, isn’t slow. A conventional ASDL downstream is log at 512 kilobits per second, a speed that can rival a conventional fiber optic cable access from Comcast. But what does Comcast do better is topographical, owning it to the fiber optics cable pipes being laid underwater across oceans connecting major lands like Europe, US, China and Oceania. And that is defining distance. It is possible that copper telephone wires can do the same, but for every few miles, a repeater should be installed. And we have the speed of light for comparison. Copper telephone lines are expectedly left behind.

Choosing Fiber Optics vs. DSL

So now that leaves you whether to choose DSL or fiber optics cable. The reason today (depends on the present markets conditions actually) would make DSL better, because there aren’t enough fiber cables laid on the ground yet. Fiber optics cable seems viable only if there is an ongoing market in your vicinity, otherwise choose DSL. But in a matter of a decade, let us be checking which should dominate. I say Fiber Optics.