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Home » Optical Fiber Cables V/S Copper Cables: Which is better?

Optical Fiber Cables V/S Copper Cables: Which is better?

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The millennial generation must have seen the cables with copper wire, which were very popular back then. But gen Z is more familiar with the fiber optic cables and, more specifically, high definition multimedia interface, i.e., HDMI cable. There is an ongoing debate on which networking system is better; fiber optic or copper cable. Let’s look at some of the points for the same.

  1. Copper cables are made by the single copper electrode, or multiple copper wires are bundled together to form an electrode, whereas optic fibers are either made of glass or plastic. 
  2. Copper cables use electrical signals to transmit data, while optic fibers use a light wave as a medium of data transmission. 
  3. Since light has a speed of 3*108 m/s in the vacuum, which is far more than the electrical signals in the copper tubes, optical fibers can transmit data very fast. 
  4. The maximum frequency range of copper cables is 10Gbit/s, while the frequency limit of optic fibers is 1014 to 1015 Hz. To enhance this feature, companies have launched HDMI 2.1 cable, which has a frequency limit of 48Gbit/s, and this hdmi 2.1 cable supports a higher 

video resolution of up to 10k

  1. Along with the fast data transmission capacity, optical fibers keep the energy conservation laws in mind. Electrical signals are affected by electromagnetic induction (EMI) produced in the environment, which causes energy losses and hence losses in signals. At the same time, EMI can’t affect light waves, and the chances of data loss are significantly less. 
  2. In copper cables, data is transmitted from one point to another in electrical pulses, while an optic fiber works on the principle of total internal reflection. The light is incident light falls on the core of the optical fiber and then reflects into the same medium and the phenomenon continues in the same way. 
  3. Optical Fibers are light, easy to handle, small in diameter, and have great flexibility. They can be drawn into any shape, can be fitted into minimal spaces, and their popularity is increasing daily because of the mentioned properties. On the other hand, copper cables are stiff and less flexible. The copper cables are less likely to break while optic fibers are categorized under fragile. 
  4. Optic fibers can withstand any weather conditions; heat, cold, or rain. The traditional cabling starts to corrode with time, which brings down its life expectancy, and eventually, it creates a disturbance in receiving and transmitting signals.
  5. The new age optic fibers are built with the most incredible and advanced technology and are slightly expensive compared to the old age copper cables. Still, the convenience provides by the optical fibers can’t be matched by copper cables. The life expectancy of optical fibers is 5 years to 50 years. 

Conclusion:

Optical fibers have become a majority of the customer’s choices because of the abundance of valuable properties. With the increase in demand, companies are launching the more advanced version of fiber optics for the betterment of the consumers. 

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