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Infographic: Fiber vs. Cable: Cutting the Cord is the Fastest Way to Faster Internet

Erin Ellison
ByErin Ellison
Date Published:  August 16th, 2022Date Updated:  October 10, 2022

If you’re like most people, you’re probably wondering how to get faster home internet. Should you upgrade your plan? Switch providers? Maybe, but the answer might actually be changing the type of internet connection you have.

Cable internet used to rule the world of connections. It was the fastest option available and blew DSL connections away. But then fiber internet came along, and now cable feels so yesterday. Fiber internet is the fastest connection on the market. Not only can you get speeds up to 5 Gigs, but it’s got the most reliable signal, the least outages, and the least lag time. So let’s dive into the differences and why you should consider cutting the cord.

Fiber internet is fast becoming the best choice across America. Made from fibers less than 1/10 the thickness of human hair, they carry information through beams of light. And they do it very, very fast. Fiber internet is now available to approximately 43% of U.S. households Fiber speeds are up to 100 times faster than traditional broadband Downloads are up to 20 times faster with a Gigabit fiber connection With fiber, you have a dedicated line; with cable, you share with your neighbors Top three benefits of fiber internet include faster speeds, more reliability, and fewer slowdowns Cable doesn’t have the symmetrical upload and download speeds available with fiber

Fiber really is the future of the internet. Plus, it’s more environmentally friendly because the lines don’t need to be repaired as often. That’s a win for you, the planet, and your wallet. And a dedicated connection means it doesn’t matter if the next-door neighbors are binging the latest season of Stranger Things, too. You won’t be left buffering in suspense.

How fast is fiber internet? Cable internet typically reaches download speeds of 10-500 Mbps. Fiber offers download speeds of 250 to 5,000 Mbps (5 Gigs) Time to download a 2-hour movie, fiber vs. cable edition: 1 Gig Fiber Internet: 40 seconds 100 Mbps Cable Internet: 7 minutes 5 Gig Fiber Internet: 4-6 seconds (Plus, with fiber, you get the same speeds for uploads and downloads so forget lags and latency!)

Back when we were just using the internet to check email and update our mailed Netflix DVD queue, waiting for pages to load wasn’t a big deal. But now, with online health appointments, work meetings, school, and more, you shouldn’t fall behind because you had to wait.

Why choose fiber internet? 48% of people say they want fiber internet because it’s the best internet available 30% said they want it because their friends or family recommended it 22% of people said they prefer fiber’s resistance to slowdowns like you get with cable internet 19% say it’s the only internet type in their area

Kudos to the people who only have fiber internet available – that’s the dream scenario! If you live in a more rural area (or just an internet desert), you’re probably used to satellite internet or even DSL. While fiber might not be coming for a while, we do have some good news: wireless home internet is one of the latest internet options that gives you faster speeds and better reliability than satellite.

And if you haven’t had a family or friend recommend fiber? Well, we consider you a friend – and we’re recommending it right now.

Fiber: Internet at the Speed of Light Fiber internet is currently the fastest, most reliable internet service available. It uses fiber-optic cables to send data faster than standard copper cable — as quickly as the speed of light. Light moves at 186,000 miles per second translating to speeds of up to 1,000 megabits (1 Gig) per second on fiber-optic glass cables. Almost 100 times faster than the current U.S. broadband average of 11.7 megabits per second Up to 10 times faster than cable internet 5 Gig fiber internet is about double the speed of the fastest cable internet

Maybe you’re wondering why you would need to have internet at the speed of light. Even if your current cable plan is doing okay, think about the future of the internet. We’re guessing that you use the internet more today than you did five years ago. And you’re probably doing more data-intensive activities, too, like streaming, gaming, or video calling. Just think how much more you might be doing five years from today!

Fiber internet plans give you room to grow, and space to add more smart devices to your home network without constantly adjusting your internet plan. You can basically set it and forget it.

How do people use fiber internet? 23% have movie nights with family and friends 19% enjoy the uninterrupted video calls 22% use fiber internet to work from home 18% game online with friends 18% use fast fiber internet for online shopping

It’s clear that fiber internet wins out over cable every time. And once you cut the cord, you can enjoy streaming that’s so much faster, we bet you won’t miss cable TV, either. If you’re ready to make the switch, let us help. Shop online to find your fiber internet plan or call one of our Internet Experts today at 8666180264.

Erin Ellison

Erin Ellison

Erin Ellison is the Director of Content Marketing for EarthLink. Her superpower is translating complicated tech jargon and concepts into language we can all understand. Erin has more than 15 years of writing experience for businesses, agencies, and the media. She currently lives and works in Atlanta.

See all posts from Erin Ellison.