Pendello Blog The Modern-Day Hare vs Tortoise Fable

Cable vs. Fiber InternetWe all know the ancient fable of the Hare vs the Tortoise but in today's ever-moving environment, the modern-day story's lesson may have changed. Slow and steady in today's fast-paced work environment doesn't always win the race. The Hare's speed and agility in most circumstances can benefit your business unless you live somewhere that the Hare does not yet exist. Maybe it is a location where carrots aren't readily available but hopefully, if you're lucky, a mass development of carrots will be moving into your neighborhood soon as fast and cheap is definitely the new slow and pricey!! To understand this convoluted introduction, let's dive a bit deeper into what the Hare and the Tortoise represent: Cable Internet and Fiber Internet.Cable Internet versus Fiber Internet; to understand the differences, we first need to understand how each work individually. Since we all have had our fair share of exposure to cable internet, let's take a look at what it is and how it works.The process of cable internet is electronically sending data through coaxial (coax) cable. It is the exact same process that our cable television is sent to our homes. In fact, if you have your cable television bundled with your internet, it most likely is being sent the exact same way over the exact same coax cable. These cables consist of a copper core, a dielectric insulator, a metallic shield and a plastic protective jacket. This type of data delivery typically maintains a strong enough bandwidth to carry both internet connection and television access at the exact same time.Fiber Internet, on the other hand, is transmitted by light instead of through electricity and is sent within a fiber optic cable. Fiber optic cables can be made differently but the most basic method consists of a highly refractive core made of either glass or plastic, a middle cylinder that is less refractive which is typically called cladding and a protective outer jacket which typically will be a traditional PVC pipe. The data is held within the light and is then transmitted continuously through the glass or plastic fibers.Now that we know how the two options transmit data, which option is the Hare and which option is the tortoise? When it comes to speed, AKA the Hare, Fiber Internet takes the cake. Fiber can offer speeds of 1Gbit/second whereas cable AKA the Tortoise, offers 200 Mbit/second and considering 1 Gbit = 1000 Mbit, this contest is a landslide! Additionally, fiber is not going to be affected by power outages or as susceptible to interference from lightning or power lines, so the overall consistency of effectiveness will always win. Cable internet, on the other hand, is the winner in availability. Fiber is growing by the day, but it will take a great deal of time before it catches up with the overall availability of cable.So, unless you have the patience of a true saint or Fiber internet is not yet available in your area, I'd go with the speed of a Hare and jump on board with Fiber. You know, fiber is not just for your diet these days it will also help you accomplish more at home and at the office. If you desire more information on how your office can get speeds that can compare with Usain Bolt, contact the business technology associates at Pendello Solutions. They know speed like Oprahknows a good give away! So, get on the fast track today and contact our experts today!