Openserve recently postponed the switch-off of its DSL and copper-based services from 1 September to 1 December 2020.
“We have taken a decision to announce a conditional extension to this initiative, to allow for as many users as possible to be migrated over to OFC before the DSL services are discontinued,” Openserve said.
“The details provided by Openserve regarding the extension are as follows:
- DSL users in the identified areas now have until 30 November 2020 to be migrated to OFC.
- Assurance incidents (fault requests) for the identified services will only be accepted up to and including 31 October 2020.
- It is therefore expected that faulty DSL services will be migrated to fibre when such faults are reported.
- Any remaining affected DSL services in the OFC footprint will be discontinued on 01 December 2020. Consideration will be given in cases where an OFC has been ordered but not installed yet.
Openserve’s extension means that DSL customers have until December 2020 to prepare themselves for the transition to fibre.
While the delay gives DSL customers some time, it is still worth preparing early to ensure that the transition is seamless.” – Prior, B: My Broadband.
Infraplex is here to assist our existing ADSL customers as well as any consumer currently on an ADSL line and need assistance to migrate over to a fibre connection.
Tom Gerencer, a technical Analyst fo HP discusses the following 10 advantages to having fibre internet.
1. Speed
Fiber optic internet speed is 1 Gbps. That’s 10 to 20 times speedier than the 50 to 100 Mbps cable most of us know now. For a concrete fiber optic vs cable internet speed comparison, see the list below. It shows how long it takes to download a 2-hour movie on fiber optic vs cable internet.
Time to download a 2-hour HD movie:
- Fiber optic internet speed 1 Gbps: 40 seconds
- Cable internet speed 100 Mbps: 7 minutes
- DSL speed 25 Mbps: 30 minutes [3]
- 4G LTE speed 35 Mbps: 25 minutes
- 5G internet speed 10 Gbps: 4 seconds [4]
2. Reliability
We’ve all had it happen. You’re watching The Incredibles with the kids and suddenly Bob Parr’s face gets blocky. He freezes in mid air. Is it a diabolical freeze ray? No, it’s your slow cable internet connection. Your 4-year-old says, “Daddy, why did it stop?”
The truth is that your cable connection should be fast enough to stream video without interruption, but peak traffic overloads the wires. That’s where fiber optic internet vs cable speed differences get obvious. Fiber optics can handle more users and more data at consistently higher speeds.
Another bonus? Fiber optic cable internet doesn’t need energized lines, so it’s not as prone to outages as cable internet. As long as the fiber optic cable stays intact, it can keep delivering your bits and bytes even when the lights are out [5].
3. No throttling
Have you ever noticed the power goes out just when you need it most? On a hot summer Sunday for instance, when you really, really want your air conditioner to work? That’s because those hot days overload our powerlines. Everyone is maxing out their A/C at the same time.
The same thing happens with our cable internet systems. Internet providers use “throttling” to prevent those outages. At peak times, your ISP may lower your cable speed from 100 Mbps to 20 or lower to ration their service. Fiber optic internet speed doesn’t throttle because it’s less susceptible to overload.
4. Same speed for download and upload
“I downloaded this movie in 3 minutes but it took 3 hours to upload.” If you’ve ever said that, you’re not alone. Cable internet has different speeds for download and upload, and upload speeds are a lot slower. That’s based on how people use the internet. Most of us do a lot more downloading than uploading, so internet providers give most of their bandwidth to downloads.
With fiber optic internet speed, that slow upload time goes out the window. Because there’s no worry of overloading the system, fiber optic internet providers can give equal shrift to uploads and downloads alike. That makes it easier to share files and work from home with fiber optic cable internet service.
Image Source: Spectrum.com [6]
5. Higher quality TV
Just bought a 4K TV or thinking about buying one? Sales of Ultra High Definition 4K TVs have reached 108 million so far in 2019 [7]. Those TVs pack four times more pixels into the same real estate, which makes for much crisper pictures. But it also sucks a lot more bandwidth from your internet connection.
With speeds of 100 Mbps or less, cable internet may struggle at times to deliver 4K internet streaming. Fiber optic internet service won’t even bat an eye at it. A fiber optic connection running at even a sub-optimal 500 Mbps should have no trouble streaming high-quality 4K TV and movies.
6. Better gameplay
If you love playing Fortnite or League of Legends, you may already know fiber optic internet speed is the holy grail of gaming connections. It’s not that gaming uses mega bandwidth. In fact, compared to high-quality video streaming, gaming sips a tiny fraction of the data at less than 1 Mbps.
So what’s the problem? Consistency. A tiny hiccup at the wrong moment can get you killed in your game of choice. And there are lots of little hiccups in a cable internet or DSL connection all the time. Thanks to fiber optic internet providers, the smooth and constant flow of data means whenever you twitch your mouse hand, the game obeys [7].
7. Healthier
You may have heard about the race for 5G internet access. Carriers like Verizon and AT&T are hustling to blanket the nation with the new, lightning-fast service. It boasts speeds of 10 Gbps, which is 10 times faster than fiber optic internet speed. So why even bother with fiber optics?
One reason is that fiber optic cable internet may be better for us. The World Health Organization (WHO) says there’s no reason to fear 5G wireless internet signals because they can’t penetrate human skin. But hundreds of scientists and medical professionals recently petitioned the WHO, claiming 5G will boosts the potential for cancer. Fiber optic signals remain trapped in their cables, so they don’t carry those fears [8].
8. Connecting with multiple devices
Gone are the days of the “household computer.” We now have multiple devices in our homes, from laptops to PCs to tablets, phones, smart speakers. As our internet use increases, our need for reliable and fast data transmission does, too.
Fiber optic internet providers ride to the rescue. The steady signal with less signal loss and 10 times more bandwidth means we can connect with multiple tablets, laptops and several phones at once. Even with different people streaming music and video simultaneously, fiber optics can handle the load.
9. Safety
Faster connections from fiber optic cable internet service and 5G aren’t just for fun; they’ll make our world a safer place. The US government laid out the National Broadband Plan in 2010 [9], and it calls for improved public safety through a more robust national network.
As the plan notes, first responders need faster, more reliable internet to get voice, data, and video to help them save lives. Better internet also gives all Americans deeper access to emergency services. It also provides more reliable notification in times of disaster and stronger national security.
10. Telemedicine
No one loves going to the doctor. You miss hours of work while you languish in waiting rooms. You answer the same questions over and over about street address and medication allergies. But can fiber optic internet providers really help with that? Yes, they can.
Telemedicine lets health care professionals evaluate, diagnose, and even treat patients remotely. Much faster fiber optic internet speeds make telemedicine more reliable, thanks to higher resolution video chats. It can help the elderly and those with disabilities live more independently as well.
It is essential for all our customers to feel at ease through the transition from ADSL to fibre internet. Our sales team are well informed on how to get you migrated over. To learn more on our home solutions offering please visit our Home Solutions Page