If you regularly read this blog, The GVEC Review or visit gvec.net, gvec.org or GVEC’s social media, you’ve probably seen our description of GVEC Fiber Internet service as “Fiber to the Home.” To some, this phrase may sound obvious—Fiber subscribers, of course, receive internet service “to the home.” And some may be wondering, What is GVEC Fiber to the Home?
Fiber to the Home is much more than a catchphrase that states the obvious. When we use these words, we’re referring to the building blocks of GVEC’s network—the raw materials and components that deliver internet service into every GVEC Fiber home (and business).
What Makes Fiber Internet Special?
Fiber-optic cables are constructed from narrow strands or “fibers” of glass, each a little thicker than a human hair. Glass construction allows fiber cable to transmit data via pulses of light, which is not only the fastest means of data transmission possible, but also the most stable and persistent. Older internet networks are constructed from copper. Compared to glass, copper is bulkier, heavier and much more susceptible to degradation over time. Copper networks transmit data using electrons, which are much slower.
Light speed technology allows fiber to transmit data from transmitter to receiver without slowdown. Copper-based signals, slower from the start, decrease in speed even more and lose coherence as distance increases. Pulses of light also carry a lot more data, and fiber cables are less susceptible to weather and interference from other nearby electrical or radio-based systems. Fiber-based systems also last longer.
Fiber + Leftover Copper = Less Dependable Internet
It’s not unreasonable for internet subscribers to expect a fiber network to be constructed of 100% fiber-optics. Yet, some internet service providers deliver internet over hybrid systems that retain some measure of copper infrastructure leftover from old networks. Why use a copper/fiber configuration? Cost. Profit. Less build time. Hybrid networks use fiber-optic cable for most of the construction, but shift to preexisting copper wire over the final yards
into the home. This can reduce reliability and speed. And of course, the copper in these networks is much more vulnerable to corrosion, degradation over time and interference from other systems.
What is GVEC Fiber to the Home? The Name Says it All
What is GVEC Fiber to the Home? Fiber subscribers get internet over a network built from 100% fiber-optics. From our central hubs to your home, there’s not a jot of copper anywhere. When we say GVEC Fiber to the Home, we mean exactly that—our network is built from the ground up using the fastest, most reliable internet technology in the world.
Deliver Fiber to the Home to Your House
Ready to find out if GVEC Fiber is available to the home that matters most to you and your family? Just call 866.675.9296. A GVEC customer service representative can tell you if Fiber’s offered to your area and/or get you signed up.
