Everyone talks about it, but few people know what it really is. Optical fibre is a strand of glass that carries your data in the form of light. Here is how it works, and what it changes for your connection.
A strand of glass, as thin as a hair
An optical fibre is a flexible strand of very pure glass, about as thick as a hair. To make it, a cylinder of silica glass is heated to nearly 2,000 °C, then drawn into a strand whose diameter is continuously checked by laser, so that it is perfectly even from one end to the other.
The strand is then coated with a protective resin, hardened with ultraviolet light, which protects it from moisture and impacts. Finally, several fibres are grouped in a cable, surrounded by sheaths and by reinforcing fibres that are highly resistant to pulling.
Data that travels in the form of light
At one end, a transmitter turns the electrical signal into pulses of light. The light stays trapped in the core of the fibre: it reflects off the walls as it would off a mirror, and so travels for kilometres while losing very little intensity. At the other end, a receiver turns the light back into an electrical signal.
Why it is so fast
- Huge capacity. A single fibre carries far more data than a copper wire.
- Little loss. The signal stays clear over long distances.
- No electrical interference. Light is not disturbed by electrical devices nearby.
Hybrid fibre: fibre as far as your neighbourhood
The modern cable network is a hybrid fibre network: optical fibre runs as far as your neighbourhood, then coaxial cable takes over to your home. You get the speed of fibre with no work needed in your home.
It is on this network that Club Internet offers its Internet plans, from 6 to 450 Mbps, all with unlimited data, starting at $34.95 per month.
What it changes for you
- Series in 4K on several screens at once.
- Clear video calls, with no frozen picture.
- 50 GB game updates downloaded in a few minutes.
- A smart home (cameras, voice assistants, thermostats) that doesn't slow anyone down.
Is it available at your address?
Check in one minute which speeds are available at your home, or call us at 1 833 541-2582 (toll-free).