When it comes to business internet, the data connections you choose can either create a productive working environment or lead to costly network downtime. If you’re exploring connectivity options for your business, you’ve likely come across fiber and coax as two of the most popular choices for data connections. But how do you know which is the right fit for your business?
In this blog, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of coax vs. fiber – and how an expert technology consultant can help you find the best solution.
Coax vs. Fiber: The Basics
Before we examine their differences, let’s go over what these terms mean.
- Coax - Short for “coaxial,” coax cables are made primarily of copper and transmit data through electricity via the same technology used to run cable TV and phone lines.
- Fiber - Short for “fiber optic,” fiber cables transmit data as light pulses along thin, flexible strands of glass or plastic.
While coax and fiber both connect users to the internet, they differ in terms of features, availability, cost, and more. Key differences include:
Speed
Fiber is the clear frontrunner for speed. Not only do fiber cables support higher bandwidth, but they also offer lower latency and symmetrical upload and download speeds. This makes fiber ideal for businesses that use high-bandwidth tools like video conferencing and cloud-based applications.
Coax cables were originally designed for TV transmission and support limited bandwidth. They also provide asymmetrical speed, with download speeds faster than upload speeds. For many modern businesses, this results in network congestion and slow, laggy internet.
Reliability
Most – but not all – fiber connections are dedicated, whereas coax is a connection shared with other users. Because of this, fiber isn’t as susceptible to outages as coax. Plus, many fiber internet services are backed by a service-level agreement (SLA) detailing a guaranteed level of service quality – such as the expected uptime, latency, and packet delivery – along with what the fiber provider will owe the business if its services fail to meet these specifications.
Coax is more prone to breakage due to environmental factors like temperature, severe weather, and moisture. Fiber doesn’t break as easily, which makes it a more attractive option for businesses frequently impacted by extreme weather conditions.
Availability
Coax cables form the backbone of TV and phone-line infrastructures, making them much more widely available than fiber. In fact, many office buildings already have coax installed and ready to connect to the internet.
Fiber connections are becoming more widely available as providers build out their fiber networks. But if your office building doesn’t already have access to fiber, installing fiber connections can take longer since technicians must run fiber optic cables directly to your business.
Cost
Coax cable is easier to install due to its wide availability, making it a more affordable option overall. In addition to installation, fiber internet typically comes with a higher monthly cost than coax – but the price gap between the two is shrinking.
Performance
Coax and some low-end fiber services are susceptible to oversubscription, which occurs when an internet service provider (ISP) sells more bandwidth than it has available. While oversubscription is a common practice, it can lead to network performance issues during peak usage times. If many users in your shared area are actively using their full bandwidth at once, you may experience slower internet speeds due to the limited available capacity being shared among everyone.
Fiber cables have much higher bandwidth capacity, so they’re less likely to be affected by the poor performance issues associated with oversubscription. And if your fiber provider offers dedicated connections for each subscriber, there’s no risk of oversubscription-related congestion.
Which Is Better for Your Business?
As is often the case with technology, the best option for your business will depend on your company’s connectivity needs.
If you’re supporting a remote or hybrid workforce or using cloud-based applications like VoIP or UCaaS, fiber can provide lower latency, faster speeds, and higher reliability. However, coax still has a lot to offer and might be a better choice for some businesses, especially for companies with a small team where there aren’t many employees connecting to the network simultaneously.
As experienced solution consultants, the setup we typically see our clients have the most success with is a fiber connection with a secondary coax connection. This allows businesses to take advantage of coax's fast download speeds while still having a reliable, fast fiber connection for your low-latency applications.
Find the Right-Fit Connectivity Solution With Expert Guidance
If you’re still not sure about the answer to the coax vs. fiber debate at your business, we’re here to help. At C4 Communications, each of our solution consultants is committed to ensuring you get the technology and support you need to grow your business. Contact us today for expert, trusted guidance to find your right-fit connectivity solution.