Blazing-fast fiber internet speed for your home and business
Quick-how many devices are accessing the internet in your home right now? Be sure to count smart thermostats, TVs, and doorbells, plus computers, game consoles, and phones. The average American home now includes 17 connected devices. Small businesses can easily have double or triple that number.
The amount of data we use for work and daily life can be mind-boggling. We're streaming entertainment, managing our households, creating content, and attending video meetings. As our data needs grow, so does our need for internet service providers that deliver reliable connections at the fastest speeds available. Fiber internet from Quantum Fiber can reach multi-gig internet speeds in some areas, with virtually no lag time, even when tons of devices are connected. And WiFi 7 technology lets you easily connect over 100 devices on a single fiber network.
What is fiber internet, and where is it available?
Fiber internet availability has increased exponentially in recent years. Quantum Fiber is available in over 30 markets across 12 states, providing millions of American homes and businesses access to high-speed fiber internet. But what is fiber vs. broadband internet? While fiber internet is a broadband internet connection, it differs from options like DSL and cable, which use existing telephone and cable lines. A fiber connection relies on fiber-optic cables that deliver ultra-reliable, fast speeds that can hit up to 10 gigabits per second in some areas. Check fiber internet availability from Quantum Fiber by searching your address.
Why is fiber internet so fast?
Fiber internet can deliver symmetrical speeds on most plans, ranging from 100 Mbps to multi-gig. That means both upload and download speeds are equally fast. Latency also has an impact on how fast fiber internet can be. Latency refers to the time it takes for the data you request to travel from the server to your device. With a high latency connection, data travels back and forth and can clog your bandwidth and result in slow loading, lag time, and dropped connections. When multiple devices are added, the slowdown can be significant. Fiber technologies provide a low latency connection, allowing fast transmission of substantial data without traffic jams that can slow your connection down.
What is a good latency speed?
Gamers talk about the competitive need for symmetrical speeds and low latency, which usually means a speed lower than 50 milliseconds (with 20 or less being the most ideal). But gamers aren't the only ones who benefit from low latency. Businesses that work with large files like videos and photographs need a fast connection that won't slow them down throughout the day. Households with multiple devices for streaming, playing games, and creating music or art can also benefit from fiber internet's symmetrical, low latency connection.
Take our quiz to see how much internet speed you need and how fiber internet can upgrade your internet life.
How does fiber internet work?
Fiber-optic cables are the big differentiator between fiber and cable internet, both of which are considered broadband internet connections. Fiber transmits data as light through thin glass or plastic fibers, making for a reliable and fast internet connection. Cable internet uses coaxial cables (the same connection that delivers your home's cable television signal), transmitting data using electrical pulses via copper. Because most households have cable connections, coaxial cable is readily accessible. Fiber-optic networks, on the other hand, are not as established.
But there's good news: fiber networks are expanding nationwide, led by companies like Quantum Fiber. Installing fiber-optic infrastructure requires technical planning and complicated work. Once the larger network is installed, the "last mile" of fiber-optic cables can be laid to connect individual homes and businesses. When fiber internet becomes available, homes and businesses can upgrade to a fast fiber connection.
How can fast fiber internet speeds benefit me?
If you've ever waited hours for a big file to download, you know the frustration of a slow connection. A bandwidth speed check of your current internet connection will tell you how fast or slow your data is moving. Upgrading to fiber internet can be a game changer for many households and small businesses, taking you from laggy and slow connections to smooth, blazing-fast transmissions.
Imagine streaming a high-def movie while uploading a large video file to your work's server, and at the same time, your kid is playing in a high-stakes League of Legends tournament. For people with slow internet connections, this is the stuff of dreams. With fast, fiber internet, that data load is no problem. In some locations, Quantum Fiber has speed plans up to 8 Gbps (gibabits per second) - for both uploads and downloads - with 99.9% reliability based on network uptime or availability.
What can you do with that sort of gig speed? Maybe the better question to ask is what can’t you do.