Businesses need to stay connected no matter what. But when it comes to choosing a network, many small businesses don’t know which options are available. And even if they do, most of them are not sure which option is best for them.
For businesses, it’s therefore important to first know there are three routes to choose from when deciding on a network. These are dark fiber, lit fiber and copper telecommunications (also known as cable).
To help small businesses make the right decision, dark fiber provider Arch Fiber Networks has compared the three options. The comparison is based on six parameters: speed, security, scalability, infrastructure, downtimes and costs.
Fiber Networking Options for Your Small Business
Let’s take a closer look at each one of them to see how the three networking options fare.
Speed: Lit Fiber and Dark Fiber Excel
With both lit fiber and dark fiber, you get a speed of 1000 mbps. Cable, on the other hand, gives you 100 mbps, which is shared between customers.
Security: Dark Fiber Most Secure
Unlike cable and lit fiber that provide multiple access points and thereby increase the risk of malicious interference, dark fiber limits the number of access points.
Scalability: Dark Fiber Provides More Options
With cable, you get a bandwidth that’s controlled by third-party service. Lit fiber too comes with bandwidth controlled by a third-party service and offers moderate scalability.
But with dark fiber, you can configure your own lasers and open additional bandwidth.
Infrastructure: Dark Fiber Gives You Control
If you go for cable or lit fiber, you have no control over network. But with dark fiber, you can control the network.
Downtimes: Reduced Downtimes with Dark Fiber
Dark fiber allows you to control maintenance and the network is exposed to less traffic. This means, you experience less downtime.
Costs: Cable Comes for a Lower Cost
By opting for cable, you pay for monthly service costs. That’s less expensive than what you pay for lit fiber. With dark fiber, however, there’s potential for higher initial costs if construction is required to reach locations.
To know which networking option works best for you, take a look at the infographic from Arch Fiber Networks below:
Images: Arch Fiber Networks
This article, “Dark Fiber, Lit Fiber or Copper Cable: Which is Right for Your Small Business? (Infograhic)” was first published on Small Business Trends