Fibre internet: what it is and how it works

Light instead of electricity

A traditional connection over a metal cable carries data as an electrical signal. Fibre internet uses a thin strand of glass or plastic through which light passes. A device at one end sends light in rapid flashes and at the other end receives it and converts it back to data, which it passes on to your router. The strand is about as thin as a human hair and protected by layers that hold it together and prevent it from bending too far.

Because light in a strand is not subject to electromagnetic interference the way a signal in copper is, fibre can carry a signal over longer distances and with smaller losses. That is why it is used not only for homes, but also as a backbone connecting cities and providers.

How the signal reaches your flat

The signal's path usually goes like this: from the provider's central node an optical route leads to a district, from there to a cabinet, on to the building and finally to the flat. The last stretch differs by building. Sometimes the strand ends in the flat, other times on the floor or in the cellar, and an ordinary cable continues from there. You often hear abbreviations such as FTTH (fibre to the home) or FTTB (fibre to the building). What matters is that in your case it depends on the building and the provider, and that is what we find out when checking an address.

How fibre differs from cable and phone lines

• Capacity and symmetry. Fibre is usually able to carry data well in both directions, so not only downloading but also uploading is fast, for example for video calls or backups. With other technologies uploading is often much slower.
• Stability. A light signal does not degrade through electrical interference, so the connection usually fluctuates less than on longer metal lines.
• Room for the future. The strand itself often carries more than the provider offers today. Speed is then raised by replacing equipment at the ends, not by a new route.

What speeds to expect

Fibre commonly allows hundreds of Mbit/s up to several Gbit/s, depending on the provider, plan and building. The speed you actually experience is also affected by your router, the wiring in your home and whether you connect over Wi-Fi. Even with the best strand it makes sense to use a network cable for demanding devices.

What you need to have fibre

You need fibre to reach your building, the building to be connected and the provider to be able to bring the strand to you. If the building is not connected yet, it is a process in which the owner decides: in a family house you, in an apartment building the association or cooperative. How such a procedure goes is described in Bringing a fibre cable to your house and Fibre in an apartment building.

Is fibre always the best choice?

If it is available, it is usually the best choice for stability and capacity. But it does not reach everywhere, and sometimes an interim solution makes sense. A comparison with cable and wireless is in Home internet: fibre, cable or wireless.

Find out what you have at your building

Send us the address, we check whether fibre reaches you and, if not, find the best available alternative. The check is free and non-binding and you sign the contract only with the provider.