What makes fiber optics the best choice for the environment?
The longer infrastructure lifespan of fiber cables over copper also lowers the resources used, as fiber does not need to be replaced as often as copper. And as data use grows with the population and technological evolution, fiber networks have the capacity to meet greater demands without the need for additional cable installations. This again results in less natural resources being utilized and a lower environmental impact.
Fiber networks consume only a fraction of the energy that conventional networks do, and energy savings are realized at every stage, in manufacturing, installation and delivery of network services. Reduced energy consumption doesn’t just apply to powering the signal—since fiber networks use less power, they also produce less heat, which means less cooling is required. Reduced energy demand helps to minimize the generation of greenhouse emissions from power plants and lower the impact on electrical grids.
In summary, with fewer natural resource requirements, greater efficiency, minimized energy consumption and durable infrastructure, fiber is the environmentally advantageous choice.
When it comes to minimizing environmental impacts of the world’s communications networks, fiber optics is the winning choice. To start, the glass fiber cables are manufactured using silicon dioxide, the most abundant compound on the Earth’s crust, known to most of us as common sand.
Fewer raw materials are required to support fiber optic networks, as fiber is the most efficient means for transmitting information and carries more data per length of cable than copper. Ultimately, more copper cable, along with the associated environmental impacts, would be required to meet the same capabilities as fiber. And since fiber experiences far less signal loss, or attenuation, than copper, there is less need for energy and equipment for signal amplification.