Fiber Optics Installation Vs. Fixed Wireless: Which Suits Small Business Better?

There is a decade-long debate between fiber optic installation and fixed wireless. Recently, fiber optics has been set at the center of the network buildout plans. The US government also provided good funding to expand the use of fiber optics, especially for small businesses.

However, “Is fiber internet good for business?” needs further analysis. Fiber optics are well known for their reliability and high-speed capabilities. But small businesses do have limited resources. Investing a considerable amount in fiber optics may leave small businesses unreserved. This blog will try to demystify the myth about whether fiber optic cables are a good investment over fixed wireless for small businesses.

Analyzing The Myth

Fiber optics installation has become a staple for many small businesses. However, fixed wireless Internet has also emerged as a viable choice for some small business owners. With proper design and implementation, fixed wireless can deliver consistent performance, high bandwidth, less proneness to interference, a lower cost of deployment, and a faster time to market.

Fiber optics and their superiority can be a pushed myth in the market. Despite their capabilities, fiber optics have a higher deployment cost. Small businesses can face a considerable challenge while investing in fiber optics for superior performance.

Fiber Optics Installation Vs. Fixed Wireless Internet

Since inflation, the debate between Fiber optics and fixed wireless networks has gained relevance. Understanding the differences will clear up misconceptions about optical fiber. It will also help to understand where fixed wireless internet can fit in for small businesses.

Time To Market Or Installation Time

Fiber optics installation is a long-term project. It takes a long time to set up, and it is a valuable time lost for small businesses. However, wireless links can be installed and made ready for operations within a matter of days.

Fiber optics requires considerable planning, permitting, and digging over a proposed building. Especially small businesses operating through buildings without fiber installation can have to wait long for installation. It is a time-consuming venture.

Internet Speed

For small businesses, the speed provided by fixed wireless internet is sufficient. Small businesses require an internet speed of around 10 Mbps to 500 Mbps, depending on their operations and number of employees. In the case of small clinics, a speed of up to 1 Gbps is sufficient for fulfilling the data requirement. Fixed wireless technology provides point-to-point configuration and can fulfill the speed requirement while enabling commendable dependability.

Pricing

The fiber-optic installation comes with a heavy investment challenge. The infrastructure of fiber optics requires robustness and reliability and requires considerable financial investment. It has a high CAPEX, capital expenditure, and ROI period. Along with time, the price can soar.

Fixed wireless technology pricing suits small businesses perfectly when it comes to pricing. The cost of fiber, which is around USD 1000 to $1200 per connection, as per the globalquestinc, is uneconomical for most small businesses.

Deployment

Fixed wireless technology has a higher popularity than optical fiber, thanks to its lower cost. Laying fiber is an expensive endeavor with additional labor costs. Fixed wireless technology, on the other hand, relies on antenna networks and radio signals to deliver high-speed internet directly to the user.

It is hard for small businesses to justify the high cost of laying fiber cables. In comparison, wireless technology is faster and cheaper in terms of deployment. It is more feasible when delivering high-speed internet to SMBs.

Resilience

Modern fixed wireless systems have been developed to deal with weather-related challenges and incorporate advanced technologies for improving performance and reliability. A well-engineered fixed wireless network can challenge the fiber in terms of reliability, which provides near-perfect dependability.

Though fibers are known for their reliability, they are not immune to disruptions. Fiber optic installation can face cuts due to natural calamities, construction issues, or rodents eating away at the cables. Wireless technology, being wireless, can withstand most of these challenges.

Complementary Technologies

Establishing a reliable network connection by ISPs is driven by two options, i.e., fixed wireless technology and fiber. Fiber provides speed and reliability, and a fixed wireless solution provides flexibility and affordability. However, these two technologies do not have to be mutually exclusive.

Fixed wireless provides an advantage to any fiber ISP through affordable network redundancy. Supplementary wireless systems can create a backup for the entire fiber network. If a fiber connection is compromised, traffic can be rerouted to the wireless network.

Hybrid Approach

Hybrid networks have an advantage in comparison to redundancy. The adoption of a hybrid network can perfectly blend the best aspects of fiber and wireless technologies. SMBs can make use of both fiber optic installation and wireless while developing the infrastructure. It will enable SMBs to enjoy high-speed internet without the need to extend wait times for fiber deployment.

The hybrid network can assist ISPs in expanding their services in areas where fiber optic installation is expensive due to geographical or demographic factors. SMBs will then be able to enjoy the benefits of high-speed internet without having to go over budget.

Summary

The demand for high-speed internet for SMBs will not be slowing down. SMBS needs to fulfill its data requirements without compromising the budget. Wireless solutions do have various advantages over fiber-optic installation. The strength of wireless technology can enable SMBs to access fast internet without having to pay a high price for fiber optics or wait for a considerable amount of time. Considering rising inflation, the debate between fiber optics and fixed wireless networks has gained relevance. SMBs will have to maintain their budget and maintain the data speed requirement.

Expert engineers are required to install fiber optics or wireless networks. Cabling in DFW is providing the experts for SMBs to provide a range of services ranging from installation to maintenance. We are aiming to provide sustainable cabling solutions for our clients. Visit cablingindfw.com and book your free cabling consultation.