Future-Proofing Carrier Networks with Fiber Optics

Across the U.S. and abroad, carrier networks form the basis of our contemporary communications fabric. On a national scale, dense deployments of cell sites across the network edge and complex core backbones allow businesses and communities to share communications across voice, data and video, playing a central role in our daily lives.

Serving as the functional fundamentals for our various use cases and applications, carrier networks must also evolve to suit the requirements of new technologies, strategies and needs. We’ve seen them adjust for an era of 5G, we’ve seen them expand and enrich coverage to cater to low-latency AI applications; it’s clear they represent a steady continuum that reflects the changes and innovations we’re all experiencing.

Yet, despite change being the only constant, any new application, use case or service depends on carrier networks remaining reliable, secure and viable for mission-critical uses. For these demands, it’s clear that fiber optics are the carrier network’s greatest ally.

 

Communications Changes and Carrier Networks: What’s New?

 

Carrier networks are without a doubt one of the heroes of our collective communications story. However, to keep pace with the changing and intensifying needs of business and residential end users, the narrative must continue to evolve. As a result, carrier networks can often be seen as a barometer for change across the entire communications ecosystem — they are often first to reflect new requirements. This also means carriers shoulder a huge responsibility for enabling new capabilities at scale, changing and growing to suit applications including:

 

• Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB): 5G networks provide significantly faster speeds and higher capacity, enabling applications like high-definition video streaming, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR).
• Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC): This supports mission-critical applications that require ultra-low latency and high reliability, such as autonomous vehicles and industrial automation.
• Massive Machine-Type Communications (mMTC): Communications and connectivity of this sort are built to empower a large number of IoT devices, smart cities, smart agriculture and industrial IoT (IIoT) applications.
• Low-Latency Processing and Local Data Storage: Edge computing strategies access and process data closer to the end user to support better entertainment experiences and real-time intelligent analytics for businesses.
• Private Enterprise and Campus Networks: Specific and critical security, performance, customization and speed requirements are becoming increasingly important across financial, medical, industrial and educational use cases.

Of course, this is a short sample of the nearly limitless possibilities and applications that carrier networks support — but the overarching theme is clear. If carrier networks are to serve these needs well, they need their own infrastructure to be at its very best at all times.

Here, when reliability, speed and other mission-critical assets matter most, fiber optics are built to deliver. With this in mind, today’s and tomorrow’s carrier networks must be built on a foundation of fiber even as they evolve and expand.

 

What Fiber Has to Offer Carrier Networks

 

When compared to copper or coaxial cable deployments, fiber optics offer numerous benefits for mission-critical carrier networks, making them a critical component of modern telecommunications infrastructure. Here are the key advantages:

 

Bandwidth

 

Fiber optics are equipped to provide extremely high data transmission rates with gigabit and terabit speeds, making them a critical part of supporting the most advanced and low-latency, data-dense applications. Streaming services, AI instances and more depend on high levels of capacity, and with fiber, no one has to worry about the network pipes becoming clogged.

 

Distance

 

For long-distance transmission and coverage, fiber optics deliver low attenuation and minimal signal loss even over long distances. This eliminates added signal-boosting repeaters and other infrastructural components, making connectivity more powerful — and simpler.

 

Speed

 

Using light rather than electrical signals, fiber optics offer very low latency, which is essential for real-time applications such as video conferencing, online gaming and financial transactions. With quicker data delivery and better performance, fiber optics deliver the necessities that all futuristic applications demand.

 

Reliability and Security

 

Fiber optics deliver high levels of signal integrity, remaining less susceptible to electromagnetic or radio frequency interference, which can sometimes affect copper cables. The result is a more stable, reliable transmission — which is key for many business-critical and end-user use cases. Furthermore, fiber optics are harder to tap into without detection, making them a safer alternative for security-focused and sensitive applications.

 

Future Proofing and Durability

 

Fiber networks can be upgraded to support higher bandwidths by simply upgrading the equipment at either end of the fiber link. This makes fiber optics a future-proof solution as data demands continue to increase, plus, by being less prone to physical damage and corrosion, fiber optics keep carrier networks prepared.

 

Efficiency

 

Fiber optics also reduce power consumption for carrier networks, helping them align with growing calls for efficiency. Fiber optic networks typically require less power for data transmission compared to copper-based systems, leading to more energy-efficient operations.

So, when it comes to support for modern applications, fiber optics tick all the boxes. The only thing that remains for carrier networks is selecting the best network partner — and there we can say that the top consideration should be accessibility and support. After all, carrier networks have enough to worry about, making sure fiber optic deployments are optimized, on schedule and delivering the best results shouldn’t be added to the list.

At Glo Fiber Business, we have extensive experience empowering carrier networks with our expansive, state-of-the-art 100% fiber optic network. Not only does our footprint span more than 15,400 miles across Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana, it also comes backed by local, highly accessible support. When you need our team, we’re always available — and in a fast-moving communications environment, that matters for carrier networks looking to stay ahead of the curve.

Interested in learning more about our carrier network expertise? View our solutions or request a quote here.