• Traditional copper wires use electrical pulses to transmit data from point to point. Fiber optic cables have become a strong alternative to copper wiring because they are more efficient and provide better quality of transmission. Fiber optic wires contain a glass filament and require light pulses to send information.
  
  

Resistant

• One of the largest benefits of fiber optic cable over copper wiring is the high resistance to external forces. Fiber optic cable is essentially immune to electromagnetic interference from strong magnetic forces, and is non-conductive and will not hold an electrical charge. The natural electrical insulation of glass makes fiber optic cable essential for environments where an electrical current could be dangerous.
  
  

Cheaper Over Time

• Although copper wiring costs less per measured distance than fiber optic cable, it requires a lot of additional maintenance and replacement over time. Fiber optic cable lasts longer and provides a better data output for the cost.
  
  

Stronger Signal

• Using light pulses allows fiber optic cables to transmit data at much faster rates than copper wiring. Because light is prone to less degradation over distance, fiber optic cables can be stretched over longer distances before requiring a component to refresh signal strength.
  
  

Benefits vs. Multi-Mode

• Single-mode fiber optic cable allows only one stream of light per cable. Multi-mode is able to handle several light streams per cable. Single-mode cable, because it only processes one stream of light, can stretch over much larger distances than multi-mode. It does not experience the signal degradation stemming from multiple light streams converging as in multi-mode cables. The glass core of single-mode fiber optic cable is much smaller than multi-mode cables and enables data to travel faster.