Have you ever thought about the carbon footprint of your internet service? Switching to fiber-optic internet can significantly reduce both your energy bills and your carbon emissions. According to a recent white paper from the Fiber Broadband Association’s (FBA) Sustainability Working Group—on which I’m a volunteer—fiber technology has a much lower life-cycle carbon impact compared to traditional internet solutions.

The FBA study highlights that using fiber-optic technology (specifically XGS-PON) results in lower carbon emissions at every stage of its life cycle:

• 60% lower embodied carbon from the manufacturing of network materials
• 7% less carbon from the installation of fiber networks
• Up to 96% lower carbon emissions during network operation
• 18% less power consumed by equipment in your home or business

In short, altafiber's fiber-optic services are a greener alternative to legacy copper networks. Our analysis shows that it takes an average of 172 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year to serve a subscriber on our legacy copper network, while our fiber-optic network requires only 6 kWh per year—a staggering 97% reduction in power consumption and emissions!

The FBA’s findings are backed by data from a diverse group of industry stakeholders, including altafiber’s own climate action plan (we’re proud to be cited in the study!). In fact, we estimate that operating our legacy copper network accounts for 65% of our carbon emissions, while our fiber-optic network contributes just 8%.

You likely value the high speeds, reliability, and affordability that fiber broadband provides. But transitioning to fiber is more than just a technical upgrade; it’s a critical step toward a sustainable future. By reducing carbon emissions across various stages of deployment and operation, fiber broadband emerges as the environmentally friendly choice for our digital infrastructure. Supporting our community with fiber-optic services is essential for our climate action plan and contributes to regional decarbonization.

What Can You Do?

If you’re not yet a Fioptics customer, now’s the time! And if you’ve been with us for a while, thank you! Consider contacting us to see if fiber service is available for your home or business as you may be served by one of our legacy copper lines. You can enjoy faster, more reliable service while also reducing your carbon footprint.

For a deeper understanding, check out the Fiber Broadband Association’s full white paper, “Fiber Broadband Deployment is Paramount to Achieving a Zero Carbon Footprint.” It details the significant environmental advantages of fiber broadband networks over traditional hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) networks.

Click this link if you are interested in learning more about altafiber’s sustainability efforts!