A good school district, a finished basement, a smart thermostat, no reported hauntings, and a covered garage—all added bonuses with the potential to boost a home’s property value (“no hauntings” might be a stretch). What about access to fiber internet? According to a study published by the Fiber to the Home (FTTH) Council Americas, a home’s access to fiber internet may increase the property’s value by up to 3.1 percent—similar to the addition of a new fireplace or half bath.

Okay…so…what is fiber internet, and why should you care as a current homeowner or homeowner-to-be? In this blog, we define fiber technology as it relates to copper cables and discuss the potential benefits of fiber internet on both the individual and community level.

Understanding Fiber Technology

When it comes to transferring internet data to your home, the network cables that you may be familiar with are most likely metallic, copper cables. Although we owe a lot to advances in copper technology opening the door to high-speed broadband internet, fiber optics has emerged as the next evolution in fast, reliable internet due to it's ability to grow with the increasing consumer demand for internet bandwidth.

Rather than using electricity to transmit data over metal cables, fiber technology utilizes a different kind of cable—made up of thin strands of flexible glass or plastic fibers (each smaller than the width of a human hair)—to transmit data modulated onto light waves. That means that fiber data is literally traveling at the speed of light. The cherry on top? Fiber-optic cable has approximately 10,000 times the bandwidth of a traditional copper cable. This creates a seemingly limitless cap for future available Wi-Fi speeds (think 100,000 Gbps and beyond), to help consumers, schools and businesses keep up with the increasing bandwidth demand of the Cloud and connected devices (e.g. Cloud-based gaming, 4k video streaming, virtual reality and more). Other advantages include faster upload speeds, increased resistance to electromagnetic interference, and improved data transfer over long distances.

That’s why altafiber invested over a billion dollars in Fioptics over the past decade, and why we are committed to investing a billion more in the years to come—providing customers with an unparalleled experience of speed and helping Cincinnati become one of the first cities in the United States to adopt an all-fiber network.

The Value of Fiber Technology: At Home

Fiber-optics Internet is future proof, which can be a huge plus in your search for the right home. Think of it this way…after taking a tour through a few different houses, you finally come across the perfect house that just so happens to have a brand new roof, new windows and a new HVAC system. Immediately, this house stands out as a top option. Why? Because each of these investments contributes to a long-term peace of mind. And, while each of these items does increase property value, the increase in a homeowner(s) quality of life (and sanity) is priceless.

A home’s access to fiber internet functions in a similar way—yet, in this case, you are getting digital longevity versus physical longevity. In seeking fiber-ready houses or making the switch to fiber in your current home, you are guaranteeing that your home will withstand multiple decades of technology advancements; shifts in a larger acceptance of remote careers and education; expansions in telehealth; and more.

The Value of Fiber Technology: In a Community

In addition to the consumer benefits of fiber internet, access to fiber internet on a community level can contribute to a variety of positive outcomes on a much broader scale. For example, in a case study documenting the effects of a citywide fiber-optic / “smart grid” infrastructure installed in Chattanooga, Tennessee, researchers noted several significant outcomes over the course of 10 years, including…

• Job creation—over 9,500 jobs were either created or saved during this study (accounting for 40% of all jobs in Hamilton County, Tennessee)
• Reduced power outage times—speedy diagnoses (thanks to automated readings) and the ability for remote solutions (achieving a 43 percent reduction in outage minutes on average)
• Decreased environmental damage—the city’s smart grid facilities resulted in a reduction of energy usage, contributing to a reduction in air pollution and carbon emissions
• Improved education opportunities—Utilizing the city’s smart grid, programs were put in place to support low-income families by providing them access to fiber internet

Since 2018, altafiber has been working with local governments and municipalities to bring similar outcomes to the communities we serve through our UniCity program. UniCity combines community development expertise and technology to problem-solve through smart—and oftentimes automated—solutions.

To date, our UniCity program has partnered with several cities throughout the region, including Covington, Fairborn, Wyoming, and parts of Dayton, to bring public Wi-Fi and smart city solutions to their communities. These efforts, along with our “Connect our Students” program, are working to close the digital divide here at home by making fast, reliable connectivity even more accessible.

Fiber is the Future

With fiber connectivity, everybody wins—from the consumer, to the community. Whether you are searching for the perfect fiber-ready home or looking to upgrade your internet, altafiber’s Fiber Network has you covered with fiber internet speeds available up to 2 Gig. Click the link below to learn more about altafiber Fioptics Internet and see if your address is qualified.