By: John Shepler

You’ve decided that a fiber optic connection is no longer optional for your business; it’s crucial for productivity. The next step is determining which type of fiber to get. You might be surprised to learn there’s more than one option.

One Strand, Multiple Options

The foundation of all fiber optic connections is the transmission of information through modulated light waves within a glass strand. The fiber cable entering your building will appear the same regardless of the type. The difference lies in how it’s terminated.

Three main fiber options exist: lit fiber service, dark fiber, and wavelength service. The best choice for you hinges on your bandwidth needs, security preferences, and desire for control. Let’s delve into a comparison of the three.

Lit Fiber Bandwidth

Lit fiber bandwidth is generally what comes to mind when discussing fiber optic service. It involves leasing a service with a specific bandwidth allocation, often including guarantees for latency, jitter, packet loss, and availability.

The service provider manages the technical aspects, terminating a fiber strand into customer premises equipment at your location. Your network connects to this equipment via fiber or copper, depending on the bandwidth level.

While early fiber optic setups relied on the SONET system and required specialized interfaces, most modern fiber services utilize Carrier Ethernet. This technology supports a wide range of bandwidths, up to the capacity of your installed port. Gigabit or 10 Gigabit Ethernet are common choices, with options for up to 100 Gbps in major metropolitan areas.

Pricing is based on the speed of service you select. A notable advantage of Carrier Ethernet, or Ethernet over Fiber, is the ease of bandwidth adjustment. You can start with a Gigabit port and subscribe to a 100 Mbps service, upgrading as your needs grow with a simple phone call or online request. This flexibility extends to your monthly bill, which adjusts according to your chosen bandwidth.

Wavelength Fiber Service

Internal fiber optic networks might use a single laser beam for data transmission. However, large-scale network carriers optimize their infrastructure by using multiple fiber strands within a bundle and transmitting multiple wavelengths of light through each strand. This approach maximizes the utilization of costly fiber cabling to manage extensive traffic loads effectively.

This technique of employing multiple lasers, each calibrated to a distinct frequency or wavelength, is known as multiplexing. These simultaneous beams, differentiated by their “colors,” don’t interfere with each other. Visualize a rainbow, though these frequencies are typically in the infrared spectrum. Each wavelength, or lambda, operates like a separate fiber optic strand in a virtual sense, all carried by a single physical strand.

Depending on whether Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing (CWDM) or Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) is used, a single fiber strand can carry dozens or even hundreds of wavelengths. These wavelengths can each support lit fiber optic service or be leased to individual customers.

Opting for a wavelength often aligns with the need for high bandwidth, like 10 Gbps, and the desire for protocol flexibility. You gain the capability to use your preferred protocol or multiple protocols over the same wavelength using your own multiplexing equipment. Generally, you would provide the termination equipment, though leasing it from the service provider might be an option. Security is another advantage of wavelength service, as it isolates your traffic to a specific wavelength, preventing data sharing between wavelengths.

Dark Fiber Service

Having your own fiber optic network offers the ultimate control. Dark fiber, which is a private strand on your service provider’s network, is a close alternative.

Most Wide Area Networks incorporate unlit fiber strands to accommodate future service expansion as traffic increases. Installing fiber over long distances is costly. Adding extra strands to the fiber bundle during installation is a cost-effective strategy compared to retrofitting later. Some cables house 100 or more fiber strands.

Many fiber network providers are open to leasing these unlit strands if sufficient capacity is available. Dark fiber empowers you with control over bandwidth, protocols, and security over long distances, rivaled only by installing your point-to-point fiber cable. As with wavelength service, you provide the termination equipment at each end, with potential leasing options from the service provider.

The type of fiber optic service that aligns best with your business depends on your specific needs. While standard lit fiber bandwidth is sufficient for many, wavelength service or dark fiber might be more suitable in specific situations. Compare options and see how much bandwidth is readily available at affordable prices for your business location.