Why You Should Be Wiring Homes With Fiber Optic Cables.

One of the many things the past few years have taught us is the importance of a strong, reliable network connection. As a builder, it’s now more important than ever that you set your clients up with the best network infrastructure possible.

Currently, the acceleration and pace of new technologies being introduced is mind boggling. As a builder, you should be laying the framework of the home’s infrastructure in order to meet the challenges that new technologies bring.

So how do you offer a true future ready solution for homeowners? Incorporate fiber optics into your projects. Copper wiring, or category cable (CAT-5, CAT-6, etc.) has pretty much reached its capacity for transmitting the information being delivered within the home. Just a few years ago internet speed that achieved a 100 Mbps speed (pretty fast) has given way to 1 Gbps speed (really, really fast) and in just a few more years 10 Gbps (lightning fast) will become the new normal. Copper just isn’t going to be a viable means of cabling for the modern smart home.

What about wireless? A common misconception is that wireless is all you need in a home. As an integrator, we beg to disagree and here’s why. Wireless was designed for hand-held devices such as cell phones and tablets, so we don’t have to walk around the house with a wire dragging behind us. Unfortunately, many people look at wireless as the panacea for all technology in the home, including TV’s, Blu-ray players, as well as computers and printers. Once you factor in home offices, entertainment (4K and 8K TV, streaming, and online gaming) even the best wireless networks can become overwhelmed.

Not to mention, wireless itself is complicated to get right in homes over 3K square feet. Not only do they require multiple wireless access points for total coverage, but once the house is built and the furniture is installed, someone has to heat map the wireless coverage and "tune" the access points so they are working as one single coverage entity. That leads us to fiber optics and the many reasons why architects and builders should insist on adding this infrastructure tool to every project.

FIBER IS NOT EXPENSIVE. We recommend that fiber cable should be pulled to the major areas of the home where we know our clients are going to see those advanced technologies soon – the entertainment areas, home offices, master bedrooms and outdoor entertainment areas.

FIBER IS EASY TO INSTALL. Terminating fiber is easier than terminating category cable.

FIBER CABLE IS UNDER THE SAME BUILDING CODE AS OUTER-JACKETED CABLE – no special inspections needed.

FIBER CABLE CONTAINS ZERO METAL. Indoor and outdoor runs are impervious to lighting strikes, power surges and electrical spikes. This fact alone merits the installation of fiber!

THE BOTTOM LINE IS: Fiber is versatile. Most homeowners will own their home for many years, and over time technology will continue to develop and speed will continue to be of vital importance. Latency or communication delays between devices will become an ever more important issue. A client might be ok waiting an extra minute or two for an email to download but no one wants to wait for buffering when streaming a movie or live sporting event.

Homeowners really do not have the option to go back and re-wire their home every three or four years. As a builder, if your client didn't plan to put in an outdoor kitchen right away but might in the future, you would recommend they go ahead and pre-plumb now, right? The same goes for fiber, except we know the homeowner is going to need it.

In conclusion, Fiber is faster and easier to install than coaxial cables. With 8K and 10K on the horizon, standard internet speeds are about to be obsolete. Contact us today for more details on getting fiber to your next project.