Everyone has been in a position where their internet connection was slow. So slow that you fail to download or watch the content you watch off the internet without any disruptions. This, however, is getting to be a thing of the past because of the introduction of the gigabit internet.
What is gigabit internet?
This is an internet service that provides a maximum connection speed of 1 gigabit per second, in short Gbps. In megabytes, 1 gigabit is comprised of 1000 megabytes per second and 1 million kilobytes per second. This is next-generation internet that delivers at a higher speed than typical internet connections. That means you can stream 4K ultra-high definition, ultra-high, high and standard definitions without any flaws. The gigabit connection will be there to accommodate existing and upcoming bandwidth usage of the internet.
A gigabit connection has a speed that is forty times faster than the typical internet connection that there is. That means on a smartphone, updating the operating system can take you only seconds to get done. This is a very big improvement as compared to what early internet users were in for. Then, they had kilobytes, which would have taken them hours or even days to complete a download or even an update on their smartphones.
Gigabit web provision works well through the usage of fiber-optic lines. This is the quickest broadband company surprisingly available, the vicinity data is transmitted as beams of laser frequently through fiber-optic cables. It works so much better than the utilization of copper wires for digital subscriber line (DSL) net connections, which most of us still use.
What it takes to bring gigabit connection to your homes
Some might think that because it is a technological era then this can be easy. They will think machines are employed full-time in doing this. Wrong. Bringing gigabit connections to your companies and homes takes a lot of manpower than you’d ever think possible. It is not an easy process, but let’s walk through it. So you get to appreciate it when you can finally watch movies and TV, download music, or even be on that Zoom meeting without any interruptions.
Benefits of using a gigabit connection
The first benefit is that service it has improved service reliability, meaning to say it is more reliable than the typical internet connection that is used today. Fiber-optic cables are made of glass, which allows them to stand the pressure of 200 pounds maximum, while copper fiber can only withstand the pressure of 25 pounds.
Unlike copper fiber, fiber-optic cables do not go through signal reductions. They will also protect internet connection through all kinds of bad weather. Using a gigabit connection means multiple users can get online without experiencing Slowdowns of the internet.
Trenching the sidewalk
A gigabit connection needs fiber cable. And for fiber cable to be laid in the ground, obviously there will be a need for ground-breaking. If the fiber has to pass through the streets, then the sidewalks will have to be trenched. An excavator will be needed to break the sidewalks and make room for the fiber cables to be laid in. The cables have got to be laid in very carefully because it is delicate and easy to get ruined compared to the old copper cables that were there in the old times.
Wiring
In this stage, Building facades get cables and distribution boxes added to them, making them ready for household connections. A state-of-the-art machine is used to splice cables, making them ready for network connection. Wiring takes about three hours while digging the trenches takes the whole day.
Installation is work that can be done fast or slowly according to the house owner. Landlords are the ones who are supposed to put in a word to the network company to make sure their houses are connected. Once connected, that marks the end of the road for the journey of fiber rollout.
How long does it take for the fiber rollout to be completed?
The whole process can take up to 18 months, give or take. That is because there are so many residential districts, streets, and areas that need coverage too. However, there’s more than just digging trenches and making sure fiber cables are rolled out. Bigger decisions may have been made earlier, as early as a couple of years before coming to start work on the ground. Let’s look at some of the decisions that have to be made in an area chosen for a gigabit connection.
Step one consists of taking inventory. This inventory takes place on buildings and facades. Some requirements have to be taken into consideration, as civil works get to be coupled with all industrial sectors that surround infrastructure.
These might be transportation, wastewater, energy et cetera. When the various companies intervene, the streets can only be drilled once. It should also be pointed out that different areas are subjected to various local permits. So sometimes, due to the complexities of the work, red tape can be employed, leading to delays. That might also be because the said permits need to be synchronized perfectly and the investments need to be available.
Once everything said above is in order can the workers doing the work on the ground begin in earnest? In Europe, investors are planning to put in a target of €150 million, which is an amount that is targeting more than 70 percent of European homes. Europeans who are part of this program, are familiar with this process. In other cases, the telecommunication companies and operators will bring in a new wave of investment that will strive to bring fiber connections close to you in the coming years.
The discussion to put gigabit connections in Europe has been discussed, debated, and even argued at length within the walls of the European Union headquarters. They also debate the Europe Digital decade targets, investment decisions, and politics. Roughly 450 million houses will be part of this Europe digital decade target, meaning there will be a lot of jobs behind this target, and the determination they have on the ground will prove successful as in the years to come, Europe will be on an advanced level of gigabit connections.
