Fibre vs ADSL – Which is best for your business?

January 21, 2016

Both ADSL and Fibre connections can be excellent choices for your business, but knowing which option best suits your company’s unique requirements can be difficult. In order to help you better understand your options we thought we’d take you through some of the key differences between Fibre and ADSL connectivity so that you can get a feel for which solution is better for your business.

 

 

What is ADSL?

An Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) is an Internet connection which runs through the already existing copper lines that we have all used in the past for telephone landlines. ADSL uses a different frequency to phone lines which is why we are able to make phone calls and connect to the Internet at the same time.

 

What is Fibre?

Fibre optic cable connections use light impulses to transfer data (instead of electrical impulses) through thin glass fibre tubes. A Fibre cable is made up of thousands of individual fibres, each as thin as a piece of human hair. This makes Fibre cables thinner, lighter and more durable than the traditional copper cabling used for phone lines and ADSL. Because the conductor used within the cables is glass and not electrical, lightning storms and other electrical disturbances will not cause interference on Fibre lines.

 

 

Availability

ADSL is available nationwide wherever a telephone landline is already in place. If there is no landline available, then one must be installed by Telkom before your business can have access to the connection. Once ordered, installation is almost instant as we dispatch a router and it usually takes only 2 to 3 working days to arrive. Once you have received your router you can immediately connect to the Internet and get your business up and running!

Fibre is currently only available in and around the city centres of Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. Installation time can vary based on your business’ location. If Fibre is already available near your location, installation can take between 2 weeks to 3 months. If Fibre is not yet available in your area the wait will be longer as cables will need to be laid for access. Take a look at our data map to see if City Fibre is available near you.  To read more about how Fibre is installed click here.

Let us know if you are interested in City Fibre being laid down in your area and when we have enough customers in a particular area we will expand our coverage.

Fibre vs ADSL: ADSL wins on availability at the moment due to greater access, however this will change in the very near future.

 

 

Speed

Uncapped ADSL lines typically only go up to a 10Mps speed and capped ADSL lines go up to 40Mpbs speeds.  This connection is still fast and perfectly adequate for most businesses. With RSAWEB’s Business ADSL the high quality connection ensures enterprise grade unshaped and unthrottled bandwidth that is ideal for business use.

Fibre however, can be up to 50 times faster than an ADSL line.  As Fibre cables transfer data ‘at the speed of light’ their speeds can range from 10Mbps to 200Mpbs. Not only that, Fibre also has a simultaneous upload/download speed so data can travel unhindered in both directions. The speed of Fibre makes it far superior when it comes to data transfer, clarity and additional data types like voice and video transmission. With Fibre there is no buffering on video streaming and long distance voice calls (VOIP) or video conferences will be clear and uninterrupted.

Take a look at our speed test to compare the download times between Fibre and ADSL.

Fibre vs ADSL:  When it comes to speed Fibre is far, far superior. There is no doubt that a Fibre connection will change the way you browse!

 

 Reliability 

ADSL lines are copper and can be affected by the climate, moisture and static as well as being susceptible to corrosion. The quality of the line can also be affected by its distance from the nearest telephone exchange as the further the distance from the exchange the weaker the signal strength becomes. Line speed is also completely dependent on the Telkom infrastructure in your area, and lines sometimes cannot sync at the desired maximum speed. For mission critical processes it is desirable to have back-up links to reduce risk.

Fibre cables are known for their superior resistance to electromagnetic noise, moisture and adverse weather conditions. They are also highly stable and are not affected by their distance from their closest POP (Point-of-Presences). This makes Fibre connections very reliable.

Fibre vs ADSL: Fibre is far more stable and superior to ADSL when it comes to reliability.

 

Cost

It is important to assess your Internet requirements fully before signing up for an Internet service. You don’t want to be paying for a service and capacity that your business doesn’t need, but you also don’t want to try to cut costs on a service that doesn’t meet all your business requirements. If your company is small and its Internet usage is low and consists mostly of email, website and social media use, then a capped ADSL line should be unproblematic. However, if you company is large and relies on constant online access with Cloud infrastructure and massive data transfers, video and voice calls then the reliability and speed of City Fibre will be more beneficial.

Fibre vs ADSL: This is completely dependent on your businesses requirements and usage.

 

 

When it comes down to it, the option you choose should depend on your needs, availability and budget. With RSAWEB you will find skilled technical assistance that will be able to help you assess the unique requirements for your business and recommend the best available options.

Contact us on 087 470 0000 or [email protected] to discuss your needs and ensure you have the best Internet service for your business.