Why fibre optic cables matter now more than ever before
With more of the UK working from home than ever before staying connected has never been more important.
Video conferencing, remote access and file sharing have allowed teams to keep in touch even when offices have shut down.
But the huge pressure home broadband services are under has put the UK’s hidden communications infrastructure under scrutiny.
The UK’s telephone and broadband services are still largely provided via a network of slower and less reliable copper lines.
Plans to retire this ageing network with ultra-fast and environmentally friendly fibre optic cable are underway.
Networx3 has been doing blown fibre optic cable installation since 2003 to allow businesses to harness the power of ultra-fast communications.
Founder Ian Ashworth said: “Networx3 are the experts for blown fibre optics and have been for decades. We’ve built up a lot of highly specialised knowledge and that is why government departments rely on us for their communications infrastructure. We have never not been busy.
“Everybody has been talking about fibre optics for the last five or ten years but what people don’t realise is that ‘last mile’ – which connects your home to the telecommunications network – is 98% copper.”
With the pandemic increasing pushing all our lives online – from booking a supermarket shop and streaming a film to ordering a takeaway via an app – the UK’s communications network has been under strain.
Ian said: “Lockdown has shown us that the UK network is not good enough. Many homes have got adults conferencing calling and downloading while kids are watching videos and taking part in online games with players worldwide. With that kind of pressure on a home broadband service you can just about send an email.
“But fibre optics can easily handle all that and more. Fibre optics are the communication tool that everyone needs. The fibre optic cable revolution has started but it’s slow. The pandemic needs to change things.”