4 M A Y 2 0 2 4 FIBER spotlight Big Demand for Bandwidth Thanks to fiber, multi-gig internet speeds are becoming more readily available. Why do we need all this bandwidth? Here are a few reasons: • Businesses are making a massive shift to cloud services. For economic efficiency, their critical systems now operate at remote data centers rather than on-site computers. The speed, reliability, and security of fiber connections make cloud services viable. • The American Telemedicine Association notes that telemedicine has gone from a side feature of the health care system to an expectation. • Services such as online learning and remote energy management have become common. Another key factor in the importance of fiber is the increased need for symmetrical broadband connectivity for people who work from home all or part of the time. Until recently, broadband network performance was measured in terms of download speed since most users were only content consumers. However, with so many people now working from home—using collaborative tools and creating content—fast upload speed is also crucially important, which fiber delivers. When fiber networks are built in smaller cities and rural communities, it also helps level the playing field and close the urban-rural technology gap. This network expansion is being fueled by massive public and private funding initiatives. Fiber is the Next Utility To understand the importance of building fiber networks, it’s useful to look back at a couple of other lifechanging infrastructure projects. By 1900, much of our nation’s railroad system was in place; it cleared the way for the settlement of the West, provided new economic opportunities, and stimulated the development of communities. In the 1950s and 1960s, the new Interstate Highway System brought business to the towns it went through while towns far from the new faster roads struggled to survive. Today, fiber is as essential to business growth, and everyday life in general, as railroad tracks and highways were in the previous century. It’s also a key to business growth, especially in rural areas
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