February 19, 2020

Most of the world’s internet is powered by good old-fashioned copper wiring. It has been there for almost 100 years, and while it has served us well it is now becoming hopelessly out of date with the requirements of the modern age.

Full fibre describes an internet connection that is entirely served by a fibre optic cable, from the exchange all the way to, and within an individual house or apartment. This is not to be confused with some alternative systems, which use fibre optic cables under the pavements or overhead and then a traditional copper cable running from the green box in the street to a property, or one that only takes the fibre to the building and then distributes around it using copper, slowing down the connection.

Fibre To The Cabinet (FTTC), or Fibre To The Building (FTTB) can offer a speed increase but ultimately it’s putting a plaster over the problem, which is that the connection is still being served by a copper cable. Only true full fibre can future proof the infrastructure and allow homes and businesses to experience internet speeds of up to 1Gbps and beyond. A true full fibre network can also be used to for the deployment of smart building technology to improve security, compliance and reduce costs without affecting the connectivity speed of residents.

We increasingly expect to watch Netflix in HD, be able to download a 4K movie in seconds or start playing an online video game without it crashing. This expectation is only going to grow. PCCW Global are a world leader in the development and construction of fibre optic infrastructure. We believe that property developers and managers need to consider the needs of their buildings not just now but long into the future.

The message is clear, do your research, find out if a provider plans to install a true full fibre network that will provide a robust, ultrafast and future proofed solution giving you smarter buildings and happier residents.