There was a time when DSL was the fastest way to access the internet. Gone are the days of dial-up, and cable comes with its share of problems. But the way we use the internet is changing again. No longer do simple web pages hold our attention anymore. Now, we're all about movies, music, flash and other forms of multi-media. Along with our increasing demand for more content, we want that content to be delivered faster and faster as well. If a web page doesn't load instantly, viewers click away. Patience is a thing of the past and it seems that the internet needs to catch up with our ever-increasing desire for more and more bandwidth and higher speeds.



With the demand for multi-media, music and video at an all time high, the need for a faster connection is apparent. Currently, DSL is the fastest option available to most people. But there's a new type of connection that's just beginning to emerge on the marketplace. That technology is a fiber-based connection.

What is Fiber?

A fiber-based connection works much the same way that regular DSL works. The major difference is that instead of running through copper wires like with DSL, a fiber-based connection runs through fiber wires. This may seem like a minor difference, but with the way technology is advancing these fiber connections have the ability to carry much more data at much higher speeds than its copper ancestor.

Currently, fiber connections are used mostly in businesses that require extremely high download and upload speeds. However, fiber is beginning to make its way into the consumer market. The demands for video and media are so high that there is debate as to whether or not DSL will be able to handle the rate at which people are transferring data. This is especially a problem for the on-line gaming community who need high speed connections in order for their games to work properly. Choppy games just don't cut it for avid gamers and as games become more complex the need for higher speeds increases. This is where fiber-based internet connections are most useful for the consumer market.

Fiber to Replace DSL?

With DSL currently leading the pack in terms of speed and reliability for consumers, the question becomes, will it be able to compete with the vast amount of media that is downloaded on a daily basis? The answer isn't a simple yes or no. If media usage stays exactly the same as it is now, then yes, DSL is enough for most people.

However, if you compare the figures from ten years ago (or less), you'll notice that there has been an exponential increase in demand for media and bandwidth. To take an example, look at the figures for computers. Ten years ago, a consumer computer could have six gigs of hard drive space and be more than enough. Now, six gigs will barely hold the operating system, much less the music and movie downloads everybody has. It's the same with bandwidth and speed. What was once more than enough quickly becomes obsolete with advances in technology.

Where ten years ago, multi-media downloads were restricted to large corporations, it is no longer the case. Everybody has pretty much unrestricted access to a slew of multi-media. With this access comes the need for higher speeds and more bandwidth.

That being the case, fiber might provide a solution to the increasing demand. It would allow for faster download/ upload times, more bandwidth, lower latency and a whole bunch of other benefits that DSL currently cannot offer.

Aside from the benefits that fiber brings, you have to look at the practical side of the matter. The advantage DSL has over fiber is that the wires are already there. In fact, they were already in place long before the internet was even invented. Since DSL runs through the phones, and telephones have been around for over a century, all homes are equipped with telephone lines. DSL simply piggybacks on the existing technology.

Fiber wires, on the other hand, do not already run directly into everybody's homes. In fact, actually installing these wires is labor intensive, as it requires running a new fiber wire underground. This is costly and takes a lot of time. The cost of construction then has to be passed on to the consumer, making a fiber connection just too expensive for most people. The costs alone limit fiber connections to medium to large businesses. As of now, it's not practical or cost-effective to run fiber wires into private homes.

So to answer the question if fiber will replace ADSL, for time-being the answer is no. DSL is still the best and most cost-effective way to connect to the internet. Maybe in the future, the demand for higher speeds and greater bandwidth will increase enough and the price of fiber will decrease enough to make fiber-based connections in every home feasible. But as it stands, it doesn't look like fiber will replace DSL anytime soon.