Broadband internet

[Weekend Pundit]

Originally Posted by The Real BigGuy

It should take a heck of a lot of new subscribers to degrade a fiber line.

Most FTTx splits are generally 1 x 32, meaning 1 fiber from the head-end feeds 32 drops (homes), though newer networks may run 1 x 64. Depending upon the technology being used by the provider, multiple light wavelengths can be used to increase the amount of data that can be transmitted and received, the number of customers being serviced, or both.

The nice thing about fiber is that it is "future proof", meaning new fiber doesn't need to be installed to in order to provide more services, higher data speeds, and so on. Only the equipment at each end needs to be changed, and even then not all that often as much of the equipment at both ends already has a lot of the capabilities built-in and only needs a "turn of the dial" to increase data speeds.