Optical fiber systems provide high-capacity bandwidth (up to 3.4 gigabits per second) with high transmission quality, no electrical interference (because the signals use light waves rather than electrical transmission), and minimal loss of signal strength over distance, thus necessitating fewer repeaters than coaxial cable. Wider use of optical fiber systems—and realization of their full potential—will depend on the speed at which telecommunications and cable providers replace their copper wire systems.

Fiber optics resources (external links)

• Alan Taylor and Madjid Merabti. 1995. Optical Fibre. In A Review of Multimedia Networking. Available at: http://www.man.ac.uk/MVC/SIMA/network/sect5.html#5.3
  Permission to link granted.