Out with the old, in with the new – 5 reasons to choose fibre over copper
Fibre delivers fast upload speeds, making it easier to work from home, have your kids and their many friends play video games at the same time, stream an endless amount of movies and binge-worthy shows, and connect with family near or far with video calling. Photo courtesy Telus
Not all network technologies are created equal. While copper lines have historically connected many of our homes and buildings, all things continue to evolve – transforming into something better. It’s no different than when we left VHS behind and entered into the sharper, more immersive world of 4K digital streaming, or when we turned in our cheque books for debit cards and instant e-transfers.
Fibre internet is the technology of the future. Besides being faster, it’s also the only infrastructure today capable of delivering upload speeds that are just as fast as its download speeds – which makes it easier to work from home, play online video games with friends, stream an endless amount of movies and binge-worthy shows, and connect with family near or far with video calling. Fibre is also more resilient and environmentally friendly, which is why it’s quickly become TELUS’ primary communications infrastructure across the country.
Doing your research is important. A provider may call their service fibre-powered, but that doesn’t mean they offer a 100 per cent fibre-to-the-home connection. TELUS is so confident in its PureFibre network that the company has invested $7 billion in the past ten years to replace aging copper wires in B.C., Alberta and Quebec with PureFibre, bringing lightning-fast internet to homes, businesses and communities.
Here’s why you should care:
Fibre is faster
Fibre-optic cables transmit information as pulses of light, which allows huge amounts of data to travel across a network in mere seconds. By comparison, copper uses electrical signals to transmit data, and the further the data has to travel, the more the signal degrades. That means copper can only compete on speed at short distances.
Not convinced? Watch the video below from content creator Brett Turner, who shows you just how fast PureFibre really is:
@b_turner50 Did you know about these 3 HUGE differences between @telus purefibre and cable internet? #TELUS_Partner #techtok #tech #wifi #internet #fibre #fyp #workfromhome #wfh #office #home #diy #foryou ♬ original sound – Brett ⍩ | Tech & Smart Home
Fibre is more reliable
Fibre-optic strands may be as thin as a human hair, but they’re incredibly durable. The strands don’t degrade or corrode, and are incredibly weather-resistant, meaning they can deliver top performance even in extreme temperatures and heavy rainfall, which means a more reliable connection when you need it the most.
Meanwhile, copper is susceptible to electromagnetic interference, meaning power lines, radio signals, and other electronic devices can interfere with your connection.
Fibre is more sustainable
Fibre is Canada’s most sustainable internet technology. For starters, it takes less energy to send data over fibre, compared to copper. Fibre optic cables are also made from one of the most abundant elements on the planet, silicon dioxide, which is typically found in rocks, sand and water.
TELUS PureFibre is up to 85 percent more energy efficient than copper wires. All this helps to support the company’s commitment to improving its energy efficiency by 50 per cent from 2020 levels by 2030.
Fibre optic cables are made from one of the most abundant elements on the planet, silicon dioxide, typically found in rocks, sand and water. Photo courtesy Telus
Fibre is better for customers
Fibre-optic technology brings you many benefits. Not only does fibre require fewer repairs and experience fewer interruptions than legacy copper networks, but TELUS PureFibre puts customers in the driver’s seat with the ability to self-install and self-serve to make changes and additions to their plan.
Embracing fibre helps feed the circular economy
As TELUS expands its PureFibre network, the company is recycling or repurposing copper wiring, contributing millions of pounds of copper to the circular economy and offsetting the need to mine new sources. In fact, each ton of copper recycled displaces 2.8 tons of CO2 (equivalent to two return flights from Vancouver to Toronto), that would usually be emitted from open-pit mining and smelting.
While copper has served your community well over decades, with more innovative fibre-optic technology at the ready, it’s time to step into a faster and more environmentally friendly future. Learn more at telus.com/purefibre.