With so many networks converting to fiber, it may seem like copper is a thing of the past. Fiber carries data at the speed of light, reliably transmits large amounts of data over long distances, is impervious to electromagnetic interference, and has the strength to last for years — if not decades — while continuing to support the capacity for increasing bandwidth needs. But copper continues to play a key role in providing connectivity. In fact, copper remains the majority of the 700 plus million fixed-line access connections in the world today. With an average deployment cost of $3,000 per home connected, fiber isn’t financially feasible everywhere — yet. Without a less expensive deployment option for an all-fiber network, copper networks for the last mile are here for the foreseeable future.
