Sustainability is such a big focus right now, and rightly so. But did you know your choice of internet provider could also affect your carbon footprint?
To understand how a full-fibre connection could be more sustainable we must first delve into what one actually is. A full-fibre connection like ours would use a fibre-optic cable, straight from the exchange and into your premises, this is called a fibre to the premises connection (FTTP). A part-fibre connection would use fibre cable from the exchange to the street cabinet and a normal copper line from the cabinet to your premises, this is called a fibre to the cabinet connection (FTTC).
Now, why does this matter? FTTP or FTTC, they only affect speeds, right? Well not necessarily. Firstly, fibre networks do not need to be replaced every 5 years like copper ones do, they can last decades. They can also handle a massive amount of bandwidth – essentially futureproofing. This prevents a massive amount of wastage that could be created from either copper wires needing to be replaced at the end of their life, or from wiring that needs to be taken out once bandwidth capabilities increase to levels that copper wires cannot sustain.
As well as this, full fibre is more energy efficient. This means less energy needs to be used to transmit the same amount of data as a copper cable. Copper wiring also tends to get warm, losing a fair amount of energy to the environment just as heat. This also creates a need for cooling systems anywhere that the heat being dissipated from copper wires could lead to a safety hazard. These cooling systems also use massive amounts of energy themselves. Fibre infrastructure doesn’t need any of this!
The actual make-up of a fibre infrastructure is also massively important. Copper wiring involves the mining of copper, which is a finite resource, this means at some point in the future we will need a replacement anyway. The extraction processes of copper also uses sulphuric acid which creates mists that can destroy crops and even damage the quality of the land. Copper extraction is also thought to be a lead cause of acid rain. Fibre cables however are mainly made of glass or plastic which can be sourced in a much more sustainable way than copper can.
So how does all this affect your business? Well, FTTP can provide a reliable connection using a future-proof infrastructure that not only conserves more energy than copper wiring but also doesn’t contribute to the harsh effect that copper mining has on our planet. Find out more about Giga fast business fibre and start the transition to sustainability.
Want to learn more about internet sustainability for your business? Take a look at Cathleen Blogger’s, sustainability steward at Mozilla, keynore at OOP 2021