5G vs. Fiber Optics: Which One Suits IoT Connectivity the Best?

The IoT revolution is upon us. In the years ahead, we will have billions of devices feeding us a constant stream of data that will spawn other revolutions. One oft-deliberated question is who will provide the bandwidth access to the vast army of IoT devices located across the vast reaches of the IT estate. Will it be 5G or fiber optics?

While 5G tends to soak up much of the oxygen in the room due to the hype surrounding this new technology, don’t just assume that everyone will automatically gravitate to 5G for their IoT environments. While 5G matches up well with IoT needs, it isn’t a perfect match for all situations. The markets for 5G and fiber optics are both projected to grow dramatically (over 20% compound growth rate) over the next five years, so both of these data transmission technologies will play a role in the coming future.

How 5G and Fiber Optics Are Different

Fiber optics and 5G are radically different in their transmission mechanisms. 5G has a special aspect to its coverage as it utilizes radio waves to send and receive data. IoT devices must simply reside within the coverage area of 5G towers to be connected to the world. On the other hand, fiber optics use light to transmit data via the glass strands encased within the fiber optic cable. The point-to-point direct connect aspect of fiber optics requires IoT to be connected in some way to the fiber itself. 

The cost and construction structures are also vastly different. Regardless of what type it is, pulling cable isn’t fun, and there’s nothing easy about rolling out fiber optic cable across a metropolitan city. Fiber must be fed through conduits that reside underground. In addition to the elongated rollout periods, last-mile installation is significantly more expensive than 5G. Because radio waves transmit through the air, the implementation of 5G is far less disruptive, which makes rollouts faster and less costly.  

While 5G is the lower cost winner when it comes to installation, 5G has far higher operational costs. After all, a piece of fiber requires minimal maintenance over time. In the end, 5G is the winner when it comes to the actual cost to the user. 

And then there’s distance. 5G radio waves can only broadcast a hundred meters or so, which is less than the range of 4G. Because of this, 5G relies on a fleet of towers and antennas that are smaller than its 4G predecessor. So, if you need to send data across a vast distance, you need a whole lot of towers. Fiber optic cable can carry data some 70 kilometers without degradation. This makes fiber optics a clear choice to carry data through vast rural areas with little connection activity.

A final differentiator is energy efficiency. As you might imagine, a piece of fiber requires far less energy than a cell tower. This may not seem like a big deal, but it is food for thought as companies strive to promote greener behaviors and efficiencies.

How 5G and Fiber Optics Are Similar

While Fiber optic cable is substantially faster than 5G for the time being, the technology of 5G is only in its infancy and will improve as it gets implemented. 5G has a potential speed of 20 Gbps, while fiber optics boasts upwards of 100 Gbps or more. While these speeds are only theoretical, fiber comes out on top no matter how you slice it. Both technologies are known for excellent response times, although fiber optics slightly outperform with a lower latency rate once again.

Where Fiber Optics Makes More Sense

So despite the hype of 5G, there are several circumstances where fiber optics is a better choice:

1. Fiber optics has always had an outstanding reputation when it comes to security. You can’t tap into the glass strands contained within fiber optic cable, so if securing the IoT data that traverses area networks is critical, fiber optics is the clear winner.

2. Latency has and continues to be a challenge when it comes to cell technology. When low latency performance is paramount, one must turn to the lightning responsiveness of fiber optics.

3. As mentioned, fiber also wins out when it comes to long distance. If you have a remote weather station that sends streams of sensory data to a centralized location, fiber optics is the clear standout. It makes little sense to litter the rural landscapes of the countryside with 5G towers and antennas.

4. While 5G has a strong presence in cities today, urban environments can prove challenging as well. That’s because 5G can’t travel easily through physical barriers or thick foliage. While it may be far more costly to put a cable through, fiber may be a better choice for highly obstructive environments.

Where 5G Makes More Sense

So is 5G ever a better choice for IoT environments? Well, the answer is a resounding yes. First and foremost, there are environments in which implementing fiber optic cable just simply isn’t possible. But it goes beyond environmental and topography challenges. While 5G may not be the fastest or the most responsive, it can’t be beaten when it comes to high capacity and mobile environments. 

If you have a vast congregation of sensory devices that need to send data someplace, 5G is hard to beat. There is nothing to physically connect. No intermediary devices such as switches to purchase and rack. 5G offers the effortlessness of Wi-Fi but with far greater speed and responsiveness. A classic example might be a large factory that relies on hundreds of sensory devices that traverse the production line. A large fleet of high-definition video cameras would be another instance. Autonomous vehicles will rely on blanket 5G coverage as well. 

Learn More: Can Organizations Manage the Flood of Data That 5G Will Bring?

Working Collaboratively Rather Than Competitively

While we always love to pair technologies against each other, the fact is that you should look at them working in tandem with one another. That’s because 5G depends on fiber optic. While there are areas of dense concentrations of 5G coverage in many urban city areas, these towers depend on fiber optic cables at some point to get their data to the next high density area. Until we see a much greater proliferation of 5G, we will continue to see these two transmission methodologies meshed together. 

So Who Wins the Debate?

When it comes to the debate between 5G and fiber optics, it is easy to identify the winner. That’s because the winner is us. Thanks to the joint utilization of these two technologies, the world at large will benefit greatly from an IoT driven world.     

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