Copper Cable vs Fiber Optics Fiber transmits data much faster over longer distances than copper.

For example, a local area network using modern copper lines can carry 3000 telephone calls all at once, while a similar system using fibre optics can carry over 31,000 Fiber cable is also smaller diameter and weighs less than its copper counterpart, making it ideal for a variety of cabling solutions.1/25th of hair Fiber optics are immune to RFI (radio frequency interference) and EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) making them ideal for applications where close proximity to electronic devices can cause RFI and EMI disruption. "You can send the signal for over 200 kilometres without any real loss of quality while a copper cable signal suffers a lot of degradation over that distance," Fiber optic cabling uses less power and provides less signal degradation than copper cables. They are generally non-flammable, virtually unable to be tapped, and are better suited for data and illumination transmission. Fiber optic cables cannot be tapped, and secret information will not leak out Depending on the application, fiber costs are typically 1-5% as much as copper in the backbone.