Optical fibres work by transmitting light from one end to another.

This allows them to transmit

information over longer distances and with higher data transfer rates than previously possible. They
are also immune to electromagnetic interference. Their advantage over traditional wire cables is that
the signal is subjected to less loss on the way from point A to point B, allowing the fibres to send
more signals, faster, with less data corruption or costly signal strengthening equipment on the way
required.

Optical fibres consist of multiple layers of glass fibres around a glass core, with some reaching
hundreds of fibres in one band. They are covered by another glass layer called cladding and protected
by a tube, that isolates the glass from outside environment. Through each of the fibre layers light
particles, called photons, can freely and quickly pass. Due to the core’s and cladding’s reflectivity, the
light travelling through an optical fibres is bent at some angle when it hits these elements. A signal
thus bounces off of the core and then the cladding, zig-zagging its way from one end to another,
travelling at around 70% of speed of light in vacuum. This may seem like large speed loss, but
remember that the speed of light in a vacuum is the fastest speed any object or particle can reach, so
70% of it is still insanely fast.

As mentioned before, the light signal in an optical fibre travels faster than an electrical impulse via a
copper wire, and due to the increased transfer rates, more signals can pass through an optical fibre
than through a copper wire of same width. This makes optical fibres much better alternatives to
traditional wires when having communication in mind, especially when dealing with large distances.
The signal in a copper wire can also get corrupted or stop flowing completely if a sufficient amount of
metal elements are placed around such wire. Optical fibres do not experience such interferences.
They are also much more reliable and shock-proof, and are more resistant to extreme environments
like unfavourable temperature, humidity, or weather events. They are also lighter, easier and cheaper
to maintain and more easily scalable, which is important especially in areas with developing
infrastructure.

However, this power does not come without its disadvantages. Optical fibres are also trickier to
separate and can only endure so much of twisting and bending before the glass inside breaks. This is
important to consider when connecting individual receivers to one main, root optical fibre, so as not
to accidentally break the transmission line while connecting the two together. They are also not
completely immune to signal loss, despite their increased resilience to such interferences, so after a
certain distance amplifying equipment has to be used.

A problem that is often cited when describing optical fibres is the inability to provide data coverage
with them to rural communities due to the high cost of such solutions. While for a long time this has
been true, recent technological advancements have allowed the cost of optical fibres to drop
significantly, thus allowing for greater coverage of this way of sending signals. It’s also important to
consider the massive positive effects an optical fibre connection has on rural communities, through
the improvement of local healthcare by allowing for remote connections and collaboration between
doctors and strengthening of local businesses, who can finally use the whole potential of modern
internet and related technology thanks to sufficient transfer rates and network speeds. It also
advances local education, by easing access to online resources and giving opportunities to learn how
the latest technology works; and finally, allows for smart agriculture, which consists of precision
irrigation and plant nutrition, automated climate management in greenhouses, tracking livestock by
GPS and implementation of robots into farming, giving local farmers great potential for expanding
their business thanks to the improved efficiency of newest technologies. This makes the cost of
bringing an optic fibre connection to a rural community an investment, not a fee.
Bibliography

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_fiber

https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/fiber-optics-optical-fiber

https://www.nmcabling.co.uk/2020/10/fibre-optic-cable-advantages-and-disadvantages/

https://lesolson.com/blog/copper-wire-vs-fiber-optic-cabling-pros-and-cons/

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/overcoming-different-challenges-rural-fiber-optic-network-mawlood

https://v1fiber.com/how-rural-communities-benefit-from-fiber-optics/