Fiber Optic Internet in Israel: A Guide

A reliable high-speed internet connection isn’t just a prerequisite if you want to function effectively in the modern world. It’s also becoming a measure of the quality of life. Even though we rely on high-speed internet, most of us have minimal understanding of how it actually works. With fiber optic cables set to transform internet services in Israel, it’s worth taking a closer look at the technology. We’ll also explore how fiber optic internet can transform your online experience. 

A Brief Overview of Internet Technology

The early home internet packages seemed like science fiction back in the 90s. When we look back on dial-up connections a quarter of a century later, they seem laughably primitive. Try telling a 12-year-old kid (who takes online gaming and live streaming for granted) that you used to disconnect the phone line to go online - and then wait 5 minutes for a web page to load. You’ll either get a look of blank disbelief or a witty comeback that will make you feel like one of the Flintstones.

The original DSL internet used copper phone cables to transfer data. The internet may have been a brand new concept, but the copper telephone infrastructure was essentially the same technology that was first used a hundred years ago. The cables transmit voices, not data, and the limitations were clear. DSL connections severely restricted the potential of the new internet. 

The first big jump was the switch to cable internet. Cable TV providers were already using coaxial copper cables to transmit TV broadcasts directly to customers’ homes. The cables have a much higher capacity than telephone cables and were ideal for broadband internet. Service providers were quick to offer affordable domestic broadband packages, transforming internet use. 

Broadband internet created exciting opportunities for movie streaming, gaming, video conferencing, and content creation. The big companies were quick to develop new business models and offer a range of new services. Wireless internet also made a massive impact, connecting public spaces to the net. Now it looks like fiber optics will set the standard for home internet speed and reliability for the next decade at least. 

What is Fiber Optic Internet?

Fiber optic cables are fundamentally different from copper coaxial cables. Fiber cables use high-tech glass or plastic to transmit pulses of modulated light. Data cover long distances at an incredibly fast speed. Household fiber internet packages can deliver top speeds of 1,000 Mbps. The high capacity covers both download and upload speeds, making the average family home more internet efficient than many businesses were just a few years ago!

3 Key Advantages of Fiber Internet

If you have a house full of teenagers who expect instant access to online gaming, movie, and music streaming, adequate bandwidth will help to keep the peace. If you are working at home and need to Zoom or transfer files, there’ll be no competition for the internet. 

Rather than offer complex technical explanations about internet speed, it’s easier just to put things in perspective. If you have a good fiber internet deal, you can download a full-length HD movie in a few seconds. If you have work commitments like important video conferences or presentations, you won’t be embarrassed by a slow internet connection.

Fiber internet cables have a proven reputation for reliability. Copper cables sometimes experience a problem with peak hour disruption. This occurs at certain times of the day e.g. early evening when there’s a surge in domestic internet use. Users experience glitches with local networks placed under strain. Fiber internet is consistently fast.

Fiber Optic Internet for Businesses

If you’re running a modern business, you are dependent on a reliable high-speed internet connection. There’s sometimes an uncomfortably fine line between depending on infrastructure, and being a hostage to a service provider. Fiber optic internet packages go a long way to bringing businesses owners peace of mind and allowing their operations to function without fear of disruption. 

Fiber internet benefits business users in a number of key areas. The first is that fiber allows high upload speeds. Fiber cables are a genuine two-way data route, and businesses can transfer data as rapidly as they receive it. If you’re a service provider, this can be absolutely essential. 

As we see greater use of cloud data storage, fast upload isn’t a luxury, it’s a basic necessity. The next decade will also bring an AI and robotics revolution that relies on cloud data). Businesses that see the potential, and invest in the necessary fiber-optic infrastructure, will unleash both growth and efficiency potential.

Large modern businesses seldom operate in isolation. We live and work in a global economy and high-speed internet is connecting operations on different continents in real-time. This synchronization goes far beyond basic Zoom meetings. Fiber optics are already transforming production processes and operations.

The lockdowns of 2020 and 2021 shattered a two-hundred-year-old work culture (at least for office workers). Working from home became a reality for millions of people, it was only really possible due to high-speed broadband. For remote work, fiber optic internet creates even greater flexibility.

Fiber Optics and Cyber Security

Fiber optic cables are far more secure than copper cables. It’s relatively simple for data thieves to access copper cables and physically tap the line. Interfering with fiber optic cables, in the same way, is far more challenging. In the unlikely event that someone did successfully compromise a fiber optic cable, it would be immediately possible to detect the security breach. 

Industrial espionage (frequently involving systematic data hoovering) is a reality. Chinese agencies often steal data first and then decide whether it is of any use to them. DDOS (distributed denial of service) attacks are also increasingly prevalent. Businesses that need to protect their cyber security have one less worry with fiber optic internet. 

The other advantage of fiber optic cables is that the infrastructure exists independently of the telephone network. Cables aren’t routed through physical telephone exchanges, nor are they accessed by telephone company technicians. Opportunities for snooping or sabotage are further reduced, as is the possibility of accidental damage or disruption. 

Save Money and Office Space with Fiber Optics 

Traditional copper cables are heavy and bulky. They also increase in size relative to the demands that are placed on them. Fiber optic cables are incredibly slender. The glass or silica strands in a fiber optic cable can be thinner than a human hair. Compared to copper, they are ultra-lightweight. Businesses with a high internet requirement previously had to accommodate a mass of copper cabling. The logistical requirements and demands on office space are drastically reduced with fiber optics. Fire hazards are also reduced when copper cables (electrical current transmitters) are ditched. 

There’s a misconception that fiber optic internet is more expensive than traditional cable broadband. The issue is infrastructure availability and economies of scale. A fiber internet solution may require an initial investment from a business, but the long-term benefits will more than recoup any costs. Monthly service fees drop with improved and extended infrastructure. Fiber cables are more durable and cheaper to maintain than their copper equivalents. The speed, bandwidth, and reliability of fiber can rapidly increase business productivity. 

Fiber Optic Internet in Israel

Israel has lagged behind much of the Western world when it comes to rolling out a national fiber-optic infrastructure. This was solely down to government inefficiency. Fortunately, the government identified the weaknesses and is pushing hard to get the country connected. Approximately one-third of Israelis already have access to local fiber optic cable networks. The goal is to connect at least 80% of Israeli households before 2030. The combination of fiber optic broadband and wireless internet should be enough to make Israel a top-tier internet coverage zone. 

It’s not just Israel’s dynamic high tech industries, business sector, and defense establishment that will benefit from fiber-optic internet. Superfast broadband can potentially benefit every life on a profound level. The Israeli Kupat Holims are already pioneering the concept of personalized medicine. A syncretic application of AI, 6G internet, and Cloud data is likely to take health care (and our quality of life) to a new level. 

Fiber optic in schools and universities is expected to have a similar effect on the educational process. The wise always said that education is a lifelong process. Online learning is making that a reality for hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Access to data, resources, and quality teaching is already a convenient tool for self-improvement.  As our economies undergo the new technological revolution, the ability of workers to learn remotely may become a deciding factor in economic growth.

Can I Get Fiber Optic Internet?

If your community is already covered by the fiber optic infrastructure, TCS will connect you for free. Talk to us today and we’ll let you know if it’s possible. If you’re not on the fiber optic network in Israel yet, we’ll find another high-speed internet solution for you. As soon as your neighborhood is added to the fiber optic infrastructure, we’ll get your home or business connected.