Comparative analysis of fibre optic and copper cables for high-speed communication: South African context

the telecommunication industry is in constant metamorphosis with an increase in smartphones, the upcoming of 5G (5^th Generation of the Mobile Communication) and the predeployment of IoT technology; hence, a big projection in the number of future users. The expansion in the domain introduces new challenges in the transmission layer of the protocol stack, efficiency in the transmission medium, considering cost-effectiveness and data transportation reliability. High speed and an efficient transmission medium for telecommunication can benefit not only internet users today but also the cable television, engineering technology, industrial instrumentation, and computer networking. There are challenges and constraints which have been presented by the telecommunication medium of copper wires for example, as in the South African market, when comparing it to fiber optic transmission medium. In this research project, we analyze and compare the copper-based transmission, which is the base of the traditional ADSL communication to the fiber-based data transmission medium, which is the base of the FTTx (Fiber-to-the X), and which provides a certain level of service independence to the Internet Service Providers. The project is executed by performing an onsite test on fiber link, measuring selected performance indicators. The research project has helped identify the technological in-lab benefits of fiber connection over a long distance, and its sensitivity to attenuation.