Fiber-Optic Service

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What Does Fiber-Optic Service Mean?

Fiber-optic service (FiOS) is the data communication service provided over fiber-optic cable communication networks and systems. It was initiated by Verizon Communications and included TV cable, Internet and telephone services, which were bundled in a single service delivered over fiber-optic cables.

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Fiber-optic service is also referred to as fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP).

Techopedia Explains Fiber-Optic Service

Fiber-optic service was created to provide a packaged digital communication service for home and personal use. Although fiber-optic is the fastest communication medium, it was initially primarily used for Internet communication.

FiOS works through a point-to-multipoint network architecture. A single-mode fiber is stretched to the FiOS provider facility. From there, it is distributed to different subscribers through an optical splitter. An optical network terminal (ONT) is installed at the subscriber’s end to convert the fiber based light signal into equivalent signals for the copper based infrastructure found in most homes.

FiOS was initially designed for home users but is now available for commercial use.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology Specialist
Margaret Rouse
Technology Specialist

Margaret is an award-winning writer and educator known for her ability to explain complex technical topics to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles in the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret’s idea of ​​a fun day is to help IT and business professionals to learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.