Evolving Office Tech and the New Cabling Dilemma
Even the smallest of offices tend to be tech laden these days, no matter what niche a business operates in. Desktop computers running an increasing number of bandwidth hogging applications. Laptops, smartphones and tablets all connected to the office Wi-Fi. Maybe even a VOIP telephone system, which is an increasingly popular Internet based alternative a traditional business telephone system.
The Office Tech Traffic Jam
In fact, a recent Juniper Research report projects that nearly 350 million people worldwide bring their smartphones or tablets to work and actively make use of them via company Wi-Fi on a daily basis, As more of their employees bring personal devices to work, companies are adopting cloud solutions to provide employees access to in-demand SaaS, voice, video and data services. These cloud solutions require significant network support and high bandwidth availability.
But that’s not all they call for in order to function at the highest level possible. No matter how high speed an Internet connection might be if the cabling systems that carry it all are not up to the task then everything will not function as well as it should.
The Problem with Copper Cabling
Many businesses still make use of what was once an industry standard, copper cabling. And ‘back in the day’ – maybe as little as 5-10 years ago – these metal based cables did their job admirably. The demand placed upon them by all the things we just mentioned is often just a little too heavy.
And maybe that should not be too much of a surprise, as copper cabling has been around as long as the telephone has. The metal was chosen because did not corrode easily and the telephone communications passing through the copper cables were far less fuzzy and muffled than they had been when connecting via other methods. As telephone systems became more complicated – and television and then cable television – arrived the copper cables became more sophisticated – with more than 100 strands of metal incorporated into a cable. Now however, over 100 years after they were first used, copper cables have almost outlived their usefulness.
The Fiber Optic Alternative
The successor to the copper cable already exists; it’s the fiber optic cable. Fiber optic cable is, according to a large body of research reports, up to 86% more efficient in high tech environments than its copper cousin. It’s cheaper to produce as well, with fiber costing a fraction of the cost of copper cables to produce.
So in many ways it should almost be a ‘no brainer’ for businesses to make the switch from copper to fiber optic. It is not quite that simple though, as that can be a large – and not inexpensive – project to commission. Or so they think.
There are in fact all kinds of ways to add fiber optic cabling into a business environment, including a fiber optic to desktop solution that is a hybrid mix of existing copper cabling and fiber optics that is often the perfect solution for smaller businesses.
Consulting with a company specializing in cabling may very well help you find the perfect way to ensure that everyone in – and out – of your office – remains connected and productive every day without breaking the bank.
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