FAQs

Fiber-optic networking consists of bundles of tiny clear glass or plastic fibers rather than copper wires. Because fiber transmits light instead of electrical signals, data travels faster than it does through copper—literally at the speed of light—offering users high bandwidth and data integrity over long distances.

Fiber was first used in 1977 to provide voice communication; in 1988 the first transatlantic fiber cable allowed global fiber connections. Since then, the growth of the Internet and the resulting demand for high bandwidth have made fiber networks an increasingly popular solution for home and business data connections.

Imagine a data stream so blazing fast that computers connected to it often can’t keep up. Atherton Fiber’s basic, shared residential connection enables speeds of up to 10Gbps. This allows everyone in your house to stream movies at the same time without interruptions or buffering—even in bandwidth-hungry 4K resolution. Connections are symmetrical as well, so you can upload home video as quickly as you stream a film.

Over non-fiber Internet connections, upload speeds are much slower than download speeds. Fiber speeds are symmetrical, meaning data travels at the same speed in both directions, so you can post data as quickly as you stream it. Picture being able to simultaneously be on Zoom calls, play online games, upload videos, sync to the cloud, and log into your company’s network, all at lightning-fast 1Gbps or 10Gbps speeds.

For starters, fiber gives you much better bandwidth-data speeds-than standard copper connections. Fiber also preserves signal quality over long distances and though weather extremes. Our durable cables, similar to ones that have held up for decades, will support even greater speeds when they become available.

Unlike other fiber network operators (Google, AT&T, Verizon), Atherton Fiber lets you choose from a wide range of service providers that offer Internet access over our network. This gives you numerous options for speeds and pricing.

Even if you aren’t interested in a faster connection, the ISPs on our open-access network can offer you plans less expensive than your current provider. Future-proof fiber is also ready to bring you higher data speeds whenever they become available—no need to upgrade your cabling.

As an open-access network, we provide access to any ISP that wants to use our fiber to bring you Internet access.

Our Getting Fiber guide provides the next steps towards your fast, fiber future.

There are many possible reasons why your internet speed might not be living up to expectations. Perhaps you are using an outdated device or are experiencing bandwidth congestion. Maybe your service plan tops out at 1Gbps, or your “mesh” or Wi-Fi extender is doing more harm than good. It might be something as simple as an outdated ethernet cable or that certain apps your using are due for an upgrade. Please read our article about optimizing your internet speed for in-depth information.