Fiber For All!

If you're into Twittering as much as I am, then let me ask you: have you seen #fiberforall flying around lately? First off, it's nothing to do with irregularity. ;) It's referring to fiber technology. (And a wicked cool contest, which will be mentioned at the end of this post.)

I'm a very visual person, being a right-brained artist and all, so I'm going to start with a video you may or may not recognize.

Yes, indeed, he loves to blow things up. But he's also mentioning something here that's very important for you to know about: fiber technology, specifically in communications. That includes the internet. And we all know that faster internet is better internet. So, what is it?

When it comes down to it, fiber technology boils down to fiber optics. It allows our lovely interweb communications to transmit over longer distances at a faster rate. Fibers (usually made from glass or plastic) replace the typical metal wires because the fibers enable signals to travel faster with less "loss" (or attenuation) and no interference, which is always a good thing. Nothing irritates me more as an internet addict than when my internet's not working efficiently.

I'm not much into science, so you know this has gotta be good to get the attention of someone like moi. That's what fiber is all about, but why is it worth mentioning? How much better is it than, say, DSL or Cable? Like I said, I'm no computer person, but here is a great, short article to sum up the victor when it comes to the battle: Fiber vs. Cable vs. DSL - What You Need to Know.

As seen in the Michael Bay commercial, Verizon offers Verizon FiOS, or "Fiber Optic Service." Honestly, they should've left out the "i" so it could be interpreted as "Forget Other Services." ;) But anyway, here is another article from the same site that discusses what Verizon offers, and where it is available: http://fiberforall.org/verizon-fios/

But that is the main downside to this whole deal: fiber technology is not available everywhere. As of now, it is limited to some states like California (figures), Delaware, New York, and Oregon (what?). Poor lil' ole Tennesseeans like me can't get to it yet. But fear not, the technology is rapidly growing in its efficiency and availability, as soon as people start to recognize its significance. And, of course, Verizon won't be the sole solicitor of this great technology of the world wide web, for AT&T is jumping on the bandwagon (called AT&T U-verse). The main thing you'll have to worry about when the time comes is which price will fit your budget. Verizon is known to be more expensive, but it's all about their reliability. My phone service with them is rather nice, thank you. Better than T-Mobile, at least. (However, their mascot is hotter than Verizon's.)

If you want to learn more, check out places like FiberforAll.org and even look into articles placed around the web. Wikipedia was a good start for me, since I'm clueless about science and math. Google, as always, is the best option.

I highly suggest looking into this first at FiberforAll.org, and follow them on Twitter @FiberforAll, because it so happens that they're doing a fantastic giveaway to bloggers and Tweeps alike in celebration of illumination. Prizes include an HP Mini 10.1-Inch Netbook and a Sony Bravia 26-Inch 720p LCD HDTV (services, as usual, are not included). You don't want to miss out! They've extended the deadline to Labor Day, so go visit for more details! http://fiberforall.org/fios-triple-play-bundle/

Say it with me now, loud and clear: FIBER FOR ALL!

-Laura