This type of Internet service Provider delivery has grown over the years as consumer and business/users demanded faster and reliable internet connection. One question that arises when thinking about fiber is if it necessitates one having or putting up a phone line. In answer to the question of whether fiber internet needs a phone line the short answer is: no.
How Fiber Internet Works
Fiber optic internet contacts data through defined beams of light across thin strings of glass or plastic. It does not employ any copper telephone line that has been accustomed to by traditional landline telephone service. This means fiber does offer much faster speeds and higher bandwidth than the DSL or cable internet done on the old copper wires. From our research, it was evident that in most fiber installations, the fiber optic cable is connected directly to the home or business without the use of any copper telephone lines at all.
Fiber: The Pros and Cons over DSL and Cable
The mechanism by which DSL internet operates involves utilizing copper phone lines for data transmission, and as such, an active phone line is necessary for access to that service. Cable internet uses the same infrastructure as the Cable Television hence using the Coaxial cables. It does not need phone line also which is another advantage. Traditional copper wire Internet on the other hand carries data signals through regular wires, while fiber optic Internet sends data in form of light pulses through its own set of fiber optic cables, offering faster symmetrical speeds and less lag.
Since telephone service is not being offered through a fiber optic internet connection, there is no provision for an active phone line. The fiber line provides the internet connection directly without physically connecting or interfacing with any telephone system. Just even the most basic bundled phone service from a fiber provider is VoIP and is not the legacy PSTN service.
Is a Landline Necessary and If So Do I Have to Pay for It?
Only a few fiber and digital subscriber line providers may demand a phone line but it is not necessarily utilized for the purpose of making a call. This is however less common with fiber installations However[,] this is increasingly rare. It is for this reason that sometimes there is no requirement for a copper phone line to be laid down at all especially where fiber is being laid down for the first time.
There could be exceptions wherein a provider may need an active phone line in order to provision fiber telephone service but this does not have to be an actively billed telephone line. They may be able to provide the inactive line to connect fiber equipment for installation and check on verifications and certification without incurring monthly phone costs. With fiber networks extending their reach further, not even this is seen as a necessity anymore.
Again, like using fiber without having to sign up for phone service with AT&T.
More importantly, the message conveyed and understood is that fiber optic internet transmits data in the form of light signals through dedicated fibers. In terms of connectivity it operates without relying on telephone networks. As there are no other traditional telephone lines using fiber internet for reliability or speed, there is no reason to pay a monthly fee for the phone line usage just to get a working internet. There is no impact on connectivity and performance as the fiber line takes full responsibility in this regard.
FTTH or Fiber to the home service is one that offers extremely high bandwidth with reliability that is rock solid. Through its ability to transport information in the form of light using the flexible glass fibers, it eliminated issues related to the capacity and weakness of copper cables. This is what made the idea of fiber optic internet connectivity was shift to be the preferred standard by removing the reliance on shared telephone infrastructure. If telephone line was necessary then majority of the technologies available with fiber internet over DSL or cable connection will be lost.
With fiber networks growing to reach more premises to offer symmetrical speeds in the multiple gigabits with latency, needing a phone line is a thing of the past. This is in light of the fact that the fiber line supporting the Internet speed and dependability is consistently maintained while phone line access is an unneeded addition. To those who are asking whether one has to subscribe or continue having phone service in order to get functional fiber internet, the answer is no.
Telecommunications using fiber internet is a more advanced connection than telephones without the need to require or charge for telephone line access.
Read More:
How many Ethernet ports does ATT fiber have?
Is it worth switching to AT&T fiber?
How does AT&T get fiber to your house?
Can you install ATT fiber yourself?
Why is my AT&T fiber internet so slow?
