Fiber InternetCompare Fiber Internet & TV Packages

Fiber optic is a type of internet connection that travels over cables housing thin optical fibers. Traveling at 31% the speed of light, fiber is capable of delivering top speeds of 1-2 Gbps. That's fast enough to allow you to download an HD movie in 10 seconds. 

Fiber technology has been widely implemented in places like South Korea and Australia, and is gradually making its way into certain U.S. markets, with providers like Google Fiber, Verizon Fios and AT&T leading the way. 

While fiber internet is a great upgrade, regular users may not notice the difference from high-speed cable, which is capable of delivering near fiber-like speed in some cases. That said, homes and offices with multiple, heavy internet users will appreciate fiber's reliably fast connection. 

Fiber internet is available in select areas and to certain homes; if you live in an area covered by a provider who lays fiber cables to homes not already routed for it, you're in luck; Xfinity is one such provider. The other way to get this technology is if the ISP in your area decides to upgrade their cable network to fiber. 

Want fiber internet for your home, but unsure which, if any, companies provide the service to your area? WhistleOut is here to help. 

Our address lookup feature, part of our internet plan comparison engine, lets you see which fiber internet providers are available at your specific address. All you have to do is type in your street, city and zip code, click "Search," and filter the subsequent results page by "fiber." You can also do this in the box at the top of this page. 

According to Broadband Now, the four biggest fiber internet service providers in the U.S. are Verizon Fios, AT&T, Frontier and CenturyLink, respectively. 

Your best chance of getting this technology to your home is if your area's provider upgrades its cable network to fiber. Xfinity is the only company on our site that will actually install fiber to homes without it (for a $1,000 fee). 

There are two types of fiber installation: FTTP, or fiber to the premises, and FTTN, or fiber to the node. 

FTTP involves technicians running fiber optic cable directly to your home. FTTN is where fiber cable is terminated at a hub near your home, and the final distance to your house is run with traditional cable. 

For FTTP-installed fiber service, you'll need to buy or rent a fiber-specific modem. By contrast, traditional cable modems will work for FTTN service. 

Installation costs for fiber internet vary. Some providers charge around $100 for it, generally in line with the fees for other types of internet installation. However, others charge significant prices to lay new fiber service to homes that don't have it; Xfinity, for example, requires an $1,000 for this. 

If getting the absolute fastest internet possible is important to you, you may decide the high upfront costs often associated with fiber installation are worth it. Others who balk at these costs may conclude that cable internet gives them what they need speed and price-wise.