WHAT IS FIBER-OPTIC CABLE?

Don’t settle for low-quality wireless alternatives! 5G wireless is not a real substitute for real Fiber Internet, no matter what the big cell phone companies promise in the marketing emails! Fiber is the future of communications technology. Fiber optic cable contains strands of optically pure glass, thinner than a human hair, which carry digital information over long distances. Digital signals are sent as pulses of light down the glass fibers, without interference or limitation. This digital transport system is faster, clearer, more reliable, and will give you the bandwidth to access the digital communications services of the future, and today’s IP-based broadband apps such as digital streaming TV , VOIP, video conferencing, home security systems, remote appliance management, and residential internet speeds up to 1 Gig per second.

To see details on current pricing for fiber to the home broadband internet service,click here.

Fiber Technology and Your Future

Did you know that right here in Eagle Mountain, Direct Communications has built the most robust, versatile, state-of-the-art, network in Utah? Ever since we acquired Eagle Mountains’ municipally-owned telecommunications network in 2006, we began laying fiber optic cable to new homes, built new redundant fiber optic routes to connect to all the major carriers nationwide, and installed the latest, most advanced electronic equipment throughout the valley. If you are not with Direct Communications, your local broadband company, you are missing out on being part of the best broadband network in the state.

Over the past 10 years, we have steadily been upgrading all older neighborhoods that were previously on copper, to fiber. We followed our plan to build fiber to every remaining home in the city. This was be an enormous project, requiring millions in investment dollars, but we felt that each person in Eagle Mountain deserves fiber to the home, despite the current federal government’s objections to remote areas having better networks than the larger urban centers. In 2018 we finally completed the multi-year project of upgrading the entire city from old copper to all new fiber-to-the-home.

Kip Wilson – General Manager, Direct Communications

This is our community too, and we are committed to ensuring the economic vibrancy of Eagle Mountain, and a great quality of life for all of our neighbors. The time is coming when there will be large economic opportunity gap between those who have fiber optic cable to their homes, and those without. We want you to be on the right side of that gap–the fiber haves. Having access to unlimited broadband is the future to economic development and personal educational opportunity, and very soon, each home that wants to be part of the global information economy will probably require minimum speeds of 1000 Mbps. Fiber is essential. Fiber is the future.

This build was unprecedented along the Wasatch Front, especially since all public utilities are required to be buried in Eagle Mountain, so bringing fiber to every last home required thousands of underground bores, but we are thrilled to have accomplished this with your support.

Kip Wilson
General Manager, Direct Communications

See a Fiber vs Wireless Comparison

The Fiber Optic Advantages Are Clear

Fiber means freedom from contracts and freedom from outages and slow, unreliable Internet.

SPEED
The fastest connection speed known to man – up into the gigabits. We currently offer an unmatched 10 Gig symmetrical speed to our commercial customers, and a 2 Gig offering to residential customers.
RELIABILITY
Fiber to the home uses a pure ethernet connection back to your ISP, without needing intermediate equipment like a modem. This results in a much more stable, reliable service, which means no downtime for you. Fiber to the home virutally eliminates most equipment issues, and downtime typically experienced by internet subscribers.
UNLIMITED BANDWIDTH
Unlimited carrying capacity means NO CAPS. The bandwidth, like speed is only limited by the processing power of the electronics on each end of the fiber. We will never cap your data usage, or throttle your speeds. Stream as much video as you like without ever worrying about overages.
DISTANCE
Unlike copper, there is no resistance in the fiber optic cable, so the signal can travel much further distances. This means we can now serve even the most remote customers in our rural areas.
LESS INTERFERENCE
Because it is literally light being transmitted, there is no interference from electromagnetic noise such as radios, motors, power lines, or other nearby cables. This means a clearer signal and better broadband connection for you. Even lighting strikes, which can be transmitted by copper cabling, are not transmitted by fiber-optic cable.
LESS MAINTENANCE
Fiber optic cables costs less to maintain than traditional copper lines, saving us all time and money.

Don’t choose a wireless ISP if you have fiber to our home!

Using a wireless ISP when you have fiber to your home is like: (see comments from your neighbors in Eagle Mountain)

Frequently asked questions:
Fiber-To-The-Home Technology

How will a fiber connection improve my life?
Faster Speeds. Increased Reliability. Unlimited bandwidth. This is the most advanced method on the planet to deliver high-speed internet. Fiber is a great economic leveler for rural residents. Your home will have the same advanced connectivity as the most high-tech building in any major financial district in the world. Imagine a world where you can stream HD video to as many devices simultaneously as you want to without any buffering. Imagine a world where your internet service never goes down, and you never have to waste time calling tech support. This perfect connection can be yours with fiber optic cable. The fiber line running to your home from the main cable contains just a few strands of fiber, but those strands could theoretically carry all the information in the Western USA. We have the ability to provide up to 1 Gig per second to each home in the network. Fiber-optic cable carries an all-digital signal, and is better suited to today’s digital communication devices. Fiber optics are the future of communications, because both copper and wireless will eventually max out on the bandwidth people will require. Eventually, all media will be delivered as internet data. You will be ready for that future.

1 Gig Fiber Optic Speeds now available.

Do I need a modem with Fiber-to-the-home internet service?
No. Your fiber connection does not require a modem. Just plug your computer network cable directly into our optical network device, (ONT) mounted on the outside of your home, and you will be instantly connected directly to our network via pure ethernet.

Does my home need to be wired differently to take advantage of fiber-to-the-home?
No. 99% of the newer homes in Eagle Mountain were originally wired with Cat5 network cable, and were built with a future internal Ethernet network in mind. We will simply connect our optical network equipment to an Ethernet jack or router inside your home, at a location of your choice.

Is a fiber network more expensive to build than copper?
The price of fiber optic cable is now comparable to copper. The real expense with fiber is in the advanced electronics. The ONT (optical network device) that fits onto the outside of the home, is very expensive, because it’s a far more sophisticated system than the old copper devices. However, there is less maintenance required on a fiber network than copper, so over the years, it will save us, and our customers, a lot of money.

Will I be charged for the installation of fiber to my home?
No. We cover the full cost of the construction of the fiber and installing the new equipment on your home to connect the fiber.

How is fiber optic cable installed?
First, we bore, or plow in plastic conduit underground, which is a good method because it has very little environmental impact. We then blow the fiber optic cable through the conduit using compressed air moving at very high speeds. The high-velocity air flow causes the cable to float, and that way we can feed it through very easily. Where the fiber needs to be spliced to serve homes, we put in handholds, or buried manholes with loops of fiber, where we can branch off and pick up those new homes in the future.

Why a buried fiber network?
Buried networks are all about Reliability, Reliability, Reliability! You can count on your fiber conenction to work, from fire, to blizzard, to windstorm. Directcom’s fiber network is 100% buried—no wireless backhauls or downed lines to worry about. In the recent wildfires that damaged or wiped out many other providers communications lines, Direct Communications was unaffected since all of our fiber network is safely buried.

Will Fiber increase the Value of my home?
Fiber to the home could increase the value of your home by as much as $5,000, according to the Fiber-to-the-Home Council. Our investment in your home means more money in your pocket. More importantly, fiber to your home means a higher quality of life for you in this digital information age, where so much of what we do to enrich our lives has moved online. More internet speed means more fun.
Fiber will also naturally lead to more economic development in your areas due to the advanced technology and internet commerce opportunities available in the area. This is especially important in remote areas, where a gap has traditionally existed in diverse economic opportunities—but in our new information economy—fiber puts us all on the same footing.

Will fiber increase my monthly rate?
No. Your fiber upgrade will not increase your Internet or telephone rates, unless a customer chooses to upgrade their features or speed.

Will getting fiber to my home disturb my yard or property?
Though we may sometimes be required to dig across your yard to bury a new fiber line, our goal is to treat your property as if it were our own. Often, we will have buried conduit already in place. We will be always strive to promptly restore your property to a condition as close to original as possible. However, homeowners should also understand that your lot came with legal easements registered to each home, for power, water and communications, and anything planted or built over these easements will always be in danger of being disturbed or removed by any public utility companies.

Will new equipment be installed at my home?
Yes. The old Network Interface Device (NID) you currently have will be replaced by a slightly larger Optical Network Terminal (ONT). The ONT coverts the optical signal to Ethernet. This unit will also contain the power supply and battery back up for the electronics. The ONT requires electricity. Since fiber cannot carry an electric power charge like copper used to, a battery back-up is required to power your phone service in the event of a general power outage. This battery is designed to last for 8 or more hours, depending on phone usage. Typically, the electronics use .001 kwh per month.

What should I expect during the upgrade?
Although we began several years ago laying the necessary main conduit to each neighborhood, this last phase involves placing fiber or conduit all the way to your home. We will be making our way door to door to do a site survey and to let you know when your fiber connection is ready for service. We will only install an ONT and battery box once you order fiber optic service. When everything is in place, we will need to schedule an appointment with you for the final hookup to the network inside your home. We will need an adult present at that time.
Why Are Some Homes In Eagle Mountain Still On Copper Instead Of Fiber?
Since 2006, we have upgraded over half of the older subdivisions from copper to fiber; however, due to simple budget constraints, we cannot run it to everyone at once. Over the past few years, Directcom has been able to upgrade about 300 older homes a year to fiber, while at the same time kept up with fiber construction to all new subdivisions. The short answer to why we still have homes left to upgrade from copper to fiber is simply: money, and the sheer cost of the citywide upgrade. We just can’t get our hands on the huge amount of money needed to do all the upgrades at once. Read the full answer…