A fiber optic cable is a data-transmission medium that uses light signals instead of electricity to transfer information. It consists of glass or plastic fibers surrounded by cladding, buffer, and protective layers. Researchers at Bell Labs have reached a record bandwidth–distance product of over 100 petabit × kilometers per second using fiber-optic communication. Optic cables are commonly found in a variety of applications such as the internet and broadband, phone lines, networking, and telecommunications. They can save space compared to bulkier traditional cabling. This fundamental difference is why it's so fast and efficient. Optical fiber provides a secure communication infrastructure that is resistant to electromagnetic interference, eavesdropping. Fiber optics, which is the science of light transmission through very fine glass or plastic fibers, continues to be used in more and more applications due to its inherent advantages over copper conductors. In traditional copper wiring, electrical signals degrade over distance, leading to slow transmission speeds.
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