Fibre internet: how it works and how to tell if you have it in your home
Fibre internet is today the technological benchmark to which providers and the regulator refer, it achieves the highest and most stable speeds and forms the backbone of what is called a very high capacity network (detailed in article What is VHCN). However, not every "fibre" offer means the same thing, and not every address where a fibre cable runs down the street actually has a fibre connection installed in the flat.
FTTH and FTTB, what is the difference
Both abbreviations describe exactly where the optical fibre physically reaches:
- FTTH (Fiber to the Home) - the fibre optic cable runs all the way into the flat or house. The final metres to the customer remain fibre, with no other type of cable involved.
- FTTB (Fiber to the Building) - fibre terminates in the technical room or distribution cabinet in the building (typically for apartment blocks) and the final section to individual flats is handled by a metallic distribution, most commonly an Ethernet cable in the building network.
For the average user, the practical difference is small - both options allow high speeds. The main difference lies in who manages the building's distribution and how easily it can be managed, as well as how easy it will be to switch to another internet provider in the future if a single specific company operates the building's distribution.
Why fibre is classified as VHCN networks
Very High Capacity Networks (VHCN) are defined by European and Czech legislation as networks that are either entirely optical up to the distribution point at the customer's premises, or achieve comparable parameters. Fibre connections practically always meet this definition, which is why a VHCN badge appears for them in the catalogue. More about what the badge means and why it is relevant for decision-making is described in a separate article on VHCN.
How to find out if fibre is available right where you are
The presence of a fibre cable in the street does not necessarily mean that a connection has been installed to your premises or that it can be ordered without further modifications. The most reliable way to check actual availability at a specific address is directly from the source by entering the address into the search on katalogisp.cz. The result is based on records from the Czech Telecommunication Office (ČTÚ) and shows all internet providers at that address, including the technology they offer, so you can immediately see if fibre is among them. A complete overview of fibre and other providers by region can be found in the provider catalogue.
What to ask the internet provider
- Is the offered connection FTTH, or FTTB with metallic cabling in the building?
- Is installation free, or should you expect a one-off fee?
- What is the guaranteed minimum speed, not just the "up to" speed? What these figures mean is explained in the article Internet speed: what do the numbers in offers mean.
- Who owns the building distribution system, if it is an apartment building?
How installation takes place
If fibre is recorded as available at an address, this usually does not yet mean that the connection has been physically installed all the way to the flat - in new areas or buildings where no one has used fibre so far, a technician will first survey the route and only then lay the cable. For apartment blocks, it is also determined whether a building fibre distribution (FTTB) already exists or whether a new one is being built. The installation date and any necessary construction work (drilling, pulling the cable through conduit) are agreed individually and may take longer than is usual for connections to an existing metallic network.
Open networks and multiple providers on one fibre connection
Some operators of fibre infrastructure build the network as a wholesale and open one for other internet providers, the physical cable to the house is then just one, but more brands can offer services on it. In practice this means that on the same fibre connection there may be a choice of several providers, even though technically it is the same network. This is another reason why it pays to check availability directly via address search and not settle for the first offer you come across.
When fibre does not make sense
In sparsely populated areas and at chalets or cottages, building a fibre connection is often not cost-effective - the costs of laying cable to a single address point are high and a connection will not reach these places in the foreseeable future. For such locations there are alternative technologies, which are covered in a separate article Internet for chalets and cottages: what really works.
Summary
Fibre is today the highest available standard for fixed-line internet, but its actual presence at an address can only be verified in one way - by checking the specific address, not by estimating based on what runs along the street. Those looking for a systematic approach to selection across technologies will find it in the article How to choose an internet provider.