Is Coax Obsolete?
By: Bob Reiss
Not all cabling is created equal.
While Fiber optic and Ethernet cabling have been a mainstay for new developments and rewires in multifamily, coax is more prevalent in existing communities across the country. Due to its wide availability and potential for upgrades, coax still has its place.
Fiber optic is decisively the fastest – with capabilities of 100 Gbps (100,000 Mbps) depending on your location/network and devices/equipment. Ethernet by comparison may provide 10 Gbps and is widely used in managed Wi-Fi deployments today. Despite these capabilities Service Providers generally offer consumers, your residents, 1-2 Gbps options today.
Coax provides similar access to 1-2 Gbps internet service, and the expectation is continued enhancement as the marketplace demands. In fact, some providers have already done market testing of symmetrical multi-gig and 6 Gbps speeds as early as Q4 2022 using coax cable. There’s clearly good economic reasons to maintain and upgrade coax systems and invest in new technology like DOCSIS 4.0+, Managed Wi-Fi leveraging coax to reduce capex, and other Hybrid-Fiber-Coax solutions.
- Coax has by far the largest market share, being the most common home run wire type in existing communities.
- Leveraging existing coax for Managed Wi-Fi and other deployments […]