ADSL or fiber: what differences between Internet access technologies

To respond to these two issues, fiber optics has been retained as a solution. This technology indeed offers several advantages, namely a fairly simple operation and advantages are numerous. Light having the highest speed of spread, it was only limit the attenuation effect. To do this, the fiber optic cables meet a specific specifications. Even on lines of several kilometers, the fiber optic cables allow you to keep an excellent bandwidth and the most efficient flows.

ADSL or fiber: what difference between these internet technologies and which to choose ?

You wish to take out an internet subscription ? ADSL and optical fiber are the two most present Internet access technologies in French households in 2023. They represent 90% of the Internet connections established in France. The differences between the ADSL and the fiber reside in their operation, their performance, their price or their installation mode. JeChange Compares for you adsl and fiber to clarify what differentiates them and thus better guide you in your choice.

Compare Internet Fiber and ADSL offers

• The essential
• L’ADSL and the optical fiber are both Internet technologies which concentrate the greatest number of users in France.
• Fiber connection is up to 100 times faster that that in ADSL.
• The progression of Fiber deployment is dizzying, with a gain of a million new subscribers each quarter, while that of the ADSL declines.
• The promo prices of the first year of subscriptions subscribed in ADSL are the same as for fiber. There price difference between ADSL and fiber appears from the second year in most offers.

ADSL or fiber: two unique technologies

What is the ADSL ?

L’ADSL (Asymetric Digital Subscriber Line: Asymmetrical digital subscriber line) is a technology that transmits high -speed digital data using the telephone lines of the telephone lines Historic copper network, deployed in the 1970s in France. Its development in the 2000s marked a turning point popularizing broadband Internet in France, with a multiplication of flows.

There ADSL connection is rather stable, although its speed varies depending on the distance between your home and the telephone central. ADSL technology is subject toline weakening, That is to say that the longer a copper cable, the more power it loses, the more low the subscriber’s connection is low.

THE ADSL flow can reach 50 Mbit/s on reception. The amount and descendant flow rates are asymmetrical, So unequal. Faced with the ultra-fast evolution of the fiber, the copper network which supports the ADSL is led to disappear by the end of this decade. In the meantime, the main access providers, such as Bouygues, SFR, Orange, Free, Sosh Or Red by SFR, continue to offer Fixed internet offers in ADSL.

What is optical fiber ?

There optical fiber is a new technology completely independent of the telephone network which, unlike the ADSL, does not use pairs of copper wires, but uses for its lines glass son or plastic to ensure data transmission in the form of light. Its unique infrastructure requires new facilities, unlike ADSL.

Fiber flows generally oscillate Between 300 Mbit/s and and 8 Gbit/s. They are symmetrical, therefore downward and amount speed are identical. Of the very good, even excellent speeds, which allow you to surf the internet, watch videos, download movies, watch streaming series and enjoy online games without delay.

In a few years, the fiber has become the Very high speed standard, even going to exceed the ADSL in number of subscriptions identified on France. As announced by theArcep, The telecoms regulator, in its electronic communications observatory published in the first quarter of 2022, 14.5 million access to fiber optics are recorded at the end of 2021, against 14.4 million active access in ADSL. This tilting is explained in particular by theProgressive abandonment of ADSL technology by operators, for the benefit of end -to -end fiber (FTTH) by French users.

Towards the end of the ADSL and the beginning of the era of “all fiber” ? The postponement of high speed ADSL subscriptions to very high speed fiber combines with the Programmed end of the ADSL by 2030. As a result of this roadmap, all of the French households must be connectable to fiber by 2025.

ADSL vs fiber comparison: differences

There are differences between the ADSL and the fiber which are essentially of the order:

Connection speed comparison: Adsl vs fiber flow

Beyond the intrinsic difference between the two technologies in their operation, the first factor to take into account when it comes to talking about the differences between ADSL and fiber is the Speed. It is a fact: the fiber exceeds the ADSL in terms of connection speed. The figures are telling: according to official tests carried out by NPERF, the ADSL reached up to 50 Mbit/s in data receipt (70 Mbit/s in VDSL), while the majority of fiber boxes offer flows going beyond. d ‘1 Gbit/s download ! Obviously, Internet browsing is much faster in fiber than ADSL. To notice it, a debit test is an adequate tool to measure the performance of fiber and ADSL, and thus confirm their differences and the gap that separates them.

Is there a price difference between ADSL and fiber ?

There price difference between ADSL and fiber should not be overlooked, especially when the price is an essential criterion for customers when having to choose an internet offer. Internet access providers (ISP) offer box packages with or without commitment with a promotional price the first year subscription. This first year of internet subscription, you pay it to the same as you have subscribed to a fiber box or an adsl box. The time of promotion, for a year, the fiber is as economical, even cheaper, as ADSL.

It is only from the second year of your subscription that fiber costs more than ADSL. The price difference between the ADSL and the fiber is From 4 to 5 euros on average. Some operators, like Free Or Red by SFR, have made the choice to harmonize their fiber and ADSL offers by selling them to the same price.

To explain this price difference, the fiber being therefore a little more expensive than the ADSL, it is good to remember that the Optical fiber technology offer to the customer a unrivaled level of performance on which the ADSL is not able to align itself, whether with regard to flows or network stability. According to the budget that you want to allocate your internet subscription every month and your needs In terms of internet connection, the important thing is to take time to Compare the different offers operators, both in ADSL and fiber.

ADSL vs fiber: price differences after the first year of promotion

Internet	ADSL price after promo	Fiber after promo	Delta Prix Adsl vs fiber
Orange Livebox	€ 38.99/month	€ 42.99/month	Fiber: 4 € + Cher
Bbox Fit Bouygues	€ 27.99/month	€ 31.99/month	Fiber: 4 € + Cher
Sosh box	€ 20.99/month	€ 30.99/month	Fiber: 10 € + Cher
Red Box (Red by SFR)	€ 18.99/month	€ 29.99/month	Fiber: 11 € + Cher
SFR Starter box	€ 34.99/month	€ 34.99/month	No price change
Freebox Revolution Free	€ 44.99/month	€ 44.99/month	No price change

Non -exhaustive selection of adsl and fiber offers in France.

The differences in connection between the ADSL and the fiber

L’Installation of an ADSL modem is different from theFiber installation Since it only consists in reuse of existing copper lines, which has always been used for making fixed telephony. Finally, just connect the box to one of these lines via a outlet RJ45 compatible. The presence of a technician is not necessary; The customer can perform in total autonomy connection of the modem to the sector, the cables and adapters being provided by the operator.

On the other hand, the fiber connection the most common, that is to say Fiber to the Home (FTTH) is more complex and requires a complete installation by the technician. The infrastructure of the fiber network has nothing to do with that of the ADSL network. To connect the fiber signal to the end customer box, a fiber optic is necessary. L’Intervention of a technician is, in this case, compulsory. It lasts on average 3 hours. To put it simply, the technician goes to pooling point, installed when the fiber deployed in the customer’s municipality, to leave a cable that passes through the Optical connection point intermediary before completing your route to the fiber housing.

Fiber installation costs unlike ADSL connection, the installation of the fiber causes costs which vary depending on the operator and the rejected connection mode (air or underground). Good to know: the operator Free Takes the price at his expense so that they come back to you free.

How to know if you are eligible for fiber or ADSL ?

Make an eligibility test

ADSL or fiber ? You wonder what technology is available at your home ? To check your Fiber and/or ADSL eligibility, Just do it Eligibility test which is displayed below:

Fiber or ADSL eligibility test ! Which internet subscription can I subscribe to my accommodation ?
Simple, fast and free test.

Just enter your address, Select it from the drop-down list and click the button “Test“To start the test. You know with one click if you are eligible fiber or are not. If so and that you were so far connected in ADSL at home, you can quite consider going to a higher connection speed, and therefore to an optimal user experience, by terminating your current ADSL offer to take out a new fiber offer optical.

VDSL, a good alternative to fiber ?

If you are not eligible for fiber, a good alternative Even more efficient than ADSL is the VDSL (Very High-Speed ​​Digital Subscriber Line: digital transmission line at very high speed). This technology is able to offer a higher flow than ADSL, It is often assimilated to the improved version of the ADSL. VDSL or fiber, The difference is however marked and it is the fiber that is faster than VDSL. When fiber is not yet available in your town, VDSL is a solution to consider.

You wish to take out an internet subscription ? 01 86 26 53 94

Should we go to fiber or stay in ADSL ?

The questions you need to ask yourself to find out whether it is wise to go to fiber or stay in ADSL are: what use do you make on the internet and what are your habits. If you are a user Ultra-connected to the Internet who needs a powerful flow In order not to saturate the bandwidth with video streaming, online multiplayer games or a professional situation requiring telework, the fiber is recommendable. But if your use is more occasional, that you are satisfied with a delicious flow And that you surf on the net especially for summary tasks such as consult your emails or simply navigate Google, the ADSL can easily support this type of activities and provide you with sufficient connection. Note: users who live in areas where fiber has not yet been deployed have no choice: they must stay in adsl While waiting for the fiber connection of their neighborhood or village. ADSL is moreover more accessible than fiber in rural areas, taking advantage of the incomplete expansion of the fiber throughout the territory. And of course, 4G box And Internet by satellite are other possible options in a case of Fiber non-eligibility.

Can I keep/have the ADSL if my accommodation is connected to the fiber ?
If your home is eligible for fiber but you want to keep your ADSL subscription, you are 100% in your right to refuse fiber. If you move or decide to change your offer, you have no choice between the two technologies and the fiber is compulsory in accommodation eligible for free, orange or sfr fiber (except Bouygues which allows you to take out an ADSL offer despite your fiber eligibility).

Comparison of adsl and fiber offers

• THE Maximum flow rates damage
• The panel of Services included (with or without TV notably)
• THE subscription price
• L’commitment, If the offer commits you for a certain period or not

SFR, Bouygues, Orange, Free, but also low cost operators such as Red by SFR And Sosh, offer offers Dual Play, triple play and even quadruple play, or different services seeking to suit the greatest number. Once your eligibility for the fiber has been confirmed, all you have to do is Subscribe an internet offer with a fiber box. OUR Jchange comparator can help you: it lists the current Internet promotions and compares the offers of Best Internet operators from the moment.

Here is an overview of the fiber and ADSL offers which are currently available on the market according to the eligibility of each. Cheap, middle and high -end internet box. The offers are varied !

ADSL or fiber: what differences between Internet access technologies ?

In 1996, only 100,000 homes had an internet connection. This number has More than quintuplely in just 2 years to reach half a million during 1998. The democratization of internet access has been fastest, so much so that the Internet is an integral part of everyday life. Two technologies are also largely present to ensure the connection of French foci to the Internet.

The two flagship technologies to benefit from the internet through the fixed network are:

• the DSL, which is distinguished between ADSL and VDSL;
• optical fiber, which is also available in several endings depending on the accommodation.

The technical differences between ADSL and optical fiber.

The most common Internet access technology today is still the XDSL. This technology can be separated in two: ADSL and VDSL. The functioning of the two is similar but differences exist and their consequences are notable. The most important is the debit gap that it is possible to see. With an average of A 20 Mbits/s ceiling for ADSL, The difference is size with the second XDSL technology. The potential is indeed 70 Mbits/s with VDSL.

Also note that fiber optics is distinguished via much higher performance. The theoretical flow is indeed 1 GB/s for many offers. This represents the potential of the ADSL more than 10 times.

ADSL, a technology still largely represented ?

In December 2019, nearly 18.8 million dwellings were still benefited from internet access via ADSL (compared to 22.3 million at the same period in 2016). This reduction in housing benefiting from the Internet via broadband (3.5 million less) is explained in particular by the increase in the share of housing eligible for very high speed. The latter are indeed experiencing significant increase with, at the end of 2019, no less than 10.6 million dwellings eligible for THD. If the ADSL seems to have already had its time, it is therefore clear that technology offering broadband still has a bright future ahead.

XDSL type technologies: how it works ?

The basic principle of the functioning of the ADSL and the VDSL alone explains the clear and rapid predominance of this technology. The major asset of the XDSL is indeed thatThere was no line to build, Copper loops of France Telecom telephone lines being used to develop the XDSL network. This is a decisive point which explains the speed with which the high -speed fixed internet network has developed. Return, in more detail, on the operation of these broadband technologies.

ADSL, technology to access high speed Internet

For ADSL, the operating principle is relatively simple. This network uses the infrastructure already in place, namely the copper copper loops. The waves that transmit information circulate along the cable line according to a certain frequency range. However, telephone communications only use a small part of this frequency range. In this case, this is the lowest part. Thus, the highest frequencies could be used to transmit other information. This is why it is necessary to Have an ADSL filter with this connection.

What should be known about the ADSL filter for broadband offers ?

• The filter separates telephone information from information related to the Internet.
• The ADSL filter was to be placed directly on the telephone socket, and is now integrated into the boxes themselves.

The ADSL filtra allows you to separate telephone data from internet information. This system has allowed the transmission of many data types. Thanks to ADSL, digital has notably gained a much larger scale and has asserted itself as essential in many accommodation.

Some consequences of the emergence of broadband:

• Obsolescence of the old television antennas;
• use of television as well as telephony via the Internet.

The arrival of fiber optic is only supporting this phenomenon today. By its functioning and the very principle of technology, ADSL suffers from an attenuation effect. This means that on the one hand, the flow is necessarily capped, and on the other hand, It decreases over the line. Note that all types of waves are more subjected to attenuation effect. To limit this phenomenon, ADSL has been perfected several times. Thus were born the ADSL2+, then the VDSL.

Also read the best broadband internet boxes via ADSL

VDSL: transition to very high speed

While with the various improvements of which it took advantage of the ADSL, in its ADSL2+version, could not offer more than 20 Mbits/s, VDSL has changed the situation. Today, internet service providers offer a VDSL declination in all their adsl offers for eligible accommodation. This is possible simply because Basic technology is the same : Copper loops.

This improved ADSL version made it possible to:

• At first, flows up to 50 Mbits/s;
• Today, a potential of 70 to 80 Mbits/s announced by the ISPs, for a maximum theoretical flow of 100 Mbits/s.

To be usable, VDSL requires the presence of a distributor installed at the base of the network used, as well as a modem connected to each telephone socket used via an RJ45 socket, also called Ethernet socket.

If VDSL is a very clear improvement in ADSL, Its use is still limited to the use of the uses that have developed in recent years. This is all the more the case insofar as the phenomenon of attenuation, if it has been faded, remains real. To enjoy the full potential of VDSL lines, it is thus imperative to’’be less than a certain distance from the DSLAM.

What to know about the DSLAM:

• This is the installation that allows telephone lines to provide Internet access service;
• This installation links the ISP, and various lines are connected to it;
• With the first version of the VDSL; You had to be less than 1 kilometer from the DSLAM;
• With VDSL2, it is up to 3.5 kilometers from the DSLAM that the quality of the connection can be reinforced;

If the distance on which the increase in flow has been brought to three kilometers, it is always on the first two kilometers that the difference between the VDSL2 and the ADSL2+ is the clearest, and the most interesting. Enough to make access to very high speed available only for a limited number of subscribers.

Read also carry out a debit test to assess the quality of its internet line

Optical fiber and the democratization of very high speed

As mentioned above, the deployment of the ADSL and VDSL network was relatively rapid due to the use of local loops and copper lines. However, it is different for the deployment of optical fiber, whose staggering site cannot rest on an already existing network. Before looking more at technology allowing access to very high speed, it is advisable to dwell on its specificities.

When it comes to very high speed, you should know that:

• This appellation is limited to connections greater than 30 Mbits/s;
• This threshold has been set by many European organizations as well as ARCEP, the reference authority for telecoms in France.

The very high speed France plan

Today, the very high speed plan aims to democratize the THD as much as possible throughout the country. The objective is to make very high speed accessible to all By the horizon 2022. To do this, VDSL is a technology available. However, its limitation requires the need for another technology: fiber optics. Note also that, faced with the magnitude of the task, mobile networks are also used, in particular through the 4G boxes of operators.

Optical fiber: a new technology to replace copper curls

There is at least a common point between fiber optics and adsl. The two technologies use waves propagated in cables. However, with optical fiber, There is no longer any question of using copper loops in place. On the contrary, the idea is rather, ultimately, to replace them. One of the major defects in copper loops, the attenuation effect means that through copper lines the waves are spreading less and less on the distance.

To improve Internet connections, the initial idea is as follows:

• transmit waves faster;
• Limit or even remove the phenomenon of attenuation.

To respond to these two issues, fiber optics has been retained as a solution. This technology indeed offers several advantages, namely a fairly simple operation and advantages are numerous. Light having the highest speed of spread, it was only limit the attenuation effect. To do this, the fiber optic cables meet a specific specifications. Even on lines of several kilometers, the fiber optic cables allow you to keep an excellent bandwidth and the most efficient flows.

The manufacture of a cable involves many steps in order to protect the heart of it, which ensures the transmission;

• The heart is surrounded by a sheath;
• Is the sheath even overlooked by a protective cable.

In order to give an idea of ​​the performances performed, and achievable, The current debit record, in the laboratory, and 1 petabits/s. 1 peta corresponds to 1000 teras, which correspond to 1000 gigas. This corresponds to 125,000 GB per second. For our daily uses, it goes without saying that the ceiling of 1 Gbit/s – 125 MB/s – operators is more than sufficient. As a reminder, 1 byte is worth 8 bits.

The deployment of optical fiber in France via the France THD plan.

FTTH and FTTB: the deployment of optical fiber and so -called coaxial fiber

In the same way as the family of XDSL technologies, fiber optics a relatively generic term which covers various realities. There are many abbreviations to refer to fiber optics depending on the method of connecting technology. Among the different acronyms, the two most common abbreviations, namely FTTH and FTTB, each refer to very different situations.

FFTH connection is a connection mode to Optical fiber to home, or fiber to the home. Today is technology that is the most widely highlighted by operators. To take advantage of it, a technician must connect the accommodation concerned with the fiber housing of the building, or associated with the accommodation. This connection is reflected in The deployment of an optical cable from said box to a second case placed in the very accommodation.

The constraint of the placement of the box is reduced, since it is possible to place the case in question on the location of your choice. However, pay attention to cables and practical placement. Note that the FTTH allows Take advantage of all the power of fiber optics, And therefore the best speeds, up to 1 Gbits/s, according to FAI offers.

The technology that we designate by the acronym FTTB is a less restrictive variant for installation, but also less powerful. As its name indicates, Fiber to the Building, it is the fiber installed at the foot of the building. This technology has been used a lot to connect accommodation more easily, before the democratization of FTTH. However, where the FTTH is not available, The FTTB remains proposed and deployed by some FAI, Although this is less and less the case.

This time, there is no question of using optical cables to link the accommodation and the fiber optic network itself. The last meters are thus covered, most often, by coaxial cables, namely television and telephony cables. Fact, The problem of attenuation resurfaces, But on a much lower scale. For current uses, the FTTB is therefore more than enough.

Also read the difference between FTTH and FTTLA fiber

ADSL or optical fiber: accessibility, price how to choose ?

The question of the choice to be made is not really a. If accommodation is eligible for optical fiber, the Internet access provider does not allow, except in special cases, to benefit from another technology. From a purely technical point of view, fiber optics offers the advantage of being Much faster and more stable. Beyond technical differences, it is above all the practical advantages that must be observed.

The interest of a fiber optic internet box is found in the quality of the flow and stability of the connection. For a user with a good VDSL box already ensuring access to very high speed, fiber optics is not necessarily useful. Regarding the holder of an ADSL subscription, having very high speed can however allow access to clearly higher user comfort.

For an individual, what is the point of preferring optical fiber ?

• An ADSL connection quickly shows its limits while with fiber, even technology allows access to much higher flows;
• The performance of an ADSL box also depends on the number of devices that connect to it, which has little or no impact with optical fiber.

With so much power, an entire network to be built and the equipment to be produced, internet box offers and optical fiber could be much more expensive than their ADSL during. In fact, this is only rarely the case.

Price differences between ADSL and optical fiber according to Internet access providers:

• SFR also distinguishes the two technologies with ADSL offers cheaper from 5 to 6 €/month compared to fiber;
• Orange, like SFR, sets up a difference of € 5/month on the invoices of its subscriptions between the ADSL livebox and optical fiber;
• Bouygues Telecom displays a difference of € 2/month between its ADSL and optical fiber subscriptions;
• Free, unlike the three previous internet access providers, offers its freebox ADSL and optical fiber at the same price;
• Red by SFR, which offers the cheapest internet boxes, offers optical fiber at € 22 or € 7 more than the ADSL Red Box;
• SOSH seems to be the FAI that applies the biggest increase to fiber offers compared to the ADSL with a more expensive price of € 10/month.

Advice from mySmallBox

Standard prices of Internet access providers mainly distinguish high and high speed offers. Between ADSL and optical fiber, sometimes considerable price differences can be found. However, it should be noted that overall, the two technologies are often at the same price. This is particularly the case during the first year of the contract, often subject to promotion.

Furthermore, optical fiber is also accessible through Internet boxes without a commitment of duration. The answer is therefore no: the optical fiber is not really more expensive than the ADSL. Basic prices can indeed display sometimes colossal price differences. As mentioned above, the promotions of operators make it possible not to have to suffer from these price differences.