[bayindirh]

FTTx systems make copper almost non-existent.

All copper in my city is replaced by fiber, and only copper is from the FTTx box in front of my apartment to my flat. Eeerything (landline, internet, IPTV, etc.) runs from a single, dark fiber.

With cabling already in place and VDSL can reliably provide 5 units of bandwidth (where 4 units is used for download and 1 unit is used for upload, e.g. 32/8 mbps), with a theoretical ceiling of 350mbps, I'm pretty happy with what I have.

While I'd love to have fiber at home, I definitely don't want to rerun cabling.

[FroshKiller]

I thought "dark fiber" meant unused fiber. How can it be dark if you've got services running over it? Is there some other meaning in this context?

[bayindirh]

I used the term "dark" as in unshared, and as a result, you use it the way you like it.

Also, the term looks like it has both meanings.

Having a "dark fiber infrastructure" means having a web of unconnected fiber cables point to point, but since you connect your own devices to it, you don't have to share it with others.

As a result, its presence and its state is only known to you (i.e. it's in the dark).

I understand that my usage is not completely true, but in that context, it's not a flat-out blatant mistake either.

[rincebrain]

It's also not uncommon - people often describe big tech using dedicated lines they didn't lease from people as "dark fiber".

[FroshKiller]

I understand better now, you are really applying "dark" to the infrastructure (which happens to have fiber-optic cable) rather than to the fiber itself. The infrastructure is figuratively dark, and the fiber is literally lit.

[obivatelj]

Usually, dark fiber means that you got that cable (with one or more hairs) completely for yourself, as a customer. It is not leased line, you are not sharing it, it is your fibre to communicate with. It is more expensive, for sure, since Carrier could make lot of $$ out of it (many many Internet Customers for example), but at the end of the day it is cost efficient actually since you have no other interference on your cabling. You do not share bandwith, you do not share services, you decide about your techonlogy at the endpoints (GBICs, etc.).

[jbverschoor]

I think you got your definitions mixed up.

Even the name means: "it's dark, no light, as in no data, because that's what light is in this case"

[freshpots]

https://flexnetworks.ca/what-is-dark-fibre-why-would-i-want-....

It has two meanings. I have heard it most commonly used in reference to private fibre networks.

[jmbwell]

It’s dark in that the entity who purchased and installed it is not yet using it. Telcos install big multi fiber bundles, then actually use only a few strands. The rest are dark, waiting for growth or expansion or to be used as backups. You can lease those and light them up yourself until the telco needs them back.

[girvo]

Yeah at my previous home, we had VDSL, Fibre to the Building, on a non-NBN fibre network. Was amazing, excellent performance, actually good upload bandwidth, and cheap.

I can't wait until my HFC NBN service here goes the way of the dodo.

While I have 1000mbps down, the 50mbps upload is just miserable. And the cost is painful, $130 AUD a month.

[BrandoElFollito]

Oh, that's expensive. I pay 40 EUR/month (~60 AUD) and I find it really high (planning to look for something cheaper). It is 1000/400 FFTH (the fiber terminates at my box).

For the price I pay I should be able to have a shared 10000/1000 (in reality it will probably be 2500/1000).

All of this for the swag, I am ,ot likely to use the bandwidth anytime soon (despite serving a few things from home)

[girvo]

I pay it, because for my use-cases it was the only way to get more than 100mbps (which was more like 75mbps at any regular time of day) download without giving up my 50mbps upload.

Now at least I can play my video games while my partner watches 4K shows on our TV.

Interestingly, moving from 100mbps to 1000mbps has given me a 5ms lower ping: 31ms to 24-25ms with a decrease in jitter of 5ms too, in Valorant -- this is to the exact same server from the physical same PC. I'm guessing even on the same damned cable, the 1000mbps customers get some kind of routing priority or something.