Everything you need to know about dark fibre
When it comes to business internet, you’ve probably heard a lot about speed, bandwidth and reliability. But if you’re a growing company with high data demands, you might have come across another term – dark fibre.
Although it sounds mysterious, it’s actually pretty straightforward and brings several advantages, especially for businesses that need powerful, private and scalable internet infrastructure.
Read on to learn what dark fibre is, how it works, and why it might be the right solution for your business.
Quick links:
- What is dark fibre?
- How does dark fibre work?
- What are the benefits of dark fibre?
- Dark fibre for business
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Enter your addressWhat is dark fibre?
Dark fibre is a term for the unused optical fibre cables that telecom providers and infrastructure companies have laid underground (or sometimes above ground) but that aren’t currently connected to any network or transmitting data. It’s sort of like a railway line that’s been built but the trains haven’t started running.
These fibre optic cables were originally installed with future growth in mind. More cable than needed is often laid with the expectation that demand would eventually rise.
The unused cables were left ‘dark’ – not ‘lit up’ with light signals that carry data.
That’s where the name comes from. When fibre is active and transmitting data, it’s ‘lit’, when it’s inactive, it’s ‘dark’.
Find out more about our dark fibre. >
How does dark fibre work?
Fibre optic cables use light to transmit data. In a typical setup, a telecommunications provider lights the fibre using specialised equipment and sells access to the network.
With dark fibre, a customer (usually a large business) leases the unused cable itself and uses their own equipment to ‘light it’ and manage the network.
This means you have full control over how the connection is used. Including how much data is transmitted, how it’s secured, and how it’s maintained.
In simple terms, instead of buying internet access from a provider, you’re essentially leasing the road and driving your own car on it, rather than taking the bus.
What are the benefits of dark fibre?
For businesses with large data needs, such as data centres, tech firms, hospitals, universities or media companies, dark fibre has a range of advantages.
High performance and speed
Because you choose the equipment, you can set up hardware that supports extremely high speeds. Speeds much faster than standard broadband. And since the fibre is yours alone, you’ll never experience congestion from other users.
Private and secure
With dark fibre, your data isn’t sharing a network with others. This makes it a much more secure environment, which is important if your business handles sensitive information, like in finance or healthcare.
Scalable and future-proof
You decide how to upgrade the network. If you need more bandwidth in the future, you can usually get that just by upgrading your own equipment, without waiting for your provider to make changes. This makes dark fibre an excellent future-proof solution.
Low latency
Dark fibre offers very low latency. This means less delay when sending and receiving data. This makes a big difference to real-time applications like video conferencing, cloud-based software, online trading and remote desktop access.
Flexible network design
With dark fibre, businesses can build custom network topologies (the way connections are set up). Why is this useful? It’s often helpful for linking multiple office locations, creating backups or setting up disaster recovery systems.
Is dark fibre right for your business?
Dark fibre is a premium connectivity option, and it’s really not necessary for every business. For small to medium-sized operations with standard internet needs, one of our high-quality business broadband plans is often more than enough.
But for organisations moving large volumes of data, requiring top-level security or wanting complete control over their network, dark fibre can be a game-changer.
Keep in mind that dark fibre is generally available in metro areas where fibre infrastructure is already in place. If your business is located in a regional or rural area, availability will probably be limited.
Check out alternative business internet plans. >
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How can we help?
At Swoop, we specialise in providing fast, reliable and tailored internet solutions for Australian businesses. If you’re considering dark fibre, our team can assess your needs, check availability in your area, and work with you to design a solution that fits.
We partner with major fibre infrastructure providers and offer expert support throughout the entire process – from planning and installation to ongoing maintenance.
Dark fibre is a powerful tool for any business with growing data needs. It offers speed, control and scalability, all on a dedicated line that you manage. If your business relies on fast and secure data connections, dark fibre could be the next big step for you.
Want to learn more or get a quote? Contact the Swoop team today and let’s talk fibre.
