How much to install fiber optic cable in a home?

Posted on: 09 Aug 2024

fiber optic cable connection in your home can make you secure an internet speed and connection that is incredible. However, Fiber internet service is usually most often installed by a professional technician, ranging from $100 to $7,000 in total. Here is some information on what affects the price of fiber optic installation and what approximate prices you will have to pay.

The term ‘Fiber Optic Internet’ has been the subject of discussion in the modern world.
Fiber optic internet uses light signals as carriers of data through flexible, transparent cables made of glass or plastic materials. It provides almost unmetered bandwidth and very high speed that normally ranges from 250mbps to 1Gbps typically. The fiber optic cables hold a much larger bandwidth potential than the copper cables that are utilized for cable or DSL internet. This makes fiber internet suitable in households that have many users, and devices, and require high bandwidth internet.

Benefits of Fiber Optic Internet

Up to 1Gbps and above with an incredibly fast internet connection.
The low latency for other tasks such as gaming online.
It must maintain high throughputs while connected to multiple other devices without any degradation in speed.
A smaller number of more reliable links that can be disrupted with less ease or that can be less sensitive to the environment.
This is because it is easy to expand it in the future to cater to higher future internet usage.

Cost Estimation Factors Affecting Fiber Installations
Several key things determine your fiber optic cable installation costs

Wiring from the Outside – It is often cheaper to pull wires along the outside of the house rather than going through the inside walls and ceilings. Inside installations also involve more effort with materials and can involve the need for wall repairs too.
Home Size: Homes with larger square footage have more extra spaces to cover and this means that the cost of the cables and installation is higher. Additional factors include the size of the house and in particular, multi-story homes can add to the costs.
Existing Infrastructure – If fiber optics are already laid through your neighborhood, costs will be considerably less. No digging is needed for any of the lines and the cables simply need to be connected to your house. Where there is no such infrastructure even when you want to introduce new fiber optic lines to your neighborhood or premises it is very costly.
Installation Work – Extra work is work that is often necessitated by installer circumstances such as where the basement, crawl spaces, or concrete walls are finished making it difficult for the installers to access the work areas hence having to use more equipment, tools, and time to get the work done.

This section focuses on the aspects that are considered in Fiber Internet installation.
A basic fiber optic internet installation from the exterior utility lines to the interior of your home includes the following: A basic fiber optic internet installation from the exterior utility lines to the interior of your home includes the following:

Laying fiber optic cables directly along the street line right up to the house entrance
Cutting holes in the outside walls and running the cables inside while making sure that penetrations are sealed correctly.
Transmission of dark fiber and placing the Optical Network Terminal (ONT) that translates the light to ethernet
Gathering fiber cables to the required area of the router or Wi-Fi access point location
Taking the equipment through the configuration and testing stage and making equipment available for active service.

Any additional requirements or challenges in cable connection that may cause bringing more cables indoors or through the walls will attract additional charges. Any wall or floor repairs that would be required after the installation would also attract its price. Internet routers and the optical network terminals (ONT) that deliver fiber optic signals to your home are usually supplied by your internet service provider. But again, if you so wish you may go out and buy your compatible equipment.

How Much Does It Cost to Lay Fibre Optic Cable?

The cost of fiber optic cable installation varies depending on the area to be covered, the complexity of the work, and other factors; it costs between $100 and $7,000, and most people spend between $500 and $3,000. Here’s the breakdown of what you can expect: Here’s the breakdown of what you can expect:

Partial Installation – Roofing Only – $100 to $300

Taking a fiber line up to the side of your house without actually bringing the line into the house can even cost as low as $100-$300 in most simple scenarios. The buyer would then have to incur additional costs to get an electrician to install it inside the house.

Minimal Interior Hanging – $500 to $1,500

This includes pulling fiber optic cables from exterior utility lines via your walls and ceiling above by using basic tools and drilling. The prices drop to as low as $/$500 for single-storied houses and from there rise with the additional stories.

Integrated Installation - $1500-$7000

Challenges such as having a finished basement, two or more stories in a house, long cabling, and concrete walls can easily make the installation costs rise to over $3,000. Again, fiber installation of $7,000+ is possible only occasionally due to extended re-routing and additional modifications to the building.

Some internet service providers may have ‘introductory’ charges that include installation fees or the fees may be taken as a one-time free upon signing up with the provider. That is why the business will be charged extra fees in the future if it opts for fiber optic cable maintenance and repair.

Upgrade to faster, more reliable AT&T Fiber Internet today! Call us at +1 844-905-5002 and get connected with speeds that keep you ahead.