Fiber vs Cable vs 5G: 2024 Performance Comparison

Fiber optic continues to dominate with median speeds of 425 Mbps download and 380 Mbps upload, latency of 9ms, and 99.8% uptime. Cable (DOCSIS 3.1) delivers 238 Mbps download but only 31 Mbps upload with 22ms latency. 5G fixed wireless shows 195 Mbps download, 45 Mbps upload, and 29ms latency.

For gaming, fiber provides the best experience with consistent low latency. Remote workers benefit from fiber's symmetrical speeds. Content creators require fiber's upload capabilities. General household use works well with any technology above 100 Mbps.