Optical fiber carries much more information than conventional copper wire and is in general not subject to electromagnetic interference and the need to retransmit signals. Most telephone company long-distance lines are now of optical fiber.

Optical wireless refers to the conbined use of two technologies - conventional radio-frequency (RF) wireless and optical fiber - for telecommunication. Long-range links are provided by optical fiber (also known as fiber optic cables, and links from the long-range end-points to end users are accomplished by RF wireless