For short distance applications, such as creating a network within an office building, fibre-optic cabling can be used to save space in cable ducts.

This is because a single fibre can often carry much more data than many electrical cables, such as 4 pair Cat-5 Ethernet cabling.

Fibre is also immune to electrical interference; there is no cross-talk between signals in different cables and no pickup of environmental noise.

They can also be used in environments where explosive fumes are present, without danger of ignition

More importantly the cost of fibre has become very much in line with copper cabling in recent years making the transmission advantages economically viable.