Working from home isn’t going anywhere. No longer the exception, it’s the rule. The latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Robert Half, global recruiting industry leader, shows just how much the landscape has changed for employers and workers. In 2025, 88 percent of U.S. employers reported offering hybrid arrangements, and one quarter of the U.S. workforce now operates within a hybrid model.

That makes reliable, high-speed internet essential for getting work done, especially when family visits and multiple devices are in play during vacation season.

“Fiber is the now and the future for internet service,” said Sean Donovan, Broadband Operations Manager for NH Broadband.

Sean said the industry standard for meeting in-home internet needs is now 1 or 2 gig service. That demand will continue to rise as household and business needs evolve.

Fiber’s speed and reliability come down to how it’s built.

“Our product is fully fiber optic. There is no copper,” Sean explained. “The coax cable used by cable companies runs on electricity that pushes the data through the copper lines. Fiber, on the other hand, transmits light through glass. Because of that, the elements do not affect glass the way they do copper. Glass does not corrode or degrade from moisture the way copper does. No electricity means no corrosion,” said Sean.

Fiber also delivers symmetrical upload and download speeds, unlike other internet technologies. So when, for example, your work involves moving large files, video footage or high definition projects, you will particularly notice there is no bottleneck.

“One of the things we do very well at NH Broadband, and this began when we started this project, was our thinking about how to build infrastructure. This whole project was developed to get people in rural areas – especially those in very rural areas with almost no internet options – speed and the ability to work from home seamlessly or enjoy entertainment without the spinning wheel of death,” he said. “Now, our members can choose the latest technology in the internet world. Our members can get the same speed as people living in cities with four or five options.”

Fiber also differs from cable in how the network is structured. Cable users in a neighborhood share the same line, which can create bottlenecks during periods of heavy traffic. Fiber is dedicated to a single home, so speed and bandwidth are yours alone.

In addition, broadband offers extra protection from hackers, including built-in encryption that helps prevent data theft. That is one reason fiber is considered the safest option for internet connectivity.

“We haven’t really found the limits of fiber,” Sean added.