Fiber optic cables transmit digital information over long distances using thin strands of glass. Light signals travel through the core of the fiber due to total internal reflection off the cladding. A fiber optic system includes a transmitter that encodes light signals, the optical fiber that conducts the signals, and a receiver that decodes the signals. Optical fibers have advantages over copper wires like being thinner, having higher carrying capacity, and causing less signal degradation over long distances.