End users traverse the same core equipment no matter what the last mile cable media is. Newer fiber builds may have more efficient core gear or have more capacity but this is all limited by the ratio of users served by a particular backhaul link, and also the topology and configurations made by the operator. Large networks are a challenge for some.

Fiber is a lot less susceptible to water intrusion but still has the same potential for outages due to cable damage along roadsides and on aerial poles with power lines.