A glass strand designed to carry light in a fashion similar to the manner in which wires carry electrical signals. Since light is electromagnetic radiation of tremendously high frequency, optical fibers can carry much more information than can wires, though multiple paths through the fiber place an upper limit on transmission over long distances due to a characteristic called pulse dispersion. Many feel that the wide bandwidth of an optical fiber eliminates the transmission problems associated with the high base bandwidth of HDEP schemes. CATV and telephone companies propose connecting optical fibers directly to homes.