- A
Cable broadband, because it uses coaxial cable which is faster than fiber
Why wrong: Coaxial is slower than fiber; fiber uses light, which is faster.
- B
Fiber-optic, because it uses light signals and is not subject to electromagnetic interference
Why wrong: EMI is not the primary reason; fiber's lower latency comes from light speed and dedicated lines.
- C
Cable broadband, because it has higher download speeds
Why wrong: Download speed is less critical than latency for trading; fiber also often has higher speeds.
- D
Fiber-optic, because it provides lower latency due to the speed of light in glass and dedicated bandwidth
Fiber's use of light and lack of shared bandwidth results in the lowest latency.
Question 891 of 1,020
220-1201 Internet Connection Types Practice Question
This 220-1201 practice question tests your understanding of internet connection types. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
An IT manager is comparing cable broadband and fiber-optic for a new office. They need the lowest possible latency for real-time financial trading applications. Which connection type should they choose, and why?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Fiber-optic, because it provides lower latency due to the speed of light in glass and dedicated bandwidth
Fiber-optic connections transmit data as light pulses through glass, which travels at approximately 2/3 the speed of light in a vacuum, significantly faster than electrical signals in copper. Additionally, fiber provides dedicated bandwidth per user, eliminating the contention and latency spikes common in cable broadband's shared coaxial architecture. This combination of propagation speed and consistent low latency makes fiber the optimal choice for real-time financial trading where microseconds matter.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Cable broadband, because it uses coaxial cable which is faster than fiber
Why it's wrong here
Coaxial is slower than fiber; fiber uses light, which is faster.
- ✗
Fiber-optic, because it uses light signals and is not subject to electromagnetic interference
Why it's wrong here
EMI is not the primary reason; fiber's lower latency comes from light speed and dedicated lines.
- ✗
Cable broadband, because it has higher download speeds
Why it's wrong here
Download speed is less critical than latency for trading; fiber also often has higher speeds.
- ✓
Fiber-optic, because it provides lower latency due to the speed of light in glass and dedicated bandwidth
Why this is correct
Fiber's use of light and lack of shared bandwidth results in the lowest latency.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CompTIA often tests the misconception that 'faster download speeds' or 'immunity to interference' are the primary reasons for choosing fiber, when the actual exam focus is on latency characteristics and dedicated bandwidth for time-sensitive applications.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Fiber-optic latency is dominated by the refractive index of the glass core (typically ~1.48 for single-mode fiber), yielding a propagation delay of about 4.9 microseconds per kilometer, compared to ~5.6 ns/m for coaxial cable. In practice, fiber's dedicated point-to-point architecture avoids the DOCSIS contention and upstream noise issues that plague cable broadband, where latency can spike from 10-20 ms to over 100 ms during peak usage. For high-frequency trading, even a 1 ms reduction can translate to millions of dollars in arbitrage opportunities.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the 220-1201 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 220-1201 question test?
Internet Connection Types — This question tests Internet Connection Types — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Fiber-optic, because it provides lower latency due to the speed of light in glass and dedicated bandwidth — Fiber-optic connections transmit data as light pulses through glass, which travels at approximately 2/3 the speed of light in a vacuum, significantly faster than electrical signals in copper. Additionally, fiber provides dedicated bandwidth per user, eliminating the contention and latency spikes common in cable broadband's shared coaxial architecture. This combination of propagation speed and consistent low latency makes fiber the optimal choice for real-time financial trading where microseconds matter.
What should I do if I get this 220-1201 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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