Heading into fall and winter you may look forward to enjoying cooler weather, cozy sweaters and family get-togethers, but it's also the start of severe storm season. That means there may be weather events that can cause power outages, which can mean either short-term or long-term interruptions. If you have cable internet, that also means no way to communicate or gather important information for work, leisure, comfort or even medical necessities — no web access, no email, no internet-based phone lines, no TV. But it doesn't have to be this way.

For many people who live in storm-prone areas, getting set up with a generator to help power their home during outages is a sensible solution. Choices abound, including solar and battery-powered options, from small portable generators that can power a couple of appliances to full-home generators that can restore power to your home just seconds after an outage begins.

But even with a generator to keep the lights on when the power goes out, you may wonder: Why is the internet connection still not working?

The type of internet connection you have matters

Cable internet and television providers need electrical power to operate the key components that connect between their central offices and customers' homes. Because electrical components are integral to cable/coaxial connectivity, when the power goes out in your area the cable internet goes out, too, regardless of the power backup you may have in your home — even if it's a whole-home generator.

Compare that to fiber: Unlike traditional cable internet, a fiber-optic network does not require electricity anywhere in the field to operate. So long as the central offices serving the fiber network have power, the internet should be working all the way to your home.

For example, Ziply Fiber takes pride in delivering robust, weather-resilient fiber network infrastructure across its four-state footprint. Unlike traditional cable internet, Ziply's fiber network is served from hardened facilities and backed up with giant diesel generators so that if something happens at the network level, backup power kicks in and customers' connections stay humming.

The result? As long as you have the ability to generate back-up power in your home to keep your router and computer powered up, you'll have access to your crucial internet connection, too, even if the rest of your neighborhood is still in the dark.

This key difference — fiber's ability to deliver all the way to your home without electricity along the way that cable requires — ensures connectivity even during extended power outages, offering peace of mind to residents and businesses alike.

Real-life preparedness at the network level

Being able to generate power for your home is just one component of being prepared for a natural disaster. Choosing fiber-optic internet connection also helps you stay connected and able to communicate during challenging times, which is even more important when you need weather updates, information from local officials about safety and evacuations — and to communicate with friends and loved ones. This is especially vital when cell phone service may also be impacted or overloaded.

While fiber-optic internet is not invincible and can go down if the fiber line itself experiences physical damage (like having a tree fall on it), the network is designed to stay up regardless of power disruptions. So, if the power is out but there's no physical damage to fiber-optic lines, having backup power on your end will restore your internet connection.

Remember, if your internet network runs on electricity in the field and electricity is out, your internet is not going to work, even if you have power in your home.

Preparing your home

Backup power is critical for disaster preparedness. Securing your home with the right backup power for your needs while also pairing that with fiber connectivity will help you be prepared for any outage that takes out other lines of communication, like cellular and cable service. Backup power can keep your household warm and your food fresh, while also keeping you in contact with critical services, healthcare providers, friends and family.

As severe weather season approaches, Ziply Fiber takes an all-hands-on-deck approach. Its generators and fuel are doublechecked and ready to turn on as the need arises. Teams are also staffed around the clock to partner with local utilities to address potential damage to poles and lines to get people back online as quickly as possible if damage occurs.

Learn more about how to stay connected no matter what Mother Nature dishes out at ZiplyFiber.com.