A long post that I hope helps
I know I posted earlier on this subject but, after reading a few more posts, I wanted to make myself a little bit clearer. It seems like you are really looking for good reasons to do this and can only come up with.... well, maybe in 5 years. Which might not be such a bad thing…..
I own an A/V integration company and have a little over 7 years experience in the CE industry. Hence my name “InTheIndustry”.
That being said, I will be the first one telling you to be better safe than sorry. If you're okay with the charge of $900, go ahead and do it. I have found that when dealing with matters such as this it is better to do too much than too little. Just try to make yourself more aware to the following:
1st. Running fiber is not future proofing your home. Who knows how many and of what type of fiber you will need or want in the future? If you really want to future proof the house run as big a conduit allowed (by your building codes) with pull strings. That way, you can run anything you want later. This, I think, is your best solution.
2nd. Research how much it costs to terminate fiber optic cables. It's a very involved and time consuming process. Not just any residential A/V company (in fact, I'd wager few if any in your area) can do it. On top of that, a good fiber termination kit can carry costs well in excess of $2K. And the materials to keep the kit stocked are expensive as well. Even if you want to do it yourself, and had no problem with the expense of the kit, the skill level required to do a fiber termination is tremendous. It's not like popping on an F-connector or Cat-5 jack. Even pros mess them up from time to time. So, be prepared for a large bill when it comes time to terminate the fiber in your walls. When might you not have to worry about this expense? Who knows, but if the cable and phone companies want you to upgrade to a new service.... it might be cheaper to let them run their own wire. 5 years seems like an awfully optimistic time-table as to when fiber can be utilized in the home. I would be curious to hear what products your neighbors claim they are using that are connected through a fiber network in their homes. I think if fiber were to be common in 5 years someone, somewhere, would be claiming it with near certainty and be willing to back it up tangibly.
3rd. Don't worry about it being too fragile. It can sustain the normal amount of wear and tear associated with installing it. Worry about the fact it may not be the proper size and/or type of wire needed down the road. Just because a manufacturer bundles it in with other residential wiring does not mean they guarantee it to be usable in future applications. The future is inevitable and uncertain when it comes to CE and fiber optics.
4th. In my house I ran cat-6 through 2” conduit and am comfortable with what it will offer me long term technology wise. I recommend this solution to my customers as well. I’m not going to be running a hospital from the inside of my house any time soon, and neither are most of them. However, everyone’s needs and ideas are different. I am not flip-floping from my first post. I personally think fiber is excessive in most homes today. However, I also recognize the needs and values of you as an individual. Do what you are most comfortable with and grants you peace of mind (which is very important and worth $). When it comes to structured wiring…. too much is oftentimes not enough!
