The short answer: No, fiber optic cables themselves don't freeze in the same way water or metal does. The actual glass or plastic inside the cable that transmits the data is not affected by. Summary : Winter weather generally has minimal impact on fiber optic cables since they transmit data through light rather than electricity, making them resistant to temperature-related signal loss. After all, many communication networks today rely on these cables to transmit vast amounts of data efficiently. Here's how cold weather can. So when we install broadband service after the winter freeze, a temporary fiber line is placed above ground until temperatures rise and the ground thaws. This is called a "temporary drop" or "temp drop". “When it's super cold, fibers become more brittle, and it's harder to splice,” Torres said.