Fiber describes a transmission medium; it does not by itself specify whether a service is dedicated, shared, symmetrical, resilient, or backed by a particular repair commitment. Ask providers to describe the actual service and terms being proposed.
Compare available capacity, upload and download characteristics, service commitments, network route or access assumptions, support, installation schedule, and recurring and nonrecurring charges. Confirm what is available at each facility.
NTIA's broadband overview distinguishes core, middle-mile, and access networks and illustrates several wired and wireless technologies. For your organization's service decision, ask providers to explain which part of the connection their quote covers and what responsibilities remain with the customer.