The current explosion in information technology has been derived from our ability to control the flow of electrons in a semiconductor in the most intricate ways. Photonic crystals promise to give us similar control over photons - with even greater flexibility because we have far more control over the properties of photonic crystals than we do over the electronic properties of semiconductors. Given the impact that semiconductor materials have had on every sector of society, photonic crystals could play an even greater role in the 21st century, particularly in the optical-communications industry. In this paper we present the some of the advantages of using photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) for telecommunications over conventional glass or plastic fibers.