Keely Portway takes a look at the next generation of bend-improved fibres, and how they can be best used to future-proof networks
The optical fiber network infrastructures installed today will typically see four generations of transmission systems over the network’s expected lifetime. As recent history has shown, the amount of data traffic these networks will carry will increase dramatically and continuously.
In order to cope with this increasing growth and anticipate the networks of tomorrow, a completely open spectral transmission window from 1260nm to 1625nm for data transmission and up to 1650nm for network monitoring is necessary in optical fiber cables.
The recent FTTH Conference in Amsterdam saw CommScope introduce its new FIST Modular Splice Closure that assists network operators with building a fibre foundation for future networks.
Not all FTTH networks are built the same. Since construction and outside plant account for the majority of total network costs, getting the architecture right has a major impact on the business case.
The network architecture can also impact time-to-market, labor/training requirements, future upgradeability, network performance, and ultimately customer satisfaction. This paper provides an overview of two fundamental FTTH architecture categories—centralized and cascaded—that determines where in the network the fiber is split.
UK chancellor of the exchequer, Philip Hammond, confirmed in the 2018 budget report that £200 million will be allocated to fund full fibre broadband connections in harder-to-reach and rural areas across the UK. This will allow for testing of new approaches to fibre rollout in rural areas, with the Borderlands, Cornwall, and Welsh valleys said to be amongst the first areas to benefit.
The UK government has released the findings of its latest research, which estimates a £9 billion turnover increase for local businesses in areas covered by its rollout of superfast broadband.
CommScope has upgraded its microwave antenna portfolio with the introduction of two new long-haul antenna product lines – USX and HX – into its Sentinel and ValuLine ranges. These are designed to ultimately replace the company’s existing long-haul antennas, providing next generation performance for cellular, broadcast, telecom and private networks.
CommScope has demonstrated augmented reality (AR) capabilities with its imVision automated infrastructure management solution which will soon allow customers to ‘see into their local area networks.
Over the last year, you may have heard proponents espouse the benefits of OM4+ multimode fibre. For instance, they claim it is better for single-wavelength applications, and it’s comparable to OM5 for multiwavelength application support. While OM4+ may have some useful attributes, which vary from company to company, that variation is a clue to the fact that in all cases it is proprietary, meaning it is not standardised. Essentially, the public is being asked to take OM4+ proponents at their word. As New York Yankees legend Yogi Berra once said, ‘It’s like déjà vu all over again’.
OFS and CommScope have entered into a new eight-year partnership to help ensure the availability of optical fibre supply to CommScope for use in its customers’ networks. The specific terms of the agreement have not been publicly disclosed, but it represents an investment from both companies in order to address the increased demand for greater bandwidth.
Creating an invisible network is the next step in connectivity, so it is important to put quality, rather than speed at the heart of broadband experience, says Robin Mersh
The right combination of training and tools will help to future-proof fibre reliability, says Jay Tourigny
Ray O’Connor argues that wireless and fibre should be considered complementary, rather than in competition
Keely Portway takes a look at the next generation of bend-improved fibres, and how they can be best used to future-proof networks
There are many challenges to overcome to provide quick and efficient characterisation of photonic integrated circuits, finds Andy Extance
