The increasing value of optical fibre assets in metropolitan areas is shaping the business models of companies that provide access to them, finds Andy Extance
US tower operator Crown Castle International has agreed to acquire privately held Lightower Fiber Networks for about $7.1 billion in cash, a deal that will make it one of the largest owners of metro fibre in the US.
Crown Castle, which is the largest provider of shared wireless infrastructure in the US with 40,000 towers and 50,000 small cell nodes on air, is buying Lightower from a group of investors including Berkshire Partners and Pamlico Capital.
To exploit machine learning and artificial intelligence, optical transmission systems require greater automation, finds Andy Extance
Roshene McCool and Matthew Guinan advise how operators can meet the connectivity distribution and densification challenge
John D'Ambrosia explains how various Ethernet standards developed in IEEE 802.3 over the past decade are enabling a myriad of products to find their way into deployment throughout the Ethernet eco-system
Mathieu Bergont and Francois Couny look at the challenges that come with PIC testing and measurement
Geoff Bennett outlines three myths surrounding optical capacity, and how they can be dispelled
