Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) and six partners have established a new world record of 118.5Tb/s for the largest transmission capacity achieved over an optical fibre of standard dimensions.
Though the optical fibre had the same diameter as standard singlemode fibre, its structure was not standard. The design contained four cores (light paths) running along the fibre’s length.
Sumitomo Electric Industries has released a new series of ultra-high-fibre-count ribbon cables to meet the growing need for high fibre density in data centres. The new cables are available in fibre counts of 1152, 1728, and 3456.
The highest-fibre-count cable accommodates 3456 fibres in an outer diameter of 34mm while withstanding bending in any direction, and thus allows for easy installation in a 2-inch duct space.
As data demand ramps ever higher, researchers are looking to innovative amplifier designs to help transport a broader light spectrum through optical fibres, finds Andy Extance
Duncan Ellis shares his views about the increased focus on automation from network operators, and how the physical layer has so far stubbornly resisted the move
Switching off copper networks where fibre has been deployed is the end game, so why are so few operators doing it, wonders Pauline Rigby
With demand for fibre to the premises increasing, Keely Portway looks at the role training plays in ensuring installation skills remain available to meet this growing demand