Issues

Browse our previous issues below, or browse and search for specific features or analysis & opinion.

All our articles, news, product announcements and more are available from the navigation at the top of the site (accessible via the menu button for smartphone or tablet).

Access is free when subscribed and logged in.

Image credit: Gorodenkoff /Shutterstock.com

Developments in data centres

What are the top trends, challenges and technologies driving data centre networks in 2023 and beyond?

Image credit: NicoElNino/Shutterstock.com

States of play for FTTH

How North and Latin America are faring when it comes to fibre deployment

Overcoming terrestrial challenges

The optical technology and techniques that terrestrial network operators need to consider to achieve high-performance in challenging conditions

Are your cables fire-safe?

Nesa Scopic advises on the Construction Products Regulation (CPR) fire safety standards for fibre cables, and how to choose the optimal cabling for the correct setting

Image credit: Min C. Chiu/Shutterstock.com

Top stories of 2022

A countdown of the most-viewed and industry-shaping developments of 2022 according to Fibre Systems readers

Image credit: Joerg Lantelme/Shutterstock.com

Home truths about fibre deployment

The experts' view of the current state of play for FTTH deployment in Europe and America, and predictions for what should be done over the next 12 months to meet various governments’ ambitious targets

Image credit: GAS-photo/Shutterstock.com

Team effort

Interoperability is recognised as the linchpin of open networking, something increasingly important to network providers. Here three experts offer their view as to why this can only be achieved via industry collaboration.

Craig Thomas, Vice President Strategic Marketing and Business Development at Broadband Forum

Network quality over bandwidth - speed is not enough

We will continue to see a shift to a service-orientated ecosystem over the next 12 months, according to Craig Thomas, who advises on the important role that standards will play.

Purva Rajkotia, Director of Global Business Strategy & Intelligence (GBSI) and the connectivity and telecom practice lead at IEEE SA

Setting the standards in 2023

Purva Rajkotia outlines some of the trends and challenges in connectivity and telecommunications that are expected to drive the work of standards organisations in the next 12 months

A sea change

A look at some of the challenges faced by submarine network operators, and the ways in which they can maximise performance, whatever their cable system

Image credit: MD_Photography/Shutterstock.com

Driving fibre forward

Abigail Williams offers a market update on fibre network deployments in the Middle East And North Africa (MENA) region

Zeusconnects Lowestoft in the UK to Zandvoort in the Netherlands (credit: Zayo)

Connecting continents

Can subsea cables cope with a world in flux? Alice Jensen finds out

Image credit: VMCgroup/Shutterstock.com

All aboard the optical express…

Railway networks not only make for great people and freight transport networks, they also make for great optical transport networks. Jonathan Homa explains what the railway industry needs to consider when building out optical transport links.

Image credit: JesperG/Shutterstock.com

Sense of security

Keely Portway reviews some of the ways optical sensing has been used in communications for complementary applications

Image credit: avarius/Shutterstock.com

Looking East

Abigail Williams provides a market update on fibre network deployments in the Asia Pacific region

 

Generation next

Keely Portway discovers how the decision-making process for network architects, designers– and anyone involved in the design and deployment of FTTH networks – could be greatly simplified when it comes to choosing PON technology

Image credit: kmls/Shutterstock

Spectral efficiency matters

Gemma Church evaluates why spectral efficiency is an important but often overlooked performance criterion

Image credit: FTTH Council Europe/Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress Center, Vienna

Oh, Vienna

Keely Portway highlights some of the key developments from the first physical FTTH Conference in two years

On trend

Keely Portway reports on the popular Market Watch panel that took place at OFC 2022, focusing on the current state of the optical market

Image credit: Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com

Recruiting and retaining great telecoms talent

Keely Portway reports on a recent webinar about how the telecoms sector is addressing the current shortage in skills, from recruitment through to keeping great candidates once they are on board

 

Image credit: ThomBal/Shutterstock.com

Right at home

Keely Portway takes a look at the latest developments when it comes to FTTH deployment in Europe and what needs to be done to overcome the hurdles in the path of acceleration

Image credit: nikkytok/Shutterstock.com

PIC in the mix

As pressure on telecommunications networks continue to grow, photonic integrated circuits (PIC) are becoming more advanced for optical communications to sustain the unprecedented rise in traffic, finds Abigail Williams

Image credit: Photobank.kiev.ua/Shutterstock.com

Walking the line towards 100Tb/s

Keely Portway on how the next-generation of optical networks will be able to provide the capacity required to support ever-increasing  bandwidth demand

Image credit: bookzv/Shutterstock.com

Making fibre more fair

Keely Portway takes a look at fibre deployments in the North America region and whether they are shaping up not just to meet targets, but to provide connectivity to all

 

Image credit: TMLsPhotoG/Shutterstock.com

Sourcing skills for next-gen factories

Manufacturing firms must help inspire young engineers as production plants embrace digital technologies, finds Matthew Dale

Image credit: Coleman photographer/Shutterstock.com

The ROADM ahead

Keely Portway reviews some of the advances made in ROADM technology and looks ahead to what might come next

Cap: The pandemic has fuelled demand for the internet due to digital education, remote working, telehealth, and social connectivity (credit: Josep Suria/shutterstock.com)

Up to standards

Regulations and standards are key to building the networks of tomorrow. Here, two industry experts offer their view on what to expect 

Image credit: Andrey Pavlov/shutterstock.com

Working together

Interoperability is recognised to be the linchpin to open networking, but this can only be achieved via industry collaboration, finds Keely Portway

Image credit: Gorodenkoff/shutterstock.com

When the chips are down

Keely Portway looks at what the current semiconductor shortage could mean for telecoms in 2022

Image credit: Image credit: MyCreative/shutterstock.com

Looking to the future

What does the future hold when it comes to developments in PON technology? Keely Portway finds out

Image credit: pratan/Shutterstock.com

Bridging gaps

There is currently a shortage of skilled fibre professionals. How can we, as an industry, work towards addressing this? Keely Portway asks the question

Bringing connectivity home

Keely Portway takes a look at the state of play for FTTH deployment in Europe and America, and what needs to be done in the next 12 months to meet various governments’ ambitious targets

Image credit: Valentyn Volkov/Shutterstock.com

Leaps and bounds

Jeff Heynen explains why fibre deployment will show no signs of slowing in 2022

FormFactor's fast photonic wafer probers enable rapid tests through faster photonic alignment than previously possible. (Credit: FormFactor Inc)

Testing and alignment seek to scale up manufacture

Integration, automation, collaboration, customisation and designing for testing and manufacturability will help component, module and system makers expand with lower costs, finds Andy Extance

Image credit: Christoph Burgstedt/Shutterstock.com

Deep water

Keely Portway takes a look at the most recent developments in submarine networks, and the issues and trends currently shaping the market

Image credit: Farknot Architect/Shutterstock.com

The smart money

With communication infrastructures getting smarter, Keely Portway asks, what are the advantages and the challenges of automation?

Image credit: kmls/Shutterstock.com

High notes

When it comes to baud rates, is higher always better?

Image credit: nutalina/Shutterstock.com

Hidden gems

How developments in modern fibre can help operators not only ensure fast, efficient deployment in MDUs, but also increase buy-in from consumers

Fibre networks have allowed 5G trials to take place across areas of South Africa such as Port Elizabeth (MD_Photography/Shutterstock.com)

Africa 2030

Kithinji Muriungi of KamsHub presented at this year’s OFC, focusing on how fibre technology in Africa might look in 2030

Credit: Hadrian/Shutterstock.com

Moral fibre

With more than half of homes in Europe now covered by FTTH/B, how do we build on this momentum in a sustainable way? Keely Portway finds out

Sabelskaya/Shutterstock.com

In tandem

Keely Portway considers the current state of 5G deployment and fibre networks’ role in its operation

High-density fibre can enable a new world of communication (image credit: Corning)

Pushing limits

Remote working, 5G and FTTH are pushing demand for denser, easier-to-deploy fibre, finds Andy Extance

 

Image credit: metamorworks/Shutterstock.com

A passion for metro

Panelists from Polimi, CTTC, TUE and The University Carlos III of Madrid give their views on the future multi Tb/S metro network

The show must go on

The recent virtual OFC Conference covered some of the industry’s hottest topics. Keely Portway reports from the Market Watch conference talk about the current state of the industry. 

Switched on

What are the implications for UK providers and industry from the all-IP migration changes, One Touch Switching and Ofcom Telecoms Market Review? Mike Locke explains

Image credit: CableLabs

TV stars

Cable television network operators are readying themselves for customers to pull fibre deeper into their networks, finds Andy Extance

 

Feeling the squeeze?

Advanced network automation could be integral to meeting capacity growth, but what’s the best way to implement it? Keely Portway asks the question

The magic number

With advances in silicon technology gathering pace, Keely Portway discovers three main ways they are being leveraged to enable the evolution of coherent optical engines

Altnets access all areas

In the third of our FTTH ‘chain’ series, Keely Portway considers challenges during access and maintenance works, and the solutions

Independents' day

Alex Blowers, chair of the Independent Networks Cooperative Association (INCA) speaks to Fibre Systems about the work being undertaken by altnets, the challenges they face and how the association is playing its part to help

People power

Emma Atkins asks how we, as an industry help to close the gap in the education, attraction and retention of women in fibre

Pages