Category: Fiber Transceivers

Optical transceivers, Active Optic Cables, data center switches, and cable management in data centers.

BRITISH RESEARCHERS MAKE FIBER OPTICS EVEN FASTER

by http://www.fiber-mart.com

The UK isn’t known for having especially fast broadband speeds. Last month, a group of business leaders in Britain published a study in which they accused the UK government of having a “poverty of ambition” that has caused the country to lag behind other developed nations in the adoption of high speed fiber optic internet. The authors of the study argue that improved broadband speeds would increase productivity in British businesses and allow them to offer greater flexibility to their employees.
Well, the UK government might be suffering from a poverty of ambition, but the nation’s scientists certainly aren’t.
A group of researchers at University College London’s Optical Networks Group (ONG) recently announced that they had developed a new technique that allows them to achieve data transfer rates of up to 1.125 terabits per second using fiber optic cables. That’s roughly 50,000 times faster than the average broadband connection in the UK. To put those transfer speeds in perspective, the researchers explain that they would allow you to download the entire “Game of Thrones” series in seconds.
SO HOW DID THEY DO IT?
The research team at ONG took highly efficient methods of data compression used in Wi-Fi signals and adapted them for use with optical signals. The data was transferred by sending 15 pulses of light at different frequencies simultaneously toward a special receiver capable of quickly processing all that information. The technique would allow them to use existing fiber optic infrastructure to achieve unprecedented transfer speeds.
The researchers say the next step is to test their technique over long distances to assess the effects of signal decay and distortion. It might be a while before we have 1 Tbps transfer speeds in our living rooms, but breakthroughs like this are bringing us closer ever day.

FIBER OPTICS WILL SOON CONNECT REMOTE ARCTIC COMMUNITIES

by http://www.fiber-mart.com

You might think your old DSL connection was slow, but it’s still probably a whole lot faster than the internet connections that reach many of the residents of the Alaskan North Slope and Bering Sea coastline. These folks are still stuck with near dial-up speeds from satellite providers that are prone to latency and connectivity issues. In recent years, this lack of reliable broadband access has hampered economic development, education and healthcare in the region.
Before too long, however, more than 26,500 Alaska residents will be connected to the rest of the world by a 1 Gbps fiber optic network. The project is called the “Quintillion Sub-Sea Cable System,” and it’s expected to reach 6 villages in Alaska by mid-2017.
The first phase of the project will focus on connecting northern Alaska with the country’s lower 48 states. Phase two and three will connect Japan and London to the network via 15,000 km of undersea cable. This will not only dramatically improve connectivity to the arctic, but also act as a backup connection to Europe and Asia in case undersea cables connected to the East Coast of North America are compromised.
The project has been delayed a number of times since it was first announced in 2013, but now it’s finally about to become a reality. Residents in Alaska are understandably excited about the new opportunities that will be afforded by Gigabit Internet speeds. Healthcare facilities in particular are looking forward to being able to communicate with doctors around the globe and provide improved care for patients.
Once this massive undertaking is complete, we’ll be one step closer to living in a connected, cooperative world.

CALIFORNIA GAS PIPELINES WILL GET FIBER OPTIC MONITORS

by http://www.fiber-mart.com

In addition to bringing the Internet to people all over the world, optical signals have a host of other lesser-known uses as well. Recently, the Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) announced that it will use optical fibers to help monitor and maintain the subterranean gas lines that carry fuel throughout the state. The first phase of the fiber optic monitoring system will be installed on a seven-mile stretch of pipeline north of Los Angeles later this year.
The optical fibers will be buried 36 inches underground, and about 12 inches above the pipelines they’ll monitor. They will be connected to a remote station that will provide technicians with early warning alerts at the first sign of trouble. By interpreting changes in the optical signal, the monitoring system is able to identify and distinguish between different types of damage such as a leak or accidental dig-in by a third party contractor. It’s able to pinpoint the location of the damage to within 20 feet.
“The technology quickly detects when abnormal stress, movement or temperature conditions are present,” said a SoCalGas representative in a press release. “Continuous monitoring and measurement will help the company quickly identify threats to a pipeline from heavy equipment operation, unexpected earth movement or physical impact.”
SoCalGas plans to install the fiber optic monitors on all if its new and replacement pipelines in the future. The company is confident that the system will help to prevent leaks, and allow repair crews to respond quickly in the event of an emergency. Ultimately, this could make more than 100,000 miles of gas pipelines safer and more reliable for the communities they serve.

WATCH GOOGLE EMPLOYEES DISSECT AN UNDERSEA FIBER OPTIC CABLE

by http://www.fiber-mart.com

Natalie Hammel and Lorraine Yurshansky are Google employees who host an educational web series called Nat and Lo that highlights the many different aspects of Google’s business. Recently Nat and Lo had the opportunity to visit a factory in New Hampshire where undersea fiber optic cables are manufactured, and they were able to take home a length of the cable to examine on their show.
Then they reached out to the father and son duo behind What’s Inside?, another educational web series that cuts things open to, well, see what’s inside. The two teams met up at the What’s Inside? studio to take a close-up look at the backbone of the Internet.
The first thing that struck the hosts about the cable was just how heavy it is. One host compares its weight to a dense shot put or meteorite. Upon cutting into the cable with a chop saw, the reason for all that weight becomes immediately clear. The inside of an undersea fiber optic cable is composed almost entirely of protective lines of galvanized steel.
In fact, the fiber optic strands that transmit data thousands of miles across the ocean occupy only a tiny portion of the cable’s core. These fibers are housed in a plastic sheath, which is then surrounded by more protective galvanized steel and copper wiring for power. Without all that protective cladding, the fiber optics would be vulnerable to damage from curious wildlife and ships dropping anchor on the ocean floor.
Check out the video below to see the cable dissection for yourself and learn a little more about how optical fibers keep the world connected.

DARPA DEVELOPS TEMPORARY UNDERWATER FIBER OPTIC NETWORKS

by http://www.fiber-mart.com

Modern naval fleets rely on radio frequency (RF) tactical data networks to facilitate communications between vessels while at sea. If these networks are knocked out during a combat operation, it can effectively cripple a fleet’s ability to coordinate strategic movements and respond to incoming threats.
That’s why the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)—an organization that played a vital role in the early history of the Internet—is developing portable fiber-optic networks that could be used to restore communications in contested areas. The cheekily-named Tactical Undersea Network Architecture (TUNA) program recently completed its first phase of research and development, and will soon enter the prototype testing phase on the open ocean.
TUNA networks consist of a series of buoys connected by a backbone of hair-thin optical fibers designed to survive harsh ocean conditions for at least 30 days. Each buoy contains a power generator and RF transmitter to wirelessly relay communications to nearby ships and planes. The buoys can be distributed either by ships or support aircraft in the area.
With a lifespan of approximately one month, a TUNA network could be deployed during combat operations to give engineers the necessary time to restore primary communications. Once primary networks are restored, the buoy nodes can be recovered and reused later with new fiber optic connections.
Among the many design challenges DARPA has faced in the development of TUNA, the most significant has been figuring out a way to provide reliable power to the network at sea. After considering a number of different design options, the team ultimately settled on a system that harnesses the movement of waves to generate electricity.
Although TUNA was designed for military applications, similar technology could be used by civilians to bring broadband Internet to remote regions of the world as well. Temporary fiber-optic networks could be very valuable in coordinating disaster relief efforts, for example.
To see how TUNA network nodes generate power with wave energy, check out the video below from the University of Washington’s applied physics laboratory!

CITY IN WASHINGTON USES WATER PIPES TO DEPLOY FIBER NETWORK

by http://www.fiber-mart.com

In our last blog entry, we discussed a piece of proposed legislation that would encourage states to deploy fiber optic cables in conjunction with highway construction products. Now we’ve caught wind of another creative new avenue for fiber optic deployment—municipal water pipes.
In the remote coastal city of Anacortes, Washington, the city council recently approved a contract with an English company that has developed a way to feed fiber optic cables through existing water pipes. Initially, the new fiber network will be used to replace the city’s aging radio-based system which controls the local sewage and water systems. Once the installation is complete and everything is up and running, residents and businesses will be able to tap into the network as well. The city’s unconventional approach to fiber optic deployment will allow them to connect a distant water treatment station to the city limits with relative ease.
SO WHAT WILL THE “PIPE-IN-PIPE” INSTALLATION ENTAIL?
First, a length of narrow “micro-duct” will be fed through the city’s 36-inch-diameter water pipes, and held in place with special adapters. This micro-duct is made of the same materials as the city’s existing water pipes, so that it will resist environmental wear and tear. Once it’s in place, fiber optic cable will be fed through the micro-duct, allowing city officials to easily connect any two locations that are hooked up to the municipal water supply. The micro-duct installation is expected to take about 30 days. Installation of the fiber optic cable will be handled by a local nonprofit group.
This unique approach to fiber optic deployment is expected to save Anacortes a significant amount of time and money. It’s already been implemented successfully in the UK, Spain, New Zealand and South Africa. With demand for broadband access at an all-time high, we’re likely to see more creative solutions to fiber optic deployment in the future as well.