Fiber Optics

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Fiber optics are lines of thin glass or plastic that can send digital information by transmitting light signals. Optical fibers have the diameter of a human hair and are bundled up into optical cables. The fiber optic network is the next step in telecommunication network technology. Optical fiber is superior to the traditionally used copper wiring in essentially every category. The dominance of sending information using digital vs. voice technology also plays right to the capability of fiber optics. Fiber optics are being used most notably in telecommunications, but there use spreads to the medical, cable, defense, and engineering industries.

[edit] The Benefits of Fiber Optics

Most telecommunication networks are made up by metal wiring, mostly copper. Metal wiring makes up DSL and broadband cable networks. Fiber optics are better than traditional copper wiring in most technical categories.

Lower Cost: The same length of optical fiber is made for a much lower cost than copper wiring.

Lower Power: No power is needed to propel the signal in an optical fiber once it has been sent. That, in addition to a lower degree of signal degradation, means that less power is needed to send the signals.

Size and Weight: Optical fibers are thinner and lighter than copper wiring. This means more optical fibers can go in the same diameter of cable as if it was filled with copper wiring.

Better Capacity: Today's optical networks can send 1 terabit/second of information. In theory, the potential maximum optical fibers can send is 350 terabits/second. In comparison, advanced copper DSL systems can send 50 megabits/second of information. The theoretical maximum for copper cables is 1 gigabit/second of information. ^[1] *Note: 1000 megabits = 1 gigabit and 1000 gigabits = 1 terabit

Better Signal: Optical fibers have lower signal degradation than copper wire.

[edit] The Difficulty with Fiber Optics

Network Installation: Making the actual optical fiber is cheaper than copper wiring, but installing fiber optics into a network is another story. In the 16 states that Verizon is introducing its FiOS system, the company reported that it plans on spending close to $23 billion from 2004 to 2010 in network installation. ^[2] It costs telecom companies about $1000 per subscriber to install the fiber to the home FTTH . ^[3] This is mainly why fiber optics has seen most of its use in network backbones and not as much popularity in the final distance to buildings and homes.

Fiber Flexibility: There was a concern with fiber optics because its glass or plastic composition made it difficult for it to be installed in buildings or areas that required sharp turns. However, this problem was solved somewhat as Corning (GLW) developed a bendable fiber in 2007.

1. ↑ The Pros and Cons of Fiber Optics
2. ↑ Fiber Optics: Bringing the Next Big Thing to New York
3. ↑ The Pros and Cons of Fiber Optics

Companies in the Fiber Optics Industry (6)