One of the prime objectives of this site is to promote fiber optic technology and its benefits. Fiber optic technology compared to conventional metallic communication medium has number of benefits when used for telecommunications.
Long Distance: Signals can be sent over optical fibers for long distances. ITU-T recommendations are available for recommended distance span for each type of optical fibers. Conventional single mode transmission distance typically ranges upto 80km without amplifier. With line amplifier, the distances can more before a regenerator is required to put back the deformed signals. Non-zero dispersion shifted single mode fiber can travel longer distances than conventional single mode fibers and hence they are used for ultra long haul optical transmission.
Imunity to Electrical signals: Electrical currents do not flow on fiber optic cables. Therefore the differences in ground potentials between end points do not affect optical signal transmission. Ground isolation is useful in power plants and switching yards as these locations have the high differences in ground potentials. Grounding systems are not needed for fiber optics. Today’s communication cable deployment situations may demand for laying of optical fiber cables together with power cables. The only thing to be considered is the track resistance properties of the outer sheath material of optical fiber cable.
Protection from Lightning:: As we have seen above, optical fiber does not conduct electricity and hence the lightning does not have any influence on the optical signal transmission. Thus in areas of high lightning probability, optical transmission is safe.
Flexiblity in Cable Routing: Optical fiber cables virtually pass through almost all terrains and even under the sea. Optical fiber cables used in undersea is used for communication between continents. Single mode fibers having non-zero dispersion shifted properties and negative dispersion characteristics are recommended for ultra long haul submarine fiber cable application. Since optical fibers do not conduct electrical signals, they can pass through high voltage area also, thus making it suitable to install on high voltage power transmission lines. This flexibility of optical fiber is one of the biggest benefits in deployment, saving project cost and civil work time.
Safe communication: In chemical plants and grain silos, the environment is explosive. If metallic cables are used in such areas, there are possibilities of having electric sparks and thus leading to explosion and big loss. Optical signals will not generate any sparks and are intrinsically safe.
Noise Immunity: telecommunication cables may pass near by radio station or high radio frequency generating areas. The benefit of Fiber optic cables are that they are immune to electromagnetic noise from radio stations, welding discharges, electrostatic discharges, florescent lights, typewriters, and other Radio Frequency Interference, motor turn-on surges etc. Though fiber optic cable is not susceptible to RFI, that does not mean that fiber optic data communications are error free.
Reduced diameter of optical fiber and cable: Service providers can save lot of money if they install fiber optic cables compared to metallic cables. Fiber optic cables are relatively small. The more recent introduction of micro duct cables in fiber optic cable is really an attractive benefit of fiber optic technology that utilizes the existing ducts. This will save civil works cost and ease of installation.
Huge amounts of data: Optical fibers can carry high data rates; for example, the recent technology trend is 100Gbits/second. Typically optical fibers can carry terbits of data. There is no comparison for copper cable to match with this almost unlimited bandwidth of optical fiber, thus making it a cutting edge technology at present without any competitor.
Data security: Telephone taping is a common thing to black-mail individuals and political parties. Fiber optic cables are difficult to tap and to extract part of the signal without disrupting the operation of the fiber optic communications system. It is a fact that taping is possible in copper cables even with a shaving blade! Also, fiber optic cables do not radiate electromagnetic signals that can be picked up with sensitive antennas, thus making it difficult for unauthorized parties to tap on fiber optic networks.
Long Distance: Signals can be sent over optical fibers for long distances. ITU-T recommendations are available for recommended distance span for each type of optical fibers. Conventional single mode transmission distance typically ranges upto 80km without amplifier. With line amplifier, the distances can more before a regenerator is required to put back the deformed signals. Non-zero dispersion shifted single mode fiber can travel longer distances than conventional single mode fibers and hence they are used for ultra long haul optical transmission.
Imunity to Electrical signals: Electrical currents do not flow on fiber optic cables. Therefore the differences in ground potentials between end points do not affect optical signal transmission. Ground isolation is useful in power plants and switching yards as these locations have the high differences in ground potentials. Grounding systems are not needed for fiber optics. Today’s communication cable deployment situations may demand for laying of optical fiber cables together with power cables. The only thing to be considered is the track resistance properties of the outer sheath material of optical fiber cable.
Protection from Lightning:: As we have seen above, optical fiber does not conduct electricity and hence the lightning does not have any influence on the optical signal transmission. Thus in areas of high lightning probability, optical transmission is safe.
Flexiblity in Cable Routing: Optical fiber cables virtually pass through almost all terrains and even under the sea. Optical fiber cables used in undersea is used for communication between continents. Single mode fibers having non-zero dispersion shifted properties and negative dispersion characteristics are recommended for ultra long haul submarine fiber cable application. Since optical fibers do not conduct electrical signals, they can pass through high voltage area also, thus making it suitable to install on high voltage power transmission lines. This flexibility of optical fiber is one of the biggest benefits in deployment, saving project cost and civil work time.
Safe communication: In chemical plants and grain silos, the environment is explosive. If metallic cables are used in such areas, there are possibilities of having electric sparks and thus leading to explosion and big loss. Optical signals will not generate any sparks and are intrinsically safe.
Noise Immunity: telecommunication cables may pass near by radio station or high radio frequency generating areas. The benefit of Fiber optic cables are that they are immune to electromagnetic noise from radio stations, welding discharges, electrostatic discharges, florescent lights, typewriters, and other Radio Frequency Interference, motor turn-on surges etc. Though fiber optic cable is not susceptible to RFI, that does not mean that fiber optic data communications are error free.
Reduced diameter of optical fiber and cable: Service providers can save lot of money if they install fiber optic cables compared to metallic cables. Fiber optic cables are relatively small. The more recent introduction of micro duct cables in fiber optic cable is really an attractive benefit of fiber optic technology that utilizes the existing ducts. This will save civil works cost and ease of installation.
Huge amounts of data: Optical fibers can carry high data rates; for example, the recent technology trend is 100Gbits/second. Typically optical fibers can carry terbits of data. There is no comparison for copper cable to match with this almost unlimited bandwidth of optical fiber, thus making it a cutting edge technology at present without any competitor.
Data security: Telephone taping is a common thing to black-mail individuals and political parties. Fiber optic cables are difficult to tap and to extract part of the signal without disrupting the operation of the fiber optic communications system. It is a fact that taping is possible in copper cables even with a shaving blade! Also, fiber optic cables do not radiate electromagnetic signals that can be picked up with sensitive antennas, thus making it difficult for unauthorized parties to tap on fiber optic networks.
