KELOWNA – There are a number of hurdles to be jumped and decisions to be made as network operators drive glass deeper and deeper into their networks.
Fortunately, said Martin Stimpson, business development manager for TVC’s Vikimatic during his seminar session this morning at the CommTech Trade Show in Kelowna, consistent new product developments has made certain things easier, while huge moves Stateside has caused equipment prices to decline.
"That innovation reduces costs," said Stimpson, who pointed to changes in fibre optic cable design, hardened passive optical splitters, new cabinet placement techniques and air blown fibre, a process that hasn’t yet made a large impact in Canada but looks to be an interesting alternative to what’s out there already.
Fibre cable is not as sensitive to bending as it once was and zero water peak fibre now in use (with CDWM) "allows you to use all the bandwidths," while in the past, certain bandwidth use was limited.
Dry cable rather than gel cable can cut labour costs, too, he added as prep time can be pared from an hour to 10 minutes.
Stimpson ran through advances in optical splitters, textile innerduct, mechanical splicing, and even the vaults as ways in which driving fibre ever closer to the home is getting easier and more affordable.
Air blown fibre is a nifty application where stands of unbroken fibre are blown anywhere from 750 metres to 1200 metres at a time, meaning that all that has to be fused, prior to termination, are the tubes – that look a little like drinking straws – as the fibre is blown through.
The process, invented by British Telecom, reduces stress on the fibre as well as the number of loss-introducing splices required.
Stimpson also talked about pre-connectorized fibre, which dramatically reduces splicing in the field since the fibre arrives with connectors already attached, Techs just have to make clean connections and splice nothing. Fewer tools and fewer consumables are needed, but the pre-connectorized system, pioneered by Corning, is not in high use as yet because much debate over its durability since, as Stimpson acknowledged, fusion splice design "is proven and reliable."
One thing is certain, however. Innovation abounds and as more and more products hit the market and more and more companies push fibre, it will get more and more difficult for network operators to say that deep fibre is too expensive for them.
