There’s no question about it – fiber optic communication is the future. As technology develops and commercial demand grows, so does the ease of fiber delivery. Over the past 15 years, fiber has exploded into popular use, replacing DSL connections and solidifying its role as the communication engine of the future. So how might a fiber-dependent future look?
Introducing: The All-Optical Network
It’s possible that soon we may be saying goodbye to the O-E-O process: converting optical signals to electric ones, then back to optical again. This method is necessary due to the fact that signal routing, processing and switching happen in the electrical domain. However, this creates a bottleneck and slows delivery speed, making it a major target for a change. By introducing an all-optical network, providers and customers can also save some money by eliminating the need for an equipment upgrade with each data rate increase. Whereas current fiber optic transmitters and receivers can handle only one single data rate, this would no longer be true in an all-optical network.
Coming soon: The Multi-Terabit Network
DWDM (Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing) has opened the door to new bandwidth possibilities. DWDM combines and transmits multiple signals simultaneously at different wavelengths on the same fiber; essentially, one fiber is utilized as multiple virtual fibers and can carry different types of traffic at different speeds across an optical channel. This technology can deliver multi-terabit networks, becoming more affordable as availability increases. Initially, the cost of such upgrades would be extensive, but long-haul companies may be the first to capitalize and implement these capabilities. And just how big of a pipe are we looking at? When Alcatel-Lucent and BT conducted a joint test of their terabit network in the UK, they achieved 1.4 terabits per second over a 225 mile span with only commercial-grade hardware, which is enough to send 44 uncompressed HD videos a second.
Communications service providers have been racing to offer the highest-quality service for the lowest cost. There’s no denying fiber optic networks are the solution, with fiber’s efficiency over distances and relatively easy maintenance. In the era of video streaming, big data transmission and evolving communication technology, it’s easy to see that fiber optic networks are the future of communication.