Fibre Optic Communications

Faster Communication With Fibre Optics

Fibre optic technology has been there for quite some time but has recently gained more popularity in the telecommunications industry worldwide.fibre optics are thin, lightweight and flexible. They can transmit data through fibre optic cables in a much faster and efficient manner as compared to the copper wires. Fibre optic cabling has a greater bandwidth and is not prone to loss of signals. Spread over large distances, it is also a cheaper option than copper. High degree of precision and accuracy is required to lay the fibre optic cables.Fibre optic communication uses the principal total internal reflection through a light source transmitted by a fibre cable. Fibre optic cables are manufactured by either plastic, plastic clad silica or glass depending upon the budget and application it is being employed for.

While copper wires use electronic signals, fibre optics system uses light pulses to transmit signals. Fibre optic communication is preferred over copper for many reasons listed below

=> It is less expensive when spread over several miles of cables.

=> It can suit to very thin diameters, ranging from 0.8mm to 40mm.

=> As the optical fibres are very thin, more fibred can be bundled together allowing more connections to go over the same cable.

=> There can be clearer phone connections and TV receptions because the light signals within the same cable do not interfere with each other. This also means that there will be much less chances of loss of signals in optical fibres.

=> As there is very little degradation, lower-powered transmitters can be used thus reducing costs.

=> As there is no electricity passing through the cables, there are no fire hazards.

=> Optical fibre is both lighter in weight and smaller in size as compared to the copper wire.

Due to the many advantaged listed above, fibre optics is being applied in many telecommunications and computer networks in most of the developed countries. These industries have been experiencing steady replacement of copper as a means to communication signal transmission.

Fibre optic cabling is used in a huge number of places as it is the fastest medium for the transmission of data. It is widely used in computer communication. The main applications of fibre optics are in television cable services, industrial plants and utility companies. However, it is to be applied with utmost care and precision for better results.