Fiber optic cables HISTORY (2)

In 1970, Corning developed the first optical fiber capable of maintaining the strength of laser light signals over significant distances. And in 1978, Corning developed the loose tube fiber optic cable design which has become the industry standard; manufactured and installed the first single mode optical fiber cable.

The use of fiber-optics was generally not available until 1970 when Corning Glass Works was able to produce a fiber with a loss of 20dB/km. It was recognized that optical fiber would be feasible for telecommunication transmission only if glass could be developed so pure that attenuation would be 20dB/km or less. That is, 1% of the light would remain after traveling 1 km. Today's optical fiber attenuation ranges from 0.5dB/km to 1000dB/km depending on the optical fiber used. Attenuation limits are based on intended application.

The applications of optical fiber communications have increased at a rapid rate, since the first commercial installation of a fiber-optic system in 1977. Telephone companies began early on, replacing their old copper wire systems with optical fiber lines. Today's telephone companies use optical fiber throughout their system as the backbone architecture and as the long-distance connection between city phone systems.

In recent years, it has become apparent that fiber optic cables are steadily replacing copper wire as an appropriate means of communication signal transmission. Fiber optic cables span the long distances between local phone systems/offices and also are used as a backbone for network systems.

October 20, 2011

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