Fibre is fit for last mile infrastructure

Novel "bend-insensitive" optical fibre meets ITU-T recommendations for fibre to the home applications.

Prysmian Cables and Systems announces CasaLight, its new "bend-insensitive" optical fibre in accordance with ITU-T Recommendation G.657.

With the current rapid growth in broadband services and the corresponding need to upgrade last mile telecomms infrastructures, there is a growing trend to take the optical fibre in these networks closer and closer to the end user.

This transition towards the ultimate goal of FTTH (fibre to the home) means that the optical fibres are likely to encounter greater levels of handling and will be subjected to more extreme degrees of bending than previously experienced.

The recently issued ITU-T Recommendation G.657 entitled "Characteristics of a bending loss insensitive single mode optical fibre and cable for the access network" defines the new and tougher performance requirements now demanded by these applications.

CasaLight meets all these requirements and in particular: maintains its performance at bend radius as low as 10mm thus exceeding the limits of G.657A; maintains compatibility with standard equipment, connectors and fibre in accordance with ITU-T Recommendation G.652; demonstrates improved mechanical reliability, increasing lifetime in environments where variations in temperature and moisture level together with tight bends are likely; demonstrates best-in-class performance towards "high power" effects which can result in coating burns and glass fusion in certain amplified systems under severe bend conditions; and uses an environmentally friendly fluorine-free manufacturing process as in all Prysmian fibres Prysmian continues to maintain its position as a world leader in optical fibre technology.

The addition of CasaLight to its portfolio will further strengthen that position.

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