WHAT ARE THE ADVANCEMENTS IN OPTICAL COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES?

Optical communication technology is increasingly being used for efficient transmission of data to any part of the world. As part of optical communication technology, optical fibers that can send data within milliseconds are used to provide seamless connectivity. In this blog, we are going to discuss submarine cable systems and how they will be able to enhance connectivity.  

 

Getting acquainted with the submarine cable system 

 

A submarine cable system is a network of optical fibers that are laid for providing better connectivity. Since they have proved to be effective, the under-sea cables are used to provide vital international telecommunication links between countries across the world. A submarine cable system consists of a communication cable laid on the sea bed between cable landing stations (CLS) on the land to carry telecommunication signals across stretches of the ocean.

 

Benefits of a submarine cable system 

 

Optical fiber cables enable higher bandwidth and faster speed. They have changed the way business’s function. It enables a digital ecosystem for businesses. An undersea network of optic fibres is the best solution for keeping communication flowing for consumers and businesses who want fast, reliable connections to the world anytime, anywhere. People will have greater access to video, voice and information with the help of submarine cable systems.

These cables can help in carrying out financial transactions to make e-commerce possible. Millions of financial transactions are carried out every day across the world using optical communication technology. Various sectors, including banking, trade, and for that matter, even daily internet usage, relies on this critical infrastructure. As it is vital for global communication, it is essential to build an efficient subsea fiber optic network. 

 

Challenges in laying optical fiber cable networks on the seabed   

 

Planning a cable route is one of the initial challenges that the installers of subsea cables face. They have to be aware of the under-sea terrain before going ahead with the laying of the optical fiber cable network. There are many hazards that can pose risk to the subsea cable system. To avoid any damage to the cable, they are wrapped in multiple layers of protective coating. The cables are also encased in a protective pipe. In order to overcome the challenges of submarine cable installation and optimization, advanced automated and AI/ML enabled solutions are being used by installers to simplify and accelerate the process while logically determining the optimum route.

 

Primary components in a subsea cable system 

 

Submarine Line Terminal Equipment (SLTE) is the foundation of global submarine cable data transmission. The SLTE products must enable large-capacity, high-performance and high-reliability data transmission through industry-leading technology. An SLTE uses optical fiber multiplexing technology to increase the bandwidth of existing fiber networks. It combines data signals from different sources over a single pair of optical fiber while maintaining complete separation of the data streams. 

 

NEC is a reliable partner in setting up submarine cable systems. 

 

NEC is well-established as a reliable partner in the submarine cable field as a system integrator that provides all aspects of submarine cable operations, including the manufacture and installation of optical submarine cables and repeaters, provision of ocean surveys and route designs, training and delivery testing. NEC’s subsidiary OCC Corporation manufactures subsea optical cables capable of withstanding water pressures at ocean depths beyond 8,000 meters.

 

 

 NEC can provide premium Optical Communication Technologies 

 

Advancements in optical communication technology are supporting our increasingly information-driven society and economy. Innovative ways are being found to increase the data-carrying capacity of a single optical fiber. To achieve this, researchers have explored and attempted to optimize multiplexing in time, wavelength, polarization and phase. All four dimensions are being utilized by commercial systems to send more information through a single fiber. Space Division Multiplexing (SDM), a technology developed by NEC, has been used in JUNO Cable system. Until recently, subsea cable was composed of 16 fiber pairs at most. However, with the help of SDM and energy-efficient repeaters, this system will be able to adapt as many as 20 fiber pairs. NEC has launched submarine line terminal equipment that can operate at true 100G line rates delivering a lower cost per Gbps. Some of the major projects it has handled include CANI cable system, Asia Direct Cable, B2BE cable system, SJC2 cable system, among others.