Fiber Optics

Details

Fiber Optics is a concept developed in the 1970’s for the data/telecom industry. Cost and technology have allowed many consumers to consider this application which has changed the telecommunications industry (due to much lower attenuation and interference, optical fiber has large advantages over existing copper wire in long-distance and high-demand applications). An optical fiber cable consists of a core, cladding and a buffer (a protective outer coating), in which the cladding guides the light along the core by using the method of total internal reflection. Fiber is very flexible and made of glass or plastic that is the size a single strand of human hair. The cable transmits light between the two ends of the fiber and must be terminated.  The optical fiber is used by many telecommunications companies to transmit telephone signals, Internet communication, and cable television signals. Internet speeds have been recorded as high as 100 petabits per second in test labs. Typically copper applications can only reach a maximum of 325 feet without losing efficiency. Using fiber ensures businesses occupying the tops of the high rise buildings across metro Atlanta will have high speed, efficient voice, and data.

How it works:

The process of communicating using fiber-optics involves the following basic steps: Creating the optical signal involving the use of a transmitter, relaying the signal along the fiber, ensuring that the signal does not become too distorted or weak, receiving the optical signal, and converting it into an electrical signal.

How has JNL Systems used Fiber Optics to service our customers

We have been asked and completed demark (the physical point at which the public network of a telecommunications company (i.e., a phone or cable company) ends and the private network of a customer begins) extensions from the basements of buildings where the service providers typically store equipment for the entire building, regardless of the company’s distance from the basement.

We have been successfully linked two building using aerial fiber. JNL Systems has also successfully run fiber underground through a mud-packed conduit connecting two points. 

Types of Fiber Optics and connectors JNL uses

Types

•  50.0 Micron
•  62.5 Micron

Connectors

• The SC connector was developed by the laboratories at Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) in the mid-eighties, and was one of the first connectors to hit the market following the advent of ceramic ferrules. Sometimes referred to as the ‘square connector’ the SC has a push-pull coupling end face with a spring loaded ceramic ferrule. Initially intended for Gigabit Ethernet networking, it was standardized into the telecommunications specification TIA-568-A in 1991 and slowly grew in popularity as manufacturing costs came down. Due to its excellent performance it dominated fiber optics for over a decade with only the ST rivalling it. Thirty years on, it remains the second most common connector for polarization maintaining applications. The SC is ideally suited for datacoms and telecoms applications including point to point and passive optical networking.

LC 

• 
  The LC utilizes a latch as opposed to the SC locking tab and with a smaller ferrule it is known as a small form factor connector. Having half the footprint of the SC connector gives it huge popularity in datacoms and other high-density patch applications, as its combination of small size and latch feature make it ideal for densely populated racks/panels. With the introduction of LC compatible transceivers and active networking components, its steady growth in the FTTH arena is likely to continue.

FC 

• The FC was the first optical fiber connector to use a ceramic ferrule, but unlike the plastic bodied SC and LC, it utilizes a round screw-type fitment made from nickel-plated or stainless steel. The connector end face relies on an alignment key for correct insertion and is then tightened into the adaptor/jack using a threaded collet. Despite the additional complexity both in manufacturing and installation, it’s still the connector of choice for precise measuring equipment such as OTDRs.
  Initially intended for datacoms and telecoms applications, its use has reduced since the introduction of the SC and LC. These deliver similar performance to the FC but both have less expensive components and are quicker to connect. However, the screw-on collet of the FC does make it particularly effective in high vibration environments, ensuring that the spring-loaded ferrule is firmly mated.

ST 

• The ST connect was developed by AT&T shortly after the arrival of the FC. At a glance they can be mistaken for one another but the ST uses a bayonet fitment rather than a screw thread. Usage has declined in recent decades, for the same reasons as the FC. Additionally it cannot be terminated with an angled polish, which limits use in single mode fiber and FTTH applications.
  Deployed predominately in multi-mode datacoms it is most common in network environments such as campuses, corporate networks and in military applications where the quick connecting bayonet had its advantages at the time. It is typically installed into infrastructures that were built at the turn of the century; when retro-fitting, STs are typically swapped out for more cost effective SC and LC connectors.

Certification

JNL Systems ensures that when a job is complete that the fiber is tested and certified per the industry standards.  This certification can include Tier 1 or a Tier 2 application.

JNL Systems can also certify any fiber application that your business may already have in place.