There have been several key technological advancements in the telecom cable industry. Recent innovations in the OFC industry include enhanced single-mode fibre, which offers improved bending and attenuation, and a short diameter. These advantages have driven OFC manufacturers to design cables with improved bend sensitivity, and reduced size and weight, leading to easier installation and a reduction in deployment costs.

In addition, machine and material manufacturers are deploying sophisticated technologies such as online excess fibre length control for buffering and dry loose tube lines through various methods to prevent water penetration (yarns, powder, etc.). Also, improved materials are being utilised for thin wall tubing and increasing line speeds. These enhancements have enabled cable manufacturers to innovate for ensuring a higher fibre count and producing smaller, lighter, and easier-to-install cable designs such as microcables, micromodule cables, dry cables and ribbon cables.

 New technologies to minimise downtime

Some innovative cabling technologies are:

•   Pre-connectorised cabling: This reduces the installation time in case of damage or new cable deployments.

•   Traceable cables and cable routes: These enable operators to easily locate their cables in ducts and underground networks. This becomes important especially during events like cable cuts.

•   Microtrenching: This reduces the space requirement during cable installation.

•   Dry-core and gel-free buffer tubes: These ensure shorter restoration time during events such as cable cuts. Indian telecom operators are beginning to recognise the benefits of dry-core and gel-free optical cables.

•   Ribbon cables: These are formed through the cabling of multiple fibres in small flat ribbons and several such ribbons are then housed in a cable. These high-fibre-count cables can be mass fusion spliced, thereby minimising downtime during cable repair.

Future outlook for OFC

The demand for OFC in India has been increasing exponentially. Several key operators are utilising OFC in backbone networks and for connecting antennas to increase bandwidth. They are also undertaking projects that provide high speed last mile connectivity to homes and businesses using fibre. FTTH and fibre-to-the-antenna (FTTA) applications require specialty cables. FTTH applications, for instance, need microcables with bend-insensitive G657 fibres. As FTTH deployments gain traction, there will be an increase in the demand for small flat drop and indoor cables.

Further, to facilitate FTTA applications, hybrid cables are being developed in which copper conductors for supplying power to remote radios on antennas, and OFC for providing data connectivity are sheathed inside the same cable.

The central government is implementing the NOFN project for providing connectivity in rural areas and plans to deploy a high speed secure OFC network for the defence forces. The defence ministry is also looking to deploy underwater and subsea cables at varying depths in both freshwater and salt water environments. These initiatives will drive innovation in cable technologies (for instance, secure intrusion-proof cables for the defence sector).