Nexans launches high-density multi-fiber optical cabling system

Optical cable specialist Nexans (Paris:NEX) is aiming to make a name for itself in the urban fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) market with a high-capacity fiber cable system consisting of up to 1008 optical fibers. The new product will be demonstrated at TeleNetfair in Lucerne, Switzerland, on October 23–25, 2012.

As increasingly densely populated cities place a heavy load on underground infrastructure, the mass deployment of FTTH networks requires careful consideration of how best to control investment in civil engineering works. Duct sharing, as recommended by regulators in several Western European countries, provides an answer to this problem. This results in the need for higher-density equipment at all stages of the transmission chain.

Nexans now offers a high-density multi-fiber cable that is particularly compact and will therefore help operators to implement their broadband strategies cost-effectively. The fiber-optic cable comprises up to 1008 optical fibers distributed across seven strands, which are in turn made of 12 micro sheaths containing 12 fibers each.

The cable technology, developed at the Nexans facility in Cortaillod, Switzerland, doubles capacity while increasing the cable diameter by only 15% compared to conventional technologies, the company says. Ideally suited for mid-span applications, Nexans' cables are complemented by a range of high-density accessories.

"The current challenge is to connect as many subscribers as possible while at the same time minimizing the impact of civil engineering works, which account for up to 80% of the FTTH infrastructure cost," said Raymond Voillat, vice president, sales and marketing operators at Nexans. "With this high-density solution, we significantly reduce time on site for our customers."

Flexible and resistant to tension, the high-density cables in the KINOPTIC range are also designed for easy installation. For example, the micro sheathing that protects the optical fibers can be stripped by hand, which reduces the preparation time by 50%.

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