Wednesday, January 22, 2014

The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Fiber Optics

By Amanda Bean


The talk about the use of optical fibers have progressed from being a mere dream into a reality. However, such a reality is still not up to the standard of a useful level. The all-optical network is yet to become a reality. There are only a select few that are using a fiber optics network as their option to connect to the Internet.

An all-optical network is still far off. However, people should thoroughly be made aware about this. It is better to inform the public about the possibility of this dream. Before anything else, let the public know about the pros and cons that are available to them. Here are some important pros and cons the public should know about.

On the advantages side, the user can take advantage of its bandwidth capacity. The optical signals will carry considerably high amount of information that is a far cry from the electrical ones. The optical signals can actually carry a hundred times more information that the copper cables. This will be beneficial for Internet usage.

There is also the advantage of signal reliability. Electrical signals are easily exposed to electromagnetic interference. The bit error rate of the electrical systems when there is an electromagnetic interference will god up then. For the optical signals, it does not suffer from electromagnetic interference. Since there is no signal loss, the bit error rate is smaller.

The weight and size of this product will also prove to be advantageous. It is not as heavy nor as bulky as the coaxial cables. For the optical fibers, the size of it will measure to only ten micrometers in the least. This is just a fifth of the diameter of a person hair. The weight of these optical fibers measures to at least six kilograms per one kilometer.

Of course, there are consequences to choosing this option too. The first one has something to do with the product's cost. The optical networks of big companies use optical fibers as its backbone since it is economical. However, it will be a different matter when this is deployed at home. The cost is too high for a single subscriber.

There are physical constraints that people has to suffer from too. The optical fibers should never be bended too much or else it will lose its light reflecting property. It is also a known fact that this is more easily damaged compared to copper cables. The complexity and cost of the repairs is higher as well.

There is also a need to pay attention to the traffic switching of this product. Truth be told, the switching technology of this product is not up to par compared to the electrical switching solution. It is not as cost-efficient and flexible as what the electrical options can offer. This is the reason why it is troublesome to make use of this when there is a high traffic for the company.

These are just a few of the things that the person has to pay attention to when it comes to using fiber optics. Whether it be for the home or for the business, it is for the best to weigh the pros and cons first before making the final decision. After the person has determined how advantageous this option is, then make the decision.




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