Sunday, 19 January 2014

The Pros And Cons Of Fiber Optics

By Amanda Bean


Ever since long ago, talks about the wonders of optical fibers have made its round across the globe. Despite the fact that it has been talked about ever since long ago, getting an all-optical network remains a dream. Only a few places are making use of fiber optics as a part of their network for Internet connections.

Even if the said network is still far from getting developed realistically, people should already be made aware of it. It will be beneficial for them if they have an idea on what the pros and cons are of this option. Here are the pros and cons that the people should know about when it comes to this kind of network.

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, using the optical fibers also has its own disadvantages. One of them is the cost of the said product. The exorbitant amount of the said option makes it only available to big companies. They use it as an economic investment because they can use this to serve as a backbone for their processes. If it is used at home, the price will be too expensive.

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.

Traffic switching is also a troublesome issue when it comes to this matter. The switching technology for this option might be advancing fast nowadays but it still cannot match the cost-efficiency and flexibility of the electrical switching solutions.

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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