Optical networks are finally available for utilization in the home, offering significant advantages to IPTV service providers. Optical home networks use plastic optical fiber (POF) which is thin (2 to 4 mm thick), cost effective, and easy to self-install. With significant advantages, a plastic optical fiber home network is a good alternative or supplement to other wired or wireless home networking options.

POF is a valuable tool for the service provider's ongoing effort to reduce installation time and costs. With no special tools or training required for POF, the cost of deploying home optical networks is very competitive. Due to its use of plugless connectors, POF networks can be set up in minutes, even by the end-user (self-installed). POF is also thin and lightweight, so transport and handling costs are minimized.

POF is already in mass deployment in several industries including automotive and industrial networking. As of early 2009, POF has already been utilized in more than 15 million cars to interconnect audio, navigation, and computer control systems via lightweight, EMI-immune, low cost lines.

Optical and Copper Wire Differences

POF offers several advantages over copper wire, leading to reduced installation and maintenance costs.

Installation of a category 5 (CAT 5) network requires an on-site technician to terminate the cables, or supply pre-terminated cables of the appropriate lengths to the site. POF, however, can be cut to the exact required length and terminated on site by the installer or end-user.

Plastic optical fiber lines contain almost all of the signal energy within the center "core" of the fiber. This means that fiber does not emit RF signals like copper cable so it will not interfere with the existing infrastructure.

Optical home networks use low power light emitting diodes (LEDs) which can be safely viewed by the human eye. Since the data signal can be seen without the need for special equipment, maintenance costs are lowered as troubleshooting is fast and easy.

Plastic and Glass Fiber Differences

All types of fiber optic lines work by focusing/directing light signals to travel down a clear optical channel (the fiber "light guide"). When the light hits the side of the fiber, it is reflected or refracted (bent) back toward the center of the fiber. This process repeats until the light emerges out of the other end of the fiber.

Optical home networks use plastic fibers instead of the glass fibers that are typically used in wide area and long distance networks. Fibers commonly used in long distance telecommunication systems use single mode fiber (SMF) which lets only one narrow type of optical signal through. The width of the POF fiber core (where the light travels) is a millimeter wide as compared to the core of a SMF which is 100 times smaller.

The optical transmission part of the plastic fiber ("the core") is relatively wide compared to glass fibers. This allows the home optical fiber to be bent around objects, which is not possible with single mode glass fibers.

Figure 1 shows some of the differences between glass and plastic fiber transmission systems. The glass fiber transmission system uses a highly focused light source (laser) which transfers a light signal through a narrow strand of glass fiber. The plastic fiber transmission system uses a light emitting diode (LED) light source which transfers some of its light signal through a strand of plastic fiber.

One consequence of the difference in core sizes is that glass fiber requires precise polishing and termination, while plastic fiber only requires a clean cut with a simple sharp blade.

Ethernet Over Optical

An optical home network can use Ethernet communication technology to allow for interconnection with many Ethernet devices. It has a typical reach of up to 100 meters which is similar to a standard wired category 5 data cable solution. Data communication technicians usually

Figure 1., Glass and Plastic Fiber Transmission Differences

know how to install, configure, and troubleshoot Ethernet devices.

The current optical network system offered by Firecomms provides Fast Ethernet (100 Mbps) transmission which is more than enough to distribute several HD channels in the home. Firecomms has recently released a POF transceiver which transmits Gigabit Ethernet over POF. As technological advances are made, such as new types of LEDs and lasers, the communication speed can increase without the need to change the fiber lines. In this respect, the technology is future-proof.

Plastic Optical Fiber Installation and Connection

Plastic optical fiber installation and connection can be performed by any user without any training. The fiber cable is light and can be quickly terminated to the equipment connectors without the need for special tools. The thin POF cable can be easily installed under baseboards and along carpet edges or around door moldings. It can be pulled under carpets, fit through small holes, or run inside the wall cavity and attic as is done with traditional wiring practices.

Connecting optical fibers to devices is simple when using the POF OptoLock® plugless connector system. Unlike the fiber cables used in long distance communication systems that require precise cutting, polishing, and alignment or the connector terminations on CAT5/CAT6 cable that require skilled labor, POF OptoLock® connectors can be installed by anyone using a simple cutting tool.

Plastic optical cable has two strands; one for transmission, and the other for reception between devices. One can easily separate these

fiber strands by pulling them apart. The fiber strand without the light is placed into the optical connector hole with the light. The fiber strand with the light is placed in the hole without the light. The sliding lock on the connector is pressed and the connection is complete.

Figure 2 shows how POF can be connected to a device equipped with the OptoLock® connector. The fiber is cut with a sharp edge. The strands of the POF are then separated. The fibers are then pushed into the connector. The OptoLock® connector is then pressed until it locks into place.

POF Deployment Phases

Plastic optical fiber home networks are progressing through three key phases of deployment: early adoption, device integration, and equipment proliferation.

Phase 1 - Early Adoption

In the first phase of optical network deployment, existing devices are connected to optical cable through the use of media converters (adapters). During this phase, POF to RJ45 adapters are used and the estimated cost of deployment (with 30 meters of POF cable) is approximately $100 per installation pair. Even in the early adoption phase, self installation is possible.

Figure 2, OptoLock® Simple Termination Process Source: Firecomms

Phase 2 - Integration

During the second phase of optical network deployment, key devices such as set top boxes and home gateways, will have POF connectors. In this phase, optical connectors are integrated into communication devices and the estimated cost of deployment is as little as $5 to $8 per device. A number of device makers have released designs with integrated POF connectivity.

Phase 3 - Proliferation

Optical networks will be in the third phase of deployment when many types of consumer devices contain POF connectors, and the devices can be purchased by consumers from retail stores and self-installed. The estimated cost per optical connection in this phase will be well under $5 per device.

Figure 3 shows the anticipated three phases of POF network deployment; early adoption, integration, and proliferation. The early adoption phase allows POF to connect to existing Ethernet equipment using optical to RJ45 adapters. In the integration phase, optical connections will be available in key products such as routers and set top boxes. In the proliferation phase, many types of devices such as PCs,

game consoles and appliances, will have POF connectors available for the consumer to purchase and install.

OptoLock® is a registered trademark of Firecomms, Ltd.
 

Lawrence Thorne, Firecomms' Vice President of Sales & Marketing for the Americas, is a key evangelist for the deployment of Plastic Optical Fiber (POF) in home networks. Thorne has worked with his colleagues to define and develop innovative devices that drive the simplicity and cost effectiveness of POF connectivity. Thorne travels extensively to promote the benefits of simple, low cost optical solutions for service providers, equipment makers, installers and consumers.

For more information:

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