END OF THE TUNNEL


04 NEWS Fibre forecasts revealed at FTTH Conference n 10 million rural Americans to receive


high-speed broadband after FCC auction n European tele-consolidation could return for 2021 n 5,000+ UK jobs created for fibre network build


08 FEATURE: PHOTONIC INTEGRATION


Enabling on-board and co-packaged optics requires PIC and silicon photonics. Andy Extance investigates the exact format


12 FEATURED TECHNOLOGY: PHOTONIC INTEGRATION Could indium phosphide photonic integration be key to the ongoing development


of high-performance coherent optics? Keely Portway investigates


14 FEATURE: DATA CENTRE NETWORKS The rise of the data centre has driven much of the demand for greater bandwidth


and higher data rates. What could this mean for components?


16 FEATURED PROCESS: INSTALLATION Some of the challenges and solutions faced by network engineers and installers


through the installation stage, and how the right resources can pay dividends


18 FEATURE: NEXT GENERATION OPTICAL NETWORKS How will the next-generation of optical networks provide capacity to support the


21


unwavering increases in traffic, and does one solution really ‘fit all’? Keely Portway ANALYSIS & OPINION: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE


Raf Meersman argues that, in the future of telecommunications, AI and telcos will effectively transform each other


FEATURED TECHNOLOGY: FIBRE & CABLE 22 The role of modern fibre when it comes to sustainability and cost-efficiency


24 26


ANALYSIS & OPINION: FTTH IN EUROPE Michael Armitage explains why he believes the crop of ‘new kids on the block’


could be key to connecting rural areas in 2021


28 ANALYSIS & OPINION: NETWORK DESIGN ANALYSIS & OPINION: FIBRE & CABLE


Kevin Lenglé asks, is legacy multimode fibre ready for future bandwidth needs?


How do we, as an industry, build better broadband for a post-pandemic world? The answer could be fixed, finds Stefaan Vanhastel


30 TECH FOCUS: HIGH-CAPACITY OPTICS An overview of the market for next-generation coherent optics, and some of the


products available 32


PRODUCTS A round-up of recent product announcements


Editorial team Editor: Keely Portway


n keely.portway@europascience.com, +44 (0)1223 221048 Regular contributor: Andy Extance


Advertising and production team Advertising manager: Jon Hunt


n n n jon.hunt@europascience.com


Tel: +44 (0)1223 221034 Design and production manager: David Houghton david.houghton@europascience.com Senior designer: Zöe Andrews Tel: +44 (0)1223 221035


Corporate team Managing director: Warren Clark


n n Tel: +44 (0)1223 221034 zoe.andrews@europascience.com n n warren.clark@europascience.com


Fibre Systems is published by Europa Science Ltd, 4 Signet Court, Cambridge CB5 8LA, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1223 221030 Fax: +44 (0)1223 213385 Web: www.europascience.com ISSN: 2053-5147


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SUBSCRIPTIONS: Free registrations available to qualifying individuals. Subscrip- tions £120 per year for four issues to readers outside registration requirements. Enquiries to Europa Science, 4 Signet Court, Cambridge CB5 8LA, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1223 221030. Fax: +44 (0)1223 213385. ©2018 Europa Science Ltd. While every care has been taken in the compilation of this magazine, errors or omissions are not the responsibility of the publishers or of the editorial staff. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publishers or editorial staff. All rights reserved. Unless specifically stated, goods or services mentioned are not formally endorsed by Europa Science Ltd, which does not guarantee or endorse or accept any liability for any goods and/or services featured in this publication. US COPIES: Fibre Systems is published by Europa Science Ltd and distributed in the US by DSW, 75 Aberdeen Road, Emigsville PA 17318-0437. Periodicals postage paid at Emigsville PA. Postmaster: Send address changes to Fibre Systems, PO Box 437, Emigsville PA 17318-0437.


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W


elcome to the winter edition of Fibre Systems. Te first quarter of a new year is a time for reflection, as we look back over


the last 12 months at the things we achieved and plan how we could improve. Just as the end of 2020 was undoubtedly a very abnormal way to finish a year, so too is the manner in which 2021 has begun. Most of us experienced a very different type


of Christmas, one that saw family and friends play charades via video link, not in our living rooms. In place of the usual festive television – due to filming delays and other Covid-related disruptions – household members gathered to watch the classic movies and shows via streaming services. Office Christmas parties took on a whole new form, with Zoom, Teams and Google Meet replacing the restaurant or bar. We are fortunate to be in an age where all


the above is possible. Imagine what the festive period could have looked like without that technology to meet – albeit virtually – with the people that mater the most. Tis is an all-too-real situation for many people living in ‘connectivity-poor’ areas of the world, and serves to significantly highlight the critical nature of optical communications, and its role in society. Te industry has undertaken some truly


sterling work in these troubled times. Without it things would seem a whole lot more dark and dreary than they might already appear. If the pandemic did not prevent work taking place, then the festive ‘lull’ in December may as well not have even tried! Engineers were still busily working, potentially puting themselves at risk to ensure that the majority could enjoy all of the aforementioned activities. As the first quarter of 2021 beds in, issues


such as planning ahead will still prove a litle tricky, particularly when it comes to events. Tis would usually be our OFC issue, and by the time you would be reading it, we would be around a month from the event opening its doors. However, our industry has ably demonstrated


it will take more than a pandemic to stop us showcasing products, learning from the experts and networking, and the online events are gathering momentum as a satisfactory – but temporary – alternative to face-to-face. Let’s face it, of any industry, we are absolutely the best placed to achieve this. I sincerely hope that it is not too long before


we are all able to meet face-to-face once again. And, with vaccination programmes being rolled out in many countries, there is certainly hope, way on the horizon, dependent on individual governments and rollout plans. For me, the real light at the end of the tunnel is the one that bounces down the walls of the cable, keeping us as close to ‘normal’ as we can get, until we ‘meet’ again.


Issue 30 n Winter 2021 n FiBRE SYSTEMS 3


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