Optical transfers was one of the very first methods of communications, the smoke signals, and the (relativly) more modern morse code between light towers.
The reasoning behind non-wireless optics is there is WAY to much interference natural light can even affect the noise, not to mention if you have expensive lasers or even moderately priced "laser" diodes strung everywhere to be taken down by a storm, a tree, birds, fog... a thousand factors.
I feel that wireless optics will not come to light (no pun intended) for years, if ever though cause simply too expensive and there is good competetion in microwaves and other systems.
You can read a basic intro to fiber optics at http://chrispy.darktech.org/fiber.html
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Optical transfers was one of the very first methods of communications, the smoke signals, and the (relativly) more modern morse code between light towers. The reasoning behind non-wireless optics is there is WAY to much interference natural light can even affect the noise, not to mention if you have expensive lasers or even moderately priced "laser" diodes strung everywhere to be taken down by a storm, a tree, birds, fog... a thousand factors. I feel that wireless optics will not come to light (no pun intended) for years, if ever though cause simply too expensive and there is good competetion in microwaves and other systems. You can read a basic intro to fiber optics at http://chrispy.darktech.org/fiber.html