Once upon a time, I worked for a company called Marconi. Marconi's DISC*S MX product muxes a bunch of ADSL modems (also DS1's, POTS, and video) together on a single fiber. I was fascinated by the technology. Check out the marketing data!
Anyway, the technology is definitely available to go from copper or coax to fiber. After reading all the commentary, I am curious whose solution the telco companies will chose, and whether they will pony up the money anytime soon. As far as the equipment is concerned, the engineering has been well under way for quite some time.
I work for a company that builds telco equipment. A tap could be easily installed by splicing in a coupler. Sometimes you want to monitor things like SONET overhead or optical power, so it is reasonable to do this.
One question: how do you splice underwater? A fusion splicer produces the best splice, but every fusion splicer I've used is a large box that sits on a bench. I wouldn't want to use it outside a lab, so beneath the ocean is right out!
I also can't think of a way that the tap could be installed without interrupting service. I am curious whether it is possible to detect infrared light that refracts out of a single-mode fiber through a bend and whether a receiver can still make sense of the signal and frame up.
Slashdot Mirror
Once upon a time, I worked for a company called Marconi. Marconi's DISC*S MX product muxes a bunch of ADSL modems (also DS1's, POTS, and video) together on a single fiber. I was fascinated by the technology. Check out the marketing data!
Anyway, the technology is definitely available to go from copper or coax to fiber. After reading all the commentary, I am curious whose solution the telco companies will chose, and whether they will pony up the money anytime soon. As far as the equipment is concerned, the engineering has been well under way for quite some time.
I work for a company that builds telco equipment. A tap could be easily installed by splicing in a coupler. Sometimes you want to monitor things like SONET overhead or optical power, so it is reasonable to do this.
One question: how do you splice underwater? A fusion splicer produces the best splice, but every fusion splicer I've used is a large box that sits on a bench. I wouldn't want to use it outside a lab, so beneath the ocean is right out!
I also can't think of a way that the tap could be installed without interrupting service. I am curious whether it is possible to detect infrared light that refracts out of a single-mode fiber through a bend and whether a receiver can still make sense of the signal and frame up.