By STEPHEN HARDY, Lightwave -- Prysmian Group has introduced its Sirocco Extreme 180-µm microduct fiber cable. The fiber-optic cable leverages the company’s BendBrightXS 180-µm single-mode fiber to create a cable that fits 288 fibers into a diameter of 6.5 mm. That translates to a fiber density of 8.7 fibers per square millimeter and enables the installation of the full 288 fiber count into an 8-mm ID duct.
“Prysmian’s BendBrightXS fibers are capable of providing the necessary standard of cable density and of supporting the necessary fiber spectrum demanded by new PON technologies,” notes Ian Griffiths, director R&D Telecom Business at Prysmian Group. “Bend-insensitive fiber’s resilience gives manufacturers the ability to design cabling solutions which were previously impossible to create but are now demanded by today’s rapidly changing environments."
The BendBrightXS 180-µm single-mode fiber within the Sirocco Extreme microduct cables offers bend insensitivity to ITU-T G.657.A2 specifications. Prysmian says the use of its PicoTube technology enables Sirocco Extreme fiber cables to be up to 40% smaller than other Sirocco microduct cables.
The smaller size enables more fibers to be installed in congested ducts as well as the use of smaller ducts for new installations, resulting in lower overall installation costs and the use of less raw materials, Prysmian asserts.
"With their extreme fiber count and reduced diameter, the Sirocco Extreme microduct cables make installation faster, more cost-effective, and environmentally friendly," contends Prysmian's Griffiths. "Designed for installation into microducts, they are perfectly fit for blowing in high-density access, FTTx, and 5G networks, and offer a scalable solution that’s high-density, physically compact, and easily deployable for a future-fit solution.”
Prysmian adds that it plans to introduce Sirrocco Extreme cables with fiber counts higher than 288 later this year.
STEPHEN HARDY is Editorial Director and Associate Publisher of CI&M's sister publication, Lightwave.