CommScope deploys wideband multimode fiber to Sacramento Kings' Golden 1 Center

CommScope has completed what it says is the world’s first installation of network capacity-boosting wideband multimode fiber (WBMMF) at the Golden 1 Center, the future home of the Sacramento Kings franchise of the National Basketball Association. CommScope’s LazrSPEED 550 WideBand Multimode Fiber forms the cabling backbone in the arena’s data center and, along with other equipment, will support all wired and wireless communications within the stadium.

“Golden 1 Center will be the smartest and most connected venue in the world, providing a seamless and intuitive experience for our fans and attendees,” said the Sacramento Kings' chief technology officer, Ryan Montoya. “We believe connectivity is critical to the venue experience of the future, and CommScope’s network technology was the best choice to make that a reality.”

Wideband multimode fiber is a technological advancement of signal transmission capacity in fiber-optic cables, which, in combination with wavelength division multiplexing, allows for a reduction in the number of fibers needed and an increase in total channel capacity. WBMMF optimally supports the use of multiple wavelengths, reducing parallel fiber counts by at least a factor of four. For example, it supports two-fiber Ethernet at 40 Gigabits per second (Gbps), 100 Gbps, and in the future, 200 Gbps, as noted by CommScope.

WBMMF fiber was recently standardized by the Telecommunications Industry Association in a specification known as TIA-492AAAE, and is also approved for use in cabling by the emerging revision of the North American structured cabling standard known as ANSI/TIA-568.3-D. In addition, CommScope recently received third-party certification of its measurement bench used to determine bandwidth compliance of LazrSPEED 550 WideBand fiber over the full target wavelength spectrum.

CommScope is the only supplier of WBMMF for Golden 1 Center. In addition to WBMMF, CommScope also supplied other important elements of the communication infrastructure network including over 900 miles of the company's TeraSPEED ZWP single-mode fiber and SYSTIMAX GigaSPEED X10D copper cabling, supporting more than 3,000 outlets, along with the company's iPatch panels for future deployment of its imVision automated infrastructure management system. With CommScope’s comprehensive fiber and copper connectivity solutions, Golden 1 Center is ready to support massive fan traffic when the arena opens in October, and is well-equipped to support future technology evolution. “CommScope is heavily involved in fiber optic standards development, helping drive advancements like wideband multimode fiber from conception to implementation,” said David Redfern, senior vice president, CommScope Connectivity Solutions. “We congratulate the Sacramento Kings on this first deployment of wideband multimode fiber and expect it to be the networking foundation for an exceptional fan experience for years to come.”

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