Page 33 - Optical Switching And Networking Handbook

18 Chapter 1

Figure 1-9
Breaking the fiber
disrupts the flow
of light along
the cable.

with copper twisted-pair cable, optical communications systems
exhibit a much lower bit error rate (BER) while operating at much
higher data rates. As a result, data transmission is both faster and
more reliable over optical fiber systems. In fact, installing extra
fiber provides a bigger bang for the installation buck by preventing
disruption and additional expense when it is time to upgrade.
Optical fiber is not hardware-dependent, which means that fiber
systems can be upgraded as new transmission technologies become
available.
The biggest chunk of new network costs is usually installation, so it
makes sense to take advantage of the opportunity to meet
tomorrow’s requirements by installing fiber today.

2. Unshielded twisted-pair cable can be used for high-speed data
applications. When you transmit above 100 Mbps, fiber is the only
medium that can be used confidently. As a stopgap measure, some
high-speed copper wire systems are being offered today. However,
these systems may require rewiring with special wire, such as a
specially rated version of shielded twisted-pair cable. Even with