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Prysmian Group Honoree at Lightwave Innovation Reviews

Prysmian Group’ Sirocco Extreme Microduct Cable with BendBrightXS 180µm has been honoured by the 2021 Lightwave Innovation Reviews, receiving a high-mark by the experienced technical committee, and classifying as one of the best competing products in the categories “Carrier Fibre”, “Cable”, “Enclosures”, and “Accessories”.

Lightwave Innovation Reviews is a program powered by Lightwave, a media that since 35+ years delivers content related to fibre optics, and to technologies that enable improved performance of data communications networks. The award wants to acknowledge the top products and services within the optical networking industry, according to the following criteria:

  • Originality
  • Innovation
  • Positive impact on the customer
  • How well it addresses a new or existing requirement
  • Novelty of approach
  • Cost-effectiveness

The technical committee is composed of experts from the optical communications community such as service providers, technology developers, industry analysis firms, and media.

 

As new technologies like 5G, IoT and AR evolve, optical networks need to promptly change, accordingly to new demands for increased capacity, higher density and lower latency – requiring network operators to offer solutions to save time, space and costs. The latest air-blowing microcable systems with reduced diameter bend-insensitive optical fibres and high fibre counts are crucial to make installation faster, more cost-effective and environmentally friendly.

To this end, Prysmian launched BendBrightXS 200µm in 2009, the first commercialized bend-insensitive single-mode optical fibre with reduced coating diameter, specifically designed for high-density optical networks.

BendBrightXS 180µm represents even greater achievement in fibre miniaturization and densification, as it enables cable designers to offer significantly reduced cable dimensions and yield industry record fibre density.

The dimensional reduction corresponds to half of the cross-section area of traditional 250µm single-mode fibres while preserving a 125µm glass diameter, and still ensuring excellent bending performance and mechanical reliability.

Alongside in 2019, improved processes and raw materials have enabled the reduction of loose tubes size. Thus, Prysmian introduced Pico-Tube technology with 200µm optical fibres achieving loose tubes containing 12 fibres in tubes of 1mm diameter.

Sirocco Extreme Microduct Cable combines BendBrightXS 180µm fibres with Pico-Tube technology to reduce further the loose tube and cable diameters. Sirocco Extreme is the first commercially available 180µm optical fibre cable on the market, and not only it boasts the smallest diameter currently available on the market but also the highest fibre density for microduct cables.

“With these cables Prysmian Group continues to prove that it truly is a global manufacturer that leverages on its worldwide knowledge and capabilities to respond to the always growing technological challenges that its customers are facing. Sirocco Extreme product enhancements show the Group’s commitment to offer a scalable solution that’s high-density, physically compact, and easily deployable for a future-fit solution.”

Ian Griffiths

Global R&D Director, Telecom, Prysmian Group

Last December, Prysmian Group realized the world-first installation of a Sirocco Extreme Microduct Cables with BendBrightXS 180µm in Germany, using a microcable with 288 fibres within an outer diameter of 6.6 millimetres.

Compared with conventional solutions, Sirocco Extreme enables faster, more cost-effective and eco-friendly installations.

Sirocco Extreme cables will also help network operators to respect the environment and achieve their sustainability targets. Some sustainability benefits of Sirocco Extreme cables:


Thanks to its reduced size and high fibre density Sirocco Extreme enables project managers to significantly reduce the overall cost of network expansion – compared to legacy optical fibres, consuming less raw materials and resulting eco-friendlier.


Thanks to Sirocco Extreme reduced form factor, up to 50% smaller microducts can be used to deploy the same number of fibres - representing 50% less polyethylene material employed in the manufacturing process, enabling the development of greener and more sustainable networks.


When using smaller micro ducts as Sirocco Extreme, longer lengths can be fitted on a drum, reducing the numbers of drums and truckloads to deliver the material at the site.

 

 

Sirocco Extreme Microduct Cables with BendBrightXS 180µm has obtained the high-score band, with 4.5 points out of 5, classifying as a product that sets new performance standards, as well as revolutionary technical achievements. Thus, Prysmian Group has been provided with the Honoree status in the Lightwave Innovation Reviews.

“The increased volumes of data transmission during the pandemic period have led to the urgent and pressing need for high-performance and reliable fibre networks. We are honoured to receive this award for our most advanced product Sirocco Extreme; but most importantly, we are proud to contribute with a valuable and innovative cable technology that helps to cope efficiently with challenges brought about by the increasing digitalization, which is being experienced by our society.”

Adrian Amezcua Correa

Global Technical Sales Support, Telecom Solutions, Prysmian Group