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PRYSMIAN GROUP | DIRECTORS’ REPORT

119

Connectivity

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In the connectivity field, Prysmian has continued to develop new accessories for use in FTTH

(Fibre to the Home) applications. Of particular importance has been the development of the LMJ (Large

Multi-Function Joint) which can connect up to 2688 fibres and uses 24-element trays each. Solutions with

pre-terminated cables are now available from our new factory in Tunisia, as well as a new, extremely robust

connector for outdoor use.

The extractability of optical elements in solutions such as Verticasa or Retractanet allow shorter installation

times thanks to the smaller number of joints and connectors required. The RetractaNet solution has been

further developed for aerial applications, and supplemented with different cable and connectivity solutions.

MMS

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Improvements have been made to the discontinuous metal ribbon-based Cat.6A U/UTP solution for

structured cabling with copper cables. Interesting developments have taken place in Power over Ethernet

(PoE) technology, with the launch of a family of cables optimised for long connections based on Category

type cable to provide both power and data to the connected device. Residential wiring is supported with the

new reduced section Cat.7A cables. In the area of internal wiring, a complete range of optical cables based

on Flextubes has also been developed.

Cabling solutions using combined copper and optical fibre cables have been further developed for data

centres. The first full Cat.8.2 connection offering a 40 Gb/s solution over copper on a 30m channel has been

qualified in partnership with an industrial partner and is now available for sale. Multimode optical fibre cables

have been developed for high data speeds (40/100 Gb/s); these cables are based on 12-fibre modules

terminated with multi-fibre MPO connectors. The optical modules used can be of the micro-module Flextube

type or 3 mm micro-cables which are assembled to cover the 72 to 144 fibre range. These cable families are

available in a version with low smoke and toxic gas emissions and in a Plenum/Riser version.

As regards materials, Prysmian is intensifying exploratory research in this area due to the strategic role they

play in cable and accessories technology. The main achievements in the year are described below:

Better performing materials have been found than those at present for the construction of laminates

used in EHV submarine cables. The research into these materials has led to the development of new

lab methods to evaluate their performance.

A recipe for a compound with variable resistivity according to the electric field applied has been

researched for use in the manufacture of a new type of HVDC joint.

Basic research has been started to understand the crystallisation of PBT (Poly-Butylen-Terephtalate),

with the aim of improving its processability and performance in optical cables.

Tests on aluminium clad steel armouring for Oil & Gas applications have been successful. This will

make it possible to develop a new highly corrosion resistant product.

Research is being conducted into the possible use of graphene and carbon nanotubes in partnership

with many universities and research institutes. In particular, experiments have started on graphene in

collaboration with a manufacturer.