Draka UC Fibre upgrades its SM fibre to G.657.A1 bending performance

Draka has completed the upgrade of all its Universal Cabling Fibre offering from ‘regular’ G.652.D fibre to a profile meeting all requirements of G.657.A1 too. Bend-insensitive fibre optic cables are a crucial part of the UK’s shift towards flexible and ultra-reliable fibre connectivity. This fibre upgrade allows Draka to continue to make cables in ever increasing fibre counts (432 fibre Cca is now available) with reduced diameters.

As our demand for information continues to increase, fibre networks are becoming more dynamic, crowded, and limited for space. All of this sees fibre bends becoming more likely to occur. Preventing power leakage due to bending effects is therefore a crucial component of high-performing optical networks.

A bend-insensitive G.657.A1 fibre loses only 0.2 dB when twisted twice around a pencil, whereas a ‘regular’ fibre loses up to 11 dB. On the other hand, this upgraded SM fibre comes with a standard step index profile not assisted by additional structures in the cladding. This ensures full compatibility in any existing network application and peace of mind to its operators.

Leigh Buckwell, Technical Sales Manager for Draka comments,

“Draka continues to incorporate Prysmian Group’s technologies into the Universal Cabling System. This is another milestone in positioning Draka UC as the technology leader in optical fibre here in the UK.

“At Draka, we develop optimised cable systems built on BendBrightXS fibre technology. This ensures a scalable solution for our customers: one that’s high-density, physically compact, and easily deployable for a future-fit solution.”

Prysmian Group has over 30 years at the forefront of fibre technology and development with centres of excellence in the UK, Italy, France, and Netherlands. Draka manufactures all of its Universal Cabling products within its European manufacturing base.

For more information on Draka in the UK, please go to mms.drakauk.com