| Since the early 1990�s, blown fibre units of 2 or 4 fibres have been available, more recently having been extended to 8 fibres in the late 1990�s. For network operators looking to connect from a metro ring to a new customer, standard practice has been to install a traditional 12, 24 or a 48-fibre cable. To meet these requirements, Pirelli Telecom Cables & Systems, Italy, offers a 12 fibre single-mode module to extend its range of Sirocco� blown fibre products used to achieve low-cost network start-up, flexibility for network growth and re-routing. Direct connection from the access networks to internal communications rooms or even direct to the desk is achievable with this technology. Nevertheless, a new design was necessary to accommodate 12 fibres. The new Sirocco 12 fibre standard design is a 3-layer UV-cured acrylate matrix, with the inner a low modulus layer to prevent micro-bending, a high-modulus layer for protection and finally a low-friction coating containing microspheres to optimise blowing performance.
The higher fibre count module uses a Pirelli patented process to bundle the fibres together in a small, light, easy-to-remove coating with a surface modified layer to produce good blowing performance. Typical breakout times for the 12 fibre module are 1 minute and it can be blown a distance of 600 metres in about 20 minutes. These features, and similar performances for the lower fibre count modules, make the installation of blown fibre a rapid means of providing customer connections (residential or business) or within internal networks (building or campus). Furthermore, the Sirocco� blown fibre system provides the simple solution to manage evolving network demands without the need for high up-front expenditure or intensive forward planning. Sirocco� systems can grow and adapt to changing business requirements, enabling optical fibres to be deployed on demand from one point of a network to another (internal or external) using compressed air to blow optical fibre into pre-installed tubes. For almost all applications in the access network and premise distribution, the Sirocco� blown fibre system offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional cabling. Pre-install a multi-tube link, then blow into place a package of 2 to 12 fibres, for Day 1 operations. Subsequently, when and if additional capacity is required, more bundles of fibre can be blown in. This increases network design flexibility, reduces initial expenditure and increases the speed of subsequent service provision.
Pirelli offers a full portfolio of products to support the introduction of Sirocco� in either access networks or within premises. The product portfolio contains a choice of optical fibre options, fibre units in a range of fibre-counts, tubed cables for internal or external application, equipment for installing Sirocco blown fibre, a variety of tubing connectors, external plant for tube and fibre management, as well as internal plant for tube and fibre management
Photo: Sirocco� internal blown fibre tube
Photo: Sirocco� external blown fibre tube
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