Corning Inc. Develops Ultra-Flexible Fiber Optics

Corning Inc., a manufacturer of glass and ceramic products and a maker of optical fiber, is all set to enhance its offering to the Internet industry and expand its global footprint by developing Ultra flexiblefiber optics which can offer fast and reliable net service to even high-rise apartments and condominiums.

The new fiber is approximately 100 times more flexible than the standard fiber.

Fiber Optics systems are dominating the telecommunication industry today. As compared to the conventional system, Fiber Optics are less expensive, thin, safe, flexible and can carry higher capacity with minimal loss of signal. Ideally suited to carry digital signals, more and more telecom sectors prefer to use Fiber optics and therefore replace their telecom lines. The technology in Fiber Optics is the usage of glass threads to transmit data. So, there is always the risk for fragility and splicing. With the advent of Ultra flexible fiber optics, Corning has created a revolution in the telecommunication and the internet industry. The ultra-flexible technology allows the fiber to be bent with virtually no signal loss.

"This is a game-changing technology for telecommunications applications," said Corning's president, Peter Volanakis. "We have developed an optical fiber cable that is as rugged as copper cable but with all of the bandwidth benefits of fiber."

Corning said the improvements will enable carriers to economically offer high-speed Internet, voice and high-definition TV service to virtually all high-rise buildings.

In standard fiber, the light signal leaks out at bends or turns and "with two 90-degree turns, the signal is lost," Corning spokesman Dan Collins said in a statement. "This design relies on nanostructures that serve as a mirror or a guardrail, and as the fiber is turned or bent, the light doesn't leak out. We have wrapped the fiber around a ball point pen and it retains its effectiveness."

There are more than 25 million high-rise apartment homes in the United States and more than 680 million worldwide.

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