An optical fibre (or fiber) is a glass or plastic fiber that carries light along its length. Fiber optic is the application technology of the optical fibre. Optical fiber is mostly applied in fiber-optic communications, which utilizes signals to transmit telephone signals, Internet communication, and cable television signals over an optical fibre. Although fibers can be made out of transparent plastic, glass or combination of the two, the fibers used in long-distance telecommunications applications are always glass.

FIBRE OPTIC MILESTONES

Ø  The need for reliable long-distance communication systems has ever existed and the sophistication of these systems has gradually improved, from smoke signals to telegraphs and finally to the first coaxial cable, put into service in 1940.

Ø  In 1966 Kao and Hockham proposed optical fibers but the development of lasers in the 1960s solved the first problem of a light source and polished the technology.

Ø  1975 to 1980, the first commercial fiber-optic communication system was developed by Corning Glass Works

Ø  In 1988, TAT-8 was developed as the first undersea fiber optic link between the United States and Europe.

Ø  In the 1990s, the fiber optic communication industry became associated with the dot-com hence a vast increases in demand for bandwidth due to increased use of the Internet

Ø  In 2009 (21 years from the TAT-8 installation), fibre optic reached the eastern part of Africa (The only region in Africa that was not connected to fibre optic).

ADVANTAGES OF FIBRE OPTIC

Fiber has large advantages over existing copper wire. These advantages are:

• High System Performance
• Greatly increased bandwidth and capacity
• Lower signal attenuation (loss)
• Adaptive to extreme conditions like heat, cold or pressure.
• Difficult to tap and signal secure.
• Freedom from short circuit and sparks
• Environmental Protection
• Lower installation cost

DISADVANTAGES OF FIBRE OPTIC

·         Increase cost of its components due to its newness to the market.

·         Increased cost of installation due to lack of installation experts.

USES OF FIBRE OPTIC?

A. Fiber optic sensors: Optical fibers can be used as sensors to measure strain, temperature, pressure or transit time of light. In some applications, the sensor is itself an optical fiber. In other cases, fiber is used to connect a non-fiber optic sensor to a measurement system.  A major benefit of fibre in sensors is their ability to reach places which are otherwise inaccessible e.g. measurement of temperature inside aircraft jet engine, vibration, pressure, rotation, displacement, velocity, acceleration, torque, and twisting, internal temperature of electrical transformers where the extreme electromagnetic fields present make other measurement techniques impossible.

B. Fiber for Illumination: Fibers are widely used in illumination applications. They are used as Light guides in medical and other applications where bright light needs to be shone on a target without a clear line-of-sight path. In some buildings, optical fibers are used to route sunlight from the roof to other parts of the building. Optical fiber illumination is also used for decorative applications, including signs, Art, artificial Christmas tree and illumination from many different angles while only employing one light source.

C. Fiber for Imaging: Optical fiber is also used in imaging optics. A coherent bundle of fibers is used, sometimes along with lenses, for a long, thin imaging device like endoscope, which is used to view objects through a small hole. Medical endoscopes are used for minimally invasive exploratory or surgical procedures (endoscopy). Industrial endoscopes are used for inspecting anything hard to reach, such as jet engine interiors. Using a spectrometer, Fibre can also be used, study composition of objects, gasses, or reactions in pressure vessels.

D. Fiber as energy source: Optical fiber can be used to supply a low level of power (around one watt) to electronics situated in a difficult electrical environment. Examples of this are electronics in high-powered antenna elements and measurement devices used in high voltage transmission equipment.

E. Optical fiber communication: This is the common use of fibre optic. Here, it is used as a medium for telecommunication and networking because it is flexible and can be bundled as cables. It is especially advantageous for long-distance communications. Each fiber can carry many independent channels, each using a different wavelength of light. Over short distances, such as networking within a building, fiber saves space in cable ducts because a single fiber can carry much more data than a single electrical cable. Fiber is also immune to electrical interference, anti-radiation, non conductors of electricity and tap-proof (for those who might think of tapping free internet).

CONCLUSION

The greatest fiber optic hype in Kenya is based on the communication aspect. The high speed and cost effective internet is what’s being discussed in media, pubs and even homes.

From a common mwananchi perspective, reading emails, browsing the net, keeping in the loop with facebook for the youths and even researching and online education, AT INCREDIBLE SPEEDS AND CHEAPER RATES, are the eminent benefits of the fiber optic.

However for organizations, branch networking, data transfer, remote access and sensing, internet telephony, e-commerce and e-business, e-marketing, intranet management and online based enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are what they are looking into.