Prysmian expands microduct cable with 576 fibers

Prysmian Group has extended its Sirocco Extreme range of microduct cables to include its latest 576f cable. 

The new cable boasts 576 fibres in a diameter of 8.2mm, providing a fibre density of 10.9 fibres per mm2, and can be installed into a 10mm duct. 

Prysmian’s BendBrightXS 180μm single-mode (ITU-T G.657.D, G.657.A2) bend insensitive fibre fully compatible for splicing with any standard fibre, offering a truly future-proof solution that is prepared for evolved systems.

“Bend-insensitive fibre optic cables are a crucial part of the world’s shift towards flexible and reliable connectivity,” said Ian Griffiths, Director R&D Telecom Business at Prysmian Group. “With their extreme fibre count and reduced diameter, Sirocco Extreme microduct cables make installations faster and more cost-effective. Designed for installation into microducts, they are ideally suited for blowing in high density access, FTTx and 5G networks.”

Available in fibre counts from 192 to 576 and conforming to international standards for optical and mechanical performance, the Sirocco Extreme cables benefit from the use of Prysmian’s PicoTube technology. This makes them up to 15% smaller than Sirocco HD microduct cables, Prysmian’s previously record holding 200μm microduct cables. As a result, it is possible to install more fibres into a congested duct space and smaller ducts can be used for new installations, reducing installation costs and the use of less raw materials. This provides further benefits of a decreased total cost of network deployment and smaller environmental footprint.

https://www.prysmiangroup.com/en/press-releases/prysmian-eases-the-path-to-ftthx-and-5g-network-deployments-with-180-um-fibre-cables

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Prysmian to invest $85M to expand fiber manufacturing in North America

Prysmian Group is investing $85 million in major equipment and technology upgrades at plants in North America.

The company said most of these investments and upgrades will take place at the Prysmian Group Claremont, N.C. facility to expand production of optical products. Additionally, the Claremont facility is expected to grow to 620 employees in the next 18 months, adding up to 70 new jobs.

“Prysmian Group is committed to support the growth necessary to expand access to high-speed broadband in North America,” said Andrea Pirondini, Chief Executive Officer of Prysmian Group North America “The U.S. Rural Digital Opportunity Fund and the Canadian Universal Broadband Fund will also help build local economies and provide access to healthcare services and education opportunities. Prysmian Group continues to experience strong demand in North America for optical fiber in the telecom sector, and is proud to play a lead role as an enabler of the digital transformation across the Country. With these investments, we can continue to meet customer needs in support of 5G development in the U.S. and Canada.” ended Pirondini.

With a strong legacy in manufacturing optical fiber and cable for a broad range of applications, the Group has four telecom production sites in the United States. In particular, the Claremont R&D center is the only one of its kind, co-located in a joint optical fiber and optical fiber cable manufacturing facility. 

https://www.prysmiangroup.com/en/press-releases/prysmian-group-investing-to-support-broadband-development-and-5g-in-north-america

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Verizon selects Prysmian to supply optical cable under $300m 3-year agreement

Italy-based Prysmian Group, a major supplier of cable systems to the energy and telecom industries, announced has been awarded a supply agreement by Verizon Communications to support its U.S. network expansion.

The three-year contract is valued at approximately $300 million and will include the supply of more than 17 million fibre km (10.6 million miles) of ribbon and loose tube cables. To support this contract, as well as demand from other carriers, Prysmian plans to make a significant investment through 2018 in its U.S.-based optical cable operation. Prysmian's telecom division has been qualified as a provider of fibre, optical cable and connectivity solutions to Verizon for over a decade.

Prysmian noted that Verizon is expanding its infrastructure based on a next-generation fibre platform designed to support the deployment of 5G services, as well as enhance 4G LTE and other broadband capacity.

Prysmian added that Verizon believes demand for next-generation PON (NGPON2) technology will extend well beyond 2020 as new technologies such as 5G and the IoT experience increasing adoption.

Prysmian has an established manufacturing base in the U.S. for optical fibre and cable for a range of applications, with three telecom production sites, including two for the production of optical cable and one for optical fibre.

http://www.prysmiangroup.com/en/PR_Prysmian_Group_Verizon.html

• In April, Verizon announced a three-year minimum purchase agreement with Corning for the provision of fibre optic cable and associated hardware equipment to ensure coverage and capacity for its nationwide wireless broadband network. Under the agreement, Verizon is to purchase from Corning up to 20 million km (12.4 million miles) of optical fibre in each of the three years from 2018 to 2020, with a minimum purchase commitment of $1.05 billion.

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