Category: Telecommunications

The Principle of fiber optics is based on transmission of data by means of light. Concept of fiber optics was first conceived by Claude Chappe in 1790’s. His idea for fiber optics was based on an optical telegraph concept invented by Graham Bell also tried the means to send information by the atmosphere but did not succeed. Finally, fiber optics emerged with the onset of new era based on the principle of total internal reflection which is a distinct quality of light rays.

Fiber optics emerged and grew into more advanced phase due to requirement from radio and telephone engineers. These engineers required more bandwidth for data transmission. Thus these engineers had been looking out for a medium to transmit data in more reliable and faster form rather than copper cables. They also wanted to avoid the hazards of electric shocks and interference which were a constant problem of copper cables.

Fiber optics had attracted some attention because they were analogous in theory to plastic dielectric waveguides used in certain microwave applications. Finally a technology evolved that used glass or plastic threads to transmit data. Cables involved in fiber optics contain several bundles of glass threads which are capable of transmitting data in modulated form.

With the onset of fiber optics and fiber optic cables data started to transfer faster as fiber optic cables have greater bandwidth than metal cables and are more resistant to external interference. Lighter and thinner fiber optic cables readily transfer data in digital form rather than analogue form. This technology is most useful in computer industry which now forms an integral part of telephone, radio and television industry.

Telecommunications applications of fiber optics use flexible low-loss fibers, using a single fiber per optical path. Along with the communication industry fiber optics plays an important role in medical and industrial applications also. Many medical appliances like endoscope use the principle of fiber optics. Industrial applications viz. in television industry use the principle of fiber optics to obtain flattened images in cathode ray tubes.

Fiber optics yield distortion free data transmission in digital form. The audio waves transmitted via principle of fiber optics deliver accurate signal transfer. Fiber optics is also useful in automotive and transportation industry. Traffic lights, organized and scrutinized highway traffic control, automated toll booths, etc. are some of the benefits of application of fiber options in the transportation mechanism.

Cable TV companies and Internet Service Providers equivocally find fiber optics indispensable in their industry. Fiber optics provides tamper free, high bandwidth and larger data carrying capacity to the service providers. This eventually leads to better consumer satisfaction.

Unlike copper wire system fiber optics do not use and electrical form to carry data. The use of light gives a competitive edge to fiber optics over regular data transmission options. But eventually use of fiber optics is very expensive as compared to copper cabling system.

The SFP may be the smaller sized optical transceiver utilized in optical communications. It interfaces a network equipment mother board to some fiber-optic or unshielded twisted pair networking cable.
This is probably the most diffused transceiver format available with a number of different transmiter and receiver types, allowing users to select the appropriate transceiver for each connect to supply the required optical reach within the available optical fiber (e.g., multi-mode fiber or single-mode fiber).
A drawing of SFP module is presented below, where the particular connector for the input and output fibers that, with different dimensions, exists in all the transceivers is evidenced. The way in which the SFP transceivers are hosted on the motherboard utilizing a suitable cage allowing a hot plug is show in the figure below, where both empty cages around the front of a system card and also the cages with plugged SFPs are provided.

Optical SFP modules are commonly obtainable in a choice of models: 850 nm (SX), 1310 nm (LX), 1550 nm (ZX), and WDM, both DWDM and CWDM. SFP transceivers are also available with a copper cable interface. The copper SFP allows a host device designed primarily for optical fiber communications to also communicate over unshiedled twisted pair networking cable.
Commercially available transceivers have a capability as much as 2.5 Gbps for transmission applications; moreover, a version of the standard having a bit rate of 10 Gbps exists, however it can be used only to connect nearby equipment, and it is very helpful to spare space and power consumption as interface within the client cards of line equipments.
Modern optical SFP transceivers support digital monitoring functions based on the industry standard SFF-8472 MSA. This selection gives the consumer the opportunity to monitor real-time parameters from the SFP, for example optical output power, optical input power, temperature, laser bias current, and transceiversupply voltage.
SFP transceivers are designed to support SONET, Gigabit Ethernet, Fibre Channel, and other communications standards.
The standard is expanding to SFP (SFP plus), which will be capable of supporting data rates as much as 10.0 Gbps (that will range from the data rates for 8G Fibre Channel, and 10 GbE). Possible performances of various realistic SFP transceivers are reported in the figure below.

If there is anything in the communications technology that could be actually defined as core networking then look no further than an MPLS VPN. As the internet speeds and bandwidths increase, there was a need felt to provide internet users with optimum content of the sites. Not many of the internet users might know this but in reality, increasing bandwidths also meant bottlenecks in the traffic flow! Technologies to prevent and control these did exist (like the Ethernet, Frame Relay and the ATM) but were lacked architectural finesse to handle the ever increasing internet population.

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Extracting the best from the above mentioned technologies and capitalizing on its own innovative approaches came out the MPLS or Multi Protocol Label Switching. As an avid internet user you must know that data is shared over the internet in packets and the faster these switches are the faster can data be shared and accessed. When bandwidth intensive applications like audio and video transmission is to be achieved optimally, it is this MPLS that gives internet users and business owners a reason to cheer about. Improved architecture over the VPN has enabled effortless streaming of Hi-Definition video and audio signals over continents its usage has been optimized in cases like video and teleconferencing over the internet.

Having understood the benefits of an MPLS VPN for your business, it now seems to be a daunting task to find some service provider who which further justify its usage without charging too much. Having said that, if you follow these steps, there is no reason why you should face any problem in getting the services of a good MPLS service provider:

Check whether the service provider uses core routers to support the MPLS networks. This increases the cost effectiveness of the technology.

MPLS technology is relatively new and then more and more service providers are jumping in the fray sensing a great business opportunity here. If there is any news of a new MPLS service provider launch in the industry, it would be wise on your part to wait for sometime and compare the features that it provides.

Comparison is always the key to finding a good deal. Prices might not vary much but then the deployment of core hardware by the service provider is what can be defined as the most essential check on your part. Ask them to assure you that your business wouldnt face bandwidth bottlenecks (which were a nagging problem when the technology was first introduced!).

No technology is foolproof. The service providers must also have the technology to repair and service the lines in case of a fault by using bi-directional fault detectors and fast re-routing services.

Operational expenditure can be significantly reduces if the service provider amalgamates the best of ATM, Ethernet connections and Frame Relays!

The ever increasing competition in the segment benefits businesses when a larger scheme of things is considered.

Searching the internet to find good service providers by using bandwidth broker sites may help you analyze the long time costs more efficiently.

Throughout time the main forms of communication required that one person be within visual sight of the other in order to be able to successfully communicate. Either that or be within visual or audible range of the means of communication, as in semaphore (physically signalling between ships), or smoke, or drum signals. Then during the 1830s and 1840s telecommunications was born in the form of the telegraph.

The definition of telecommunication, is the means of communicating over great distances, which means that semaphore, drum and smoke signals do not come under the heading of telecommunication, but Telegraphy, telephony and electronic mail do come under the telecommunications heading.

Telegraphy and telephony requires the use of metal wires in order to transmit messages between sender and recipient. During the 19th century, thanks to the invention of the telegraph, these metal cables were laid along the ocean beds, connecting the continents of the world and thus allowing international telecommunications (first one completed on the 27th of July, 1876 linking the USA with Great Britain).

Wireless telecommunications – The 20th century brought the advent of long distance communication without the need for physical connectivity. The first versions were created by Guglielmo Marconi, and manifested themselves in the form of the wireless radio, for which Marconi won a Nobel prize. This was achieved back in 1909.

Other intrepid contributors – Besides Marconi, there were a number of others making headway in the field of wireless communications, they include, Alexander Graham Bell, Samuel Morse, Lee de Forest, Joseph Henry, Nikola Tesla, Edwin Armstrong, and John Logie Baird.

Earliest form of telecommunications – A Frenchman by the name of Claude Chappe back in 1792, came up with a communication system that allowed rapid (rapid for the time) transmission of a message by setting up a series of towers that were about 6 miles apart. From these towers operators could receive messages from one tower then transmit those messages to the next tower. The transmission of messages was done by semaphore. Semaphore is achieved by the use of moving arms that dependent on the position of the arms would have different meanings. Chappe’s communication system lasted up until 1880, when it was forced out of existence by the far superior telegraph system.

The telegraph – In 1839 one Sir William Fothergil Cooke and one Sir Charles Wheatstone built the first commercial electrical wire based telegraph system. This was actually an improvement on the existing electromagnetic telegraph system.

Morse steps on to the scene – Not only were communication system to use Samuel Morse’s means of coding messages, but Morse himself, in 1837, created a much simpler telegraph system to that already in existence, that which was created by Wheatstone and Cooke (see above).

International telephone link took a long time coming – Although there was a cable connection Great Britain with the United States of America laid back in middle part of the 19th century, it was not good enough to be used for transmitting telephone signals. It had been originally set-up for communications via telegraphy between the then President of the USA, James Buchanan, and Great Britain’s Queen Victoria. The original cable failed fairly quickly and had to be replaced, but was of no use for the telephone system. It was not until 1956 before telephone telecommunications was successfully set-up between the USA and Britain.

Text messaging is not just for kids anymore. In fact, people of all ages produce more than 3 million text messages a day. Using online tools will turn any phone into a powerhouse of productivity.

Text messaging is very useful. It is often a substitute for e-mails and instant messaging. Short messages are sent via SMS instead of calling the person. It saves time and effort.

For travelers, text messaging is also the cheapest form of communication aside from the internet. You can check on your mobile phone about flight details, tracking a package, checking your bank balance, driving directions as well as updating the calendar. It is also a useful tool when jotting down notes if there is no pen available.

Some mobile phones are more advanced. It is able to get voice commands. In this case, instead of keying in your message, the phone will just listen to your voice and jot down the message for you. The catch is that you have to speak clearly to encode the right message. And depending on where the mobile phone was manufactured, it may have problems listening to your tone and diction.

You can also link up to your email calendar. All the events, reminders and memos you put in your email calendar will be sent to your mobile phone as a text message. You will never have to miss another important occasion again. With just a text message, you can also track calories and packages in an instant. A lot of web services offer information as well as alerting options through SMS as part of their service. If you are curious when your package will arrive, just type in your track number and send it to the appropriate number. You will instantly receive a text alert regarding your package.

There are also banks and other utility companies that offer easy payment via text messages also. These banks and other service companies are tied up with telecommunication networks. Subscribers can start their e-wallets, much like having some savings in their phone. This way, bills can be very easily paid through their phones.

This new trick is very convenient. One does not have to rush to meet the cutoff time of offices or banks. They can pay at any time, anywhere, by just using their mobile phones. Text confirmations will be received when the payment is successful.

Most cellular phones now are equipped with built-in cameras also. Pictures taken from these cameras can be added with text messages afterwards, and then sent to a friend.

Many people are busy with work and other responsibilities. They hardly have time to read the newspaper or watch the news to learn the latest bits around. But with text messaging, all you have to do is subscribe to specific networks and you will be constantly updated via text messages whenever important events are happening.

In the same way, you can also subscribe to your favorite stores and you will be sent messages whenever there are ongoing promotions or factory sales. You will never be far behind from the latest happenings again.

SMS has really gone a long way from just being a communication tool. It has made lives much easier today.