Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) reveals that it is now supplying aluminium conductor cable for submarine networks. The company also says that it has paired with Facebook on the new conductor cable technology, including the successful completion of testing and qualification programme.
According to ASN, the use of aluminium is more cost-effective than copper for repeatered subsea networks while delivering equal performance. Moreover, the former is lesser expensive as well, as a raw material, and enjoys a more stable supply environment. It also has a potential to become faster to produce and enable cable designs with low direct current resistance (DCR) and a higher number of fibre pairs. Besides, the aluminium conductor approach provides other benefits as well, says the company.
The approach has passed mechanical, electrical, optical, and environmental tests performed on deep sea and armoured cables, including validation via sea trial. Najam Ahmad, vice president, network engineering at Facebook, said: “Our efforts are focused on expanding connectivity and increasing the adoption of innovative technologies, without compromising reliability. The use of aluminium cable in submarine systems represents an attractive evolution as technology advances and demand increases for more data throughput and higher speeds.”
Philippe Piron, president and CEO of ASN, said: “The introduction of a new cable variant using aluminium conductor addresses the market demand for more cable capacity at a reasonable cost, while keeping the same level of quality and reliability. After the introduction of loose tube technology in submarine cables 25 years ago, ASN is again the first to bring an innovative improvement to submarine cable design and continues to show its leadership by anticipating customer demands.”
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