1.8 Standards for Fiber Optic Communications
25
1.8 Standards for Fiber Optic Communications
To allow components and equipment from different vendors to interface with one
another, numerous international standards have been developed [40, 41]. The three
basic classes for fiber optics are primary standards, component testing standards, and
system standards.
Primary standards refer to measuring and characterizing fundamental physical
parameters such as attenuation, bandwidth, operational characteristics of fibers, and
optical power levels and spectral widths. In the USA the main organization involved in
primary standards is the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This
organization carries out fiber optic and laser standardization work. Other national
organizations include the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in the United Kingdom
and the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) in Germany.
Component testing standards define tests for fiber-optic component performance and establish equipment-calibration procedures. Several different organizations are involved in formulating testing standards, some very active ones being the
Fiber Optic Association (thefoa.org), the Telecommunication Sector of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-T), and the International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC).
System standards refer to measurement methods for links and networks. The major
organizations are the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the Institute for
Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), and the ITU-T. Of particular interest for
fiber optics system are test standards and recommendations from the ITU-T. Within
the G series (in the number range G.650 and higher) the recommendations relate to
fiber cables, optical amplifiers, wavelength multiplexing, optical transport networks
(OTN), system reliability and availability, and management and control for passive
optical networks (PON). The L and O series of the ITU-T address methods and
equipment for the construction, installation, maintenance support, monitoring, and
testing of cable and other elements in the optical fiber outside plant, that is, the fielded
cable system.
1.9 Summary
Following its introduction into telecom networks in the late 1970s, optical fiber
communications technology has experienced a dramatic increase in transmission
capacities. Starting with a humble 6 Mb/s transmission rate over a 10 km link, forty
years later in 2020 optical fiber transmission links carrying information at speeds
of 400 Gb/s and 1 Tb/s were being installed on links over hundreds of kilometers
long. Many new technology developments were created to achieve such high-speed
links and a great deal of effort also was expended in devising installation procedures,
network test and monitoring equipment, and a wide variety of international standards.
25
1.8 Standards for Fiber Optic Communications
To allow components and equipment from different vendors to interface with one
another, numerous international standards have been developed [40, 41]. The three
basic classes for fiber optics are primary standards, component testing standards, and
system standards.
Primary standards refer to measuring and characterizing fundamental physical
parameters such as attenuation, bandwidth, operational characteristics of fibers, and
optical power levels and spectral widths. In the USA the main organization involved in
primary standards is the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This
organization carries out fiber optic and laser standardization work. Other national
organizations include the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in the United Kingdom
and the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) in Germany.
Component testing standards define tests for fiber-optic component performance and establish equipment-calibration procedures. Several different organizations are involved in formulating testing standards, some very active ones being the
Fiber Optic Association (thefoa.org), the Telecommunication Sector of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-T), and the International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC).
System standards refer to measurement methods for links and networks. The major
organizations are the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the Institute for
Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), and the ITU-T. Of particular interest for
fiber optics system are test standards and recommendations from the ITU-T. Within
the G series (in the number range G.650 and higher) the recommendations relate to
fiber cables, optical amplifiers, wavelength multiplexing, optical transport networks
(OTN), system reliability and availability, and management and control for passive
optical networks (PON). The L and O series of the ITU-T address methods and
equipment for the construction, installation, maintenance support, monitoring, and
testing of cable and other elements in the optical fiber outside plant, that is, the fielded
cable system.
1.9 Summary
Following its introduction into telecom networks in the late 1970s, optical fiber
communications technology has experienced a dramatic increase in transmission
capacities. Starting with a humble 6 Mb/s transmission rate over a 10 km link, forty
years later in 2020 optical fiber transmission links carrying information at speeds
of 400 Gb/s and 1 Tb/s were being installed on links over hundreds of kilometers
long. Many new technology developments were created to achieve such high-speed
links and a great deal of effort also was expended in devising installation procedures,
network test and monitoring equipment, and a wide variety of international standards.