ADVANTAGES OF FIBER CABLES OVER WIRES

There are various advantages, which make Optical Fibres better than Copper systems. The crucial operating difference between a fibre optic communication system and other types is that signals are transmitted as light. Conventional electronic communication relies on electrons passing through wires. Radio frequency and microwave communications rely on radio waves and microwaves travelling through open space. The major points which distinguish it on positive side are:
→ Low transmission loss and wide Bandwidth:
Optical Fibres have lower transmission losses and wider bandwidth than copper wires. This means that with optical fibre cable systems more data can be sent over longer distances, thereby decreasing the number of wires and reducing the number of repeaters needed for these spans. This reduction in equipment and components decreases the system cost and complexity.
→ Small size and Weight:

The low weight and the small (hair sized) dimensions of fibres offer a distinct advantage over heavy, bulky wire cables in crowded underground city ducts or in ceiling-mounted cable trays. This is also of importance in aircraft, satellites, and ships, where small, lightweight cables are advantageous, and in tactical military applications, where large amounts of cable must be unreeled and retrieved rapidly.
→ Immunity to interference:

An especially important feature of optical fibres relates to their dielectric nature. This provides optical waveguides with immunity to electromagnetic interference (EMI), such as inductive pickup from signal carrying wires and lightning. It also ensures freedom from electromagnetic pulse (EMP) effects, which is of particular interest in military application.
→ Electrical Isolation:
Since optical fibres are constructed of glass, which is an electrical insulator, there is no need to worry about ground loops, Fibre-to-Fibre crosstalks is very low and equipment interface problems are simplified. This also makes the use of fibres attractive in electrically hazardous environment, since the fibre creates no arcing or sparking
→ Signal Security:

By using an optical fibre a high degree of data security is afforded, since the optical signal is well confined within the waveguide (with any emanations being absorbed by an opaque jacketing around the fibre). This makes fibre attractive in applications where information security is important, such as banking, computer networks and military system

→ Abundant raw materials:

Of additional importance is the fact that silica is the principal material of which optical fibres are made. This raw material is abundant and inexpensive, since it is found in ordinary sand. The expense in making the actual fibre arises in the process required to make ultrapure glass from this raw material

→ Fibres are not prone to Thefts:
Last but not the least, that Optical Fibres cables has a distinctive advantage of not being prone to Thefts, as it is the most common practice in conventional copper cables.

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