press release

Fujikura Ltd. (President and CEO: Masahiko Ito) has recently added a 3,000-core Optcal Fiber cable featuring 200µm fiber SWR® to its lineup of Wrapping Tube Cable ^® (WTC ^®) small-diameter, high-density optical cables that feature the company's proprietary intermittently adhesive optical fiber core technology, Spider Web Ribbon ^® (SWR ^®), and has begun sales the new product.

Product development background
In recent years, with the spread of video distribution and cloud services, there is a need to further increase the capacity of optical networks to accommodate 5G, IoT, strengthened cybersecurity, etc. However, optical cables laying in domestic trunk lines (underground conduits) are required to have an outer diameter of 24 mm or less due to size restrictions such as inner pipes used in underground conduits, and in order to achieve a high capacity optical network, Optcal Fiber cables with more Optcal Fiber mounted in a limited space were required.

Product strong point / feature

• Until now, our ^WTC® product for domestic trunk line use was the 2000-core ^WTC® equipped with 8-core ^SWR® of 250µm fiber, which was the optical cable with the largest number of Optcal Fiber fiber cores. Now, by application 200µm fiber to 8-core ^SWR®, we have increased the number of Optcal Fiber cores installed to 3000 without expanding the cable outer diameter, thereby expanding capacity. While increasing the number of cores, we have also achieved a weight reduction from previous products, which is expected to contribute to improved workability.
• The newly developed ^SWR® with 200µm fiber adopts a structure that aligns the alignment pitch between fibers with the conventional ^SWR® with 250µm fiber. Therefore, it is possible to not only batch-splice 200µm ^SWR® with each other, but also to batch-splice with existing 250µm Optcal Fiber ribbons and ^SWR® with 250µm fiber. In addition, since the existing fusion splicer can be used as is, there is no need to prepare a new fusion splicer dedicated to 200µm fiber, which also contributes to reducing construction costs.
• In conjunction with the development of the 3000-fiber ^WTC® with 200µm fiber ^SWR®, we have developed and started sales a new optical closure that enables work such as relocation of Optcal Fiber fibers by optimizing the size of the optical fiber storage tray and the wiring and storage mechanism inside the optical closure, and that allows the connection of up to 3000 fibers.

The performance of the 3000-fiber ^WTC® with 200µm fiber ^SWR® has been highly praised, and it has already been adopted by Colt Technology Services Co., Ltd. ^*, a major telecommunications business. Colt Technology Services began delivery of the cable, along with a newly developed optical closure, in March 2021. Hoshino, President and Head of Asia at Colt Technology Services, said the following about the adoption of the 3000-fiber ^WTC® and optical closure:

"Colt is honoured to have adopted Fujikura's new 3000 fibre cable as part of our core infrastructure in Japan. We have worked with Fujikura for many years and are continually amazed by the advances they make in their market-leading technology. The Fujikura cable we have introduced is small and lightweight, even with 3000 fibres, maximising our investment in our fibre network and enabling us to serve our customers for many years to come. This is also the first time we have introduced 200μm fibre, and work was easy as we were able to use our existing fusion splicer as is. Colt is always looking to improve the products and services we provide, and we look forward to working with Fujikura's technological capabilities."

Furukawa Electric will continue to work to deliver high value to our customers by continuing to develop and Lineup (名) our lineup of advanced optical products, from ultra-high-core optical cables to peripheral devices and parts, as well as by providing total optical cable wiring solutions, including installation and maintenance.

●3000-core ^WTC® cable structure

●8-core ^SWR® fiber pitch structure

●3000-core ^WTC® cable specifications

*About Colt Technology Services
The Japanese subsidiary of Colt Technology Services, a major global communications business headquartered in London, UK. The company operates its own network that connects over 900 data center and over 29,000 commercial buildings in Asia, Europe and North America, and provides ICT infrastructure services to corporations with integrated Optcal Fiber and processes, including data communications, Internet connections, voice, IT management services and professional services, centered on optical fiber networks.