The newest generation of optical fiber coatings from DSM Desotech, the global leader in fiber coating technology, is helping telecom operators make important savings by enabling at least 30% more fiber to be installed in access network ducts—the pipes that carry telecommunication cables to end-users in urban areas. This enabling of deployments in access network ducts reduces the investment needed for digging new trenches and accelerates payback time, potentially increasing ROI for operators by 30%.

 “DeSolite® Supercoatings are engineered for low microbend sensitivity, which facilitates the reduction of coating thickness resulting in increasing a compact cable’s fiber count by more than 30%,” said Steve Schmid, DSM Director, Fiber Optic Materials R&D. 

This is good news for telecom operators, who now “rent” duct capacity from network owners in countries where regulations allow it.  The breakthrough comes at a particularly important time for the telecom industry in Europe, where a new round of liberalization could act as a catalyst for long-awaited, large-scale, fiber-to-the-home deployments. In France, the country has already seen considerable investment since it opened up access to ducts and now similar moves are expected soon in Germany and the UK, among other countries.

“With governments increasingly looking to high speed broadband access to deliver social and economic value, we are seeing more and more interest from telecom operators in large-scale, Fiber-to the-Home deployments,” said Jan-Willem Leclercq, Vice President Marketing & Business Development Draka Communications. “Now, with our BendBright-Technology and our ColorLock-XS coating technology leveraging DeSolite® Supercoatings, density in compact cable designs can be increased by up to 30%, hence the ROI equation for telecom operators is more clear-cut than ever.”

“The broadband industry is being tasked to deliver network capacity into increasingly complex environments,” said Rob Crowell, Vice President Fiber Optic Materials DSM Desotech. “DSM’s goal is coating innovation that can make fiber-all-the-way a cost-effective and profitable option for service providers.  DeSolite® Supercoatings deliver that kind of performance.”