Sterlite Technologies Sets a New Record with World's Slimmest 160-Micron Fiber

30 Oct, 2023

Sterlite Technologies Sets a New Record with World's Slimmest 160-Micron Fiber

Sterlite Technologies Ltd (STL), a Pune-based optical and digital solutions company, has achieved a remarkable technological milestone by developing the world's slimmest 160-micron optical fiber for telecommunications. This groundbreaking innovation is the result of extensive research and development carried out at STL's Center of Excellence in Maharashtra, marking STL as the first global company to conceptualize and patent this cutting-edge technology.

The unveiling of this extraordinary optical fiber took place at the 7th edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2023, where it was officially introduced by Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Minister for Communications, Electronics & Information Technology & Railways. During the event, Minister Vaishnaw demonstrated the precision of this innovation by expertly splicing two strands of the ultra-thin optical fiber, a highly calibrated process that involves joining the cores of these hair-thin optical fibers.

What sets this 160-micron fiber apart is its exceptional capacity, as a cable made with it can accommodate three times more data than traditional 250-micron fiber, while having a reduced cable diameter of just 6.4mm, constituting a substantial 32% reduction compared to the standard 250-micron fiber. This breakthrough will have a transformative impact on the deployment, bandwidth capacity, and environmental sustainability of networks.

Importantly, this product meets the stringent telecom-grade optical performance standards and complies with the ITU G.657A2 standard. STL's commitment to innovation is further evident in its previous achievements, such as India's first multicore fiber with four times the capacity and the 180-micron fiber.

Dr. Badri Gomatam, Group Chief Technology Officer at STL, highlighted the meticulous engineering and material innovation that enabled this breakthrough, emphasizing that it overcomes micro bend insensitivity in manufacturing processes and glass compositions.

In addition to its global implications, this revolutionary fiber has the potential to play a pivotal role in India's broadband landscape. As India assumes the status of the world's fastest-growing digital economy, there is an escalating demand for densely fiberized networks, both in backhaul and closer to the end-users. Notably, the deployment of ducts accounts for approximately 60% of the entire fiber deployment cost, making efficient use of duct space an invaluable asset.

Network builders worldwide are actively seeking ways to reduce fiber size in order to maximize capacity within available duct space. For instance, in massive initiatives like Bharatnet, which aims to deploy around 20 million fiber kilometers by 2025, adopting the 160-micron fiber instead of the conventional 250-micron fiber could potentially accelerate deployment times by approximately 15%. This transition would enable the use of smaller-diameter ducts, thereby reducing the environmental footprint by roughly 30%. This innovation promises to revolutionize the way we think about fiber optics and network deployment, benefiting both India's digital future and the global telecommunications industry.