Prysmian Telecom Cables and Systems (www.prysmian.com) has reached a milestone in installed-kilometers of blown fiber, with its most recent delivery taking total sales past the 750,000-kilometer mark.
Prysmian has been supplying the Sirocco blown-fiber system for more than 10 years. Systems have been installed in locations around the world including Western Europe, the Middle East, and South Africa, with new installations underway in Australia and the United States.
The blown-fiber concept involves the pre-installation of a tube network with the optical fibers subsequently being blown into the tubes as the network evolves and customer connections are completed. The Sirocco brand, predominantly installed in access networks, is a system solution that includes fiber bundles, tube cables, connectors, internal and external plant, together with specialist installation equipment and services.
Sirocco is produced at Prysmian's U.K. facility in Bishopstoke. Chris Pollock, commercial director for Prysmian Telecom Cables and Systems U.K., commented, "We have seen significant growth in demand over the last couple of years, particularly in those regions such as Scandinavia that are currently moving forward with numerous FTTH initiatives. In addition, many of our customers have just created their tube infrastructures and the additional fiber demand has yet to come. I fully expect to pass the 1 million fiber kilometer mark in the very near future."