^4fEvolution of 50/125 μm Fiber Since the Publication of IEEE 802.3ae

摘要

^7fSince the publication of IEEE 802.3ae, the "10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 GbE) Standard," development work has continued on high-bandwidth 50 micron (μm) multimode optical fibers for enterprise networks. Multimode fiber has long been associated with cost-effective installations in premises applications, primarily due to its ability to utilize low-cost 850 nm components. Now, with the advent of the 10 GbE standard, multimode fiber offers an economical route for high bit-rate applications at distances up to 300m. Although it has been a year and a half since publication of the 10 GbE standard, many industry observers remain skeptical that any 50-micron solution will displace 62.5-micron in the North American market. Similarly, European markets continue to remain focused on obsolete 1300nm LED specifications for 50 μm fiber, rather than higher-performing laser specifications in the more cost-effective 850 nm window. In both cases, the historical reasons for such preferences are valid, but are not fully in line with current industry trends and technology.