The Biweekly Report on Optical Fiber and Laser Technology - Highlights Inside

Oct 13, 2026

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Biweekly reporting on advances in optical fiber and laser technology, featuring industry updates and company plans. Coverage includes Sumitomo Electric’s planned North Carolina fiber and R&D facility, British Telecom’s cable television franchise rollouts using optical fiber in most segments, and regulatory progress for commercial eye-surgery lasers. Additional sections describe Corning’s new 85x125 data broadband fiber specifications and Western Electric’s fiber optic approach as divestiture nears.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryTechnology

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Highlights Inside

Sumitomo Gears Up for Optical Fiber Manufacturing Facility in North Carolina

Corning to Announce New 85x125 Data Broadband Fiber

Western Electric Taking Aggressive Fiber Optic Stance as Divestiture Nears

ISSN 0275-6099 # The Biweekly Report on Optical Fiber and Laser Technology Dear Executive: # Highlights Inside Corning Unveils New Micron Core Fiber.…2Amfox Still Thinks Big;Despite Deficit..3Siecor,Telecom Plus Work Together..………4 ## SUMITOMO GEARS UP FOR OPTICAL FIBER MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN NORTH CAROLINA Sumitomo Electric intends to have in operation by early 1985 a facility in ResearchTriangle Park,N.C.,that will be able to manufacture optical fiber,raw material forsemiconductor lasers,and technology related to making optical disks. Sumitomo officials call the facility an R&D shop,and told us they have no plans atthis time to enter the commercial U.S.fiber optic market.Officials stressed the closecoordination the facility intends to maintain with universities in the area. FIBER OPTIC SYSTEMS FIGURE PROMINENTLY IN BRITISH CABLE TELEVISION PLANS COMPANIES REACH'APPROVABLE'STAGE IN BIDS TO COMMERCIALIZE LASERS FOR EYE SURGERY FOG-M to Fly by End of 1983.……… …5Fiber/Laser Beams…………………6 $1.6 Billion Laser Market by 1995.………8 The optical fiber manufactured there will incorporate Japanese processes to meet U.s.standards,we were told.Sumitomo also manufactures splicing equipment,but otherwisedoes not involve itself with fiber optic equipment. A spokesman refused to confirm a report that 100 people will be working at the facil-ity when it opens,but said it is possible that many employees could be there.Sumitomo,Furukawa,and Fujikura are the leading optical fiber manufacturers in Japan. British Telecom has been selected to build 5 of the initial 11 cable television fran-chises as part of the United Kingdom's overall plans for a nationwide cable televisionsystem.British Telecom recent1y announced(F/LN,Sept.30,p.3)that the star switchedcable system it will employ uses optical fiber cable throughout,except at the final dropto customers'premises. The British Telecom routes will be installed in South Liverpool,and GEC-Jerrold wil1upply equipment there,in Belfast,and in Westminster.The GEC-Jerrold system uses fiberoptics up to the final drop stage to customers'homes,also via a star switched network. Plessey/Scientific-At 1anta's multistar cable television system,which was selectedfor 3 of the franchises,has the advantage of being easily converted from a cheaper tree-and-branch system to a full switched star network by fitting switches at the nodes.Multistar can use either coaxial or optical fiber cable,though initially it will usefiber optics only for the final drop stage to customers'homes. Coburn Optical Co.and American Medical Optics have reached initial go-ahead from aFood and Drug Administration-related panel to start producing lasers for eye surgery on acommercial basis. The Opthalmic Devices Panel has agreed to recommend to the FDA that both applicationsbe approved,pending receipt of what is considered routine additional data both companiesnow possess and are eager to supply. FDA approval would allow both companies to manufacture as many of the lasers as theywant to and sell them commercially.Both are now restricted to having only 20 in thefield at one time. FIBER/LASER NEWS,December 9,1983 Should the 2 companies receive FDA approval,they would be the first allowed to mar-ket lasers for eye surgery in this country on a commercial basis.The approval is expect-ed to hasten the advent of applications from other companies marketing ophthalmologiclasers and could lead to the FDA's changing its own procedures for controlling the use ofthe devices. Coburn Optical is interested in marketing a laser manufactured by Meditec of AmericaInc.American Medical Optics hopes to market a Q-switched laser. ## CORNING TO ANNOUNCE NEW 85x125 DATA BROADBAND FIBER Corning intends to use OFC'84 in January as its forum to announce a new data broad-band fiber(dBF)with inner-outer core diameters of 85x125 microns,we have learned.Amajor reason why Corning has decided to deviate from the 100x140 micron size common

FAQs

What is the purpose of the Sumitomo Electric facility in North Carolina?

It is intended to manufacture optical fiber, raw material for semiconductor lasers, and technologies related to making optical disks, operating by early 1985.

How will British Telecom’s cable television systems use optical fiber?

The star switched cable system uses optical fiber cable throughout except at the final drop to customers’ premises.

What are key characteristics of Corning’s new 85x125 data broadband fiber?

It targets inner-outer core diameters of 85x125 microns, supports transmission up to 2 km, includes dual windows at 850 and 1300 nm, and enables up to 40 Mbps at 850 nm and up to 200 Mbps at 1300 nm.

Oct 13, 2026

Upload by ahduag