Fiber Optics for Power Pros: An Introduction

Remote work. Remote education. Social media. Online banking. Online shopping. Crypto. Video chats. Texting. Calling. Streaming. AI. Smart Grid.

These relatively new technologies are already so ingrained in our modern lives that most of us can hardly imagine life without them. Call them buzz words or cliché; but their value for convenience, productivity, and flexibility is unquestioned. The future is bound to these technologies. It’s all but taken for granted.

Yet how many people spare moment to look behind the curtain and consider what’s really making it all possible? The infrastructure that makes our modern world possible is amazingly complex. No one person knows and understands it all. But most people pass it by without a second thought.

This blog series is for the people who don’t ignore it. The people whose job it is to peel back the layers of complexity and tackle the real-world challenges of making the future reality. These are the engineers designing and the technicians building tomorrow’s telecommunications and electric grids today. It’s not always flashy. It’s often overlooked. But it’s the extremely important, challenging work of making sure that our lights stay on and information is readily accessible, anywhere and anytime.

We will focus, specifically, on fiber optic cables used in outside plant applications. If data centers or Network Operations Centers are the brain and devices are the appendages of the telecommunications system, then cables are the nervous system, physically connecting us and providing a critical path for information transfer. Even more specifically, some material will be focused on telecommunications systems for electric utilities, an indispensable component of today’s Smart Grid. But any engineer or technician who handles outside plant fiber optic cable will find something valuable, whether beginner or experienced.

The information we share is intended to be practical and useful – to help deciders decide and doers do. At times we will stay general and basic. Other times we will delve deep and detailed. Each entry will be brief and digestible. But over time we will cover everything from the basics of fiber optics to the detailed analysis of aerial cables, installations and hardware.

AFL is a global manufacturer and supplier of fiber optic cable, connectivity, test and inspection equipment, splicers, hardware and electric accessories. We started in 1984 as the first manufacturer of Optical Ground Wire in North America and have grown to offer a comprehensive product portfolio of industry-leading passive fiber optics materials supporting the Energy, Broadband and Data Center markets.

I am Nathanael Winslow, an AFL Applications Engineer supporting the Energy market. My team and I spend our days working with electric utilities around the globe to ensure that the best products and practices are being used to build resilient and reliable electric and telecommunications systems. With over four decades of organizational and industry knowledge backing us, we are excited to support the next generation of telecommunications.

So, let’s dive into this complex and interesting world of fiber optic cable together. This space is for you, so we welcome engagement and feedback. What topics would you find valuable? Do you have experience relevant to topics we’re discussing? We would love to hear about it!

Please feel free to contact me via email or through LinkedIn. I can’t wait to hear from you!