Some technologies are ahead of their time, but eventually, the future catches up with them. This is the case with fibre optic cable, according to Cleerline Technology Group. “We’re at the tipping point,” Cleerline managing partner Rick Sant told the ISE Daily. “Prices are falling, and more and more fibre-ready devices are appearing. Your typical integrator is now starting to have to consider using fibre for networks or sending 4K video across HDMI. With copper, you have to compress everything.”
One of the biggest challenges facing the fibre optic market has been price, added Sant: “People looked at fibre and liked what it offered, but then asked, ‘what am I going to plug into?’
“Three years ago, high-end optical connectors typically cost around $3,000 US dealer price; today, some 4K optical connectors sell for less than $500.”
At ISE 2018, Cleerline is showing its fibre optic solution SSF Fiber (it stands for stronger, safer, faster). Cleerline SSF uses a polymer coating that the company claims makes it up to 200 times more durable than conventional fibre. “It’s much easier and faster to terminate,” added Sant. “Any technician who works with a Cat6 jack can do this.”
He concluded: “We’ve been showing fibre at ISE for the past five years and our sales have skyrocketed over the past 12 months. We’re getting closer to that switchover point where we move from copper to fibre. The future is fibre – and it’s happening now.”
