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	Educational Short Courses

Map of Coronado Springs Convention Center With Short Course Locations,
Fiesta, Yucatan and Monterrey Rooms, Highlighted in White

All Courses on Monday, 12 November 2001 Click on course title below for detail information

COURSE 1 - 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (All Day Course)
COURSE 1	DWDM SYSTEMS FROM A FIBER AND CABLE PERSPECTIVE
COURSES 2 - 11 -- 8:00 AM - 12:00 Noon
COURSE 2	INTRODUCTION TO FIBER OPTICS
COURSE 3	POLYMERS IN WIRE AND CABLE INDUSTRY
COURSE 4	SINGLE-MODE OPTICAL FIBER TECHNOLOGY
COURSE 5	HIGH SPEED DATA ON MULTIMODE OPTICAL FIBER LINKS
COURSE 6	OPTICAL FIBER CABLE DESIGN TECHNOLOGY
COURSE 7	ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CABLE DEVELOPMENT
COURSE 8	AN INTRODUCTION TO PLASTIC OPTICAL FIBERS
COURSE 9	TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE, THE STANDARDS, THE MEDIA AND DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
COURSE 10	BASICS OF EXTRUSION
COURSE 11	MECHANICAL RELIABILITY OF OPTICAL FIBERS
COURSES 12 - 20 -- 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
COURSE 12	APPLICATION OF POLYMER OPTICAL FIBER FOR DATA COMMUNICATION
COURSE 13	POLYMER COATINGS FOR OPTICAL FIBERS
COURSE 14	INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION CABLE STANDARDS
COURSE 15	HIGH PERFORMANCE TWISTED PAIR AND COAXIAL CABLE TESTING
COURSE 16	FIBER IN THE LOOP
COURSE 17	OPTICAL FIBER CONNECTORS AND SPLICES
COURSE 18	OPTICAL FIBER SYSTEM FIELD MEASUREMENTS
COURSE 19	POLYMER STABILIZATION AND ADDITIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE WIRE AND CABLE INDUSTRY
COURSE 20	DSL DEPLOYMENT: LESSONS LEARNED

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COURSE 1 DWDM SYSTEMS FROM A FIBER AND CABLE PERSPECTIVE Monterrey 2 Instructor: R. Brad Kummer CTO and Vice President, Network Transport Cogent Communications, Washington, DC DESCRIPTION This course will review the basic elements of Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) systems with an emphasis on fiber and the outside plant. We will discuss the economic drivers and the key technology enablers which have lead to the rapid development and widespread deployment of DWDM systems. We will review the evolution of DWDM systems, from the early "course" WDM systems (1310/1550 nm) to today's point-to-point DWDM systems with up to 100 wavelength channels. We will describe how these systems are expected to evolve into full "optical networks" in the future, where many of the switching and routing functions of today's networks are done optically instead of electronically. We will also discuss the expected migration of DWDM systems from the long haul network into metropolitan trunks and eventually into access. We will describe the synergy between DWDM and optical amplifiers and show how the Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA) was the key enabler for practical and economic DWDM systems. We will discuss the impact of nonlinear optical effects in the fiber, and show how the fiber and the system must be designed to work together to optimize the performance and cost of a system. We will show why fiber dispersion is a key parameter, and why nonzero-dispersion fiber (NZDF) has become the standard for DWDM systems. We will discuss fiber design tradeoffs, and show how different fiber designs are optimized for different DWDM system applications, such as terrestrial long haul, undersea systems, and metropolitan networks. We will discuss dispersion management and dispersion compensation technologies, and show how these can impact system performance, cost, and upgradability. We will discuss the engineering rules for DWDM systems and show how these are influenced by the terminal equipment, the optical line system, and the fiber and outside plant characteristics.

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COURSE 2 INTRODUCTION TO FIBER OPTICS Monterrey 3 Instructor: Michael J. Hackert Measurement Project Engineer Corning Incorporated, Corning, New York DESCRIPTION As optical fibers become more widely applied for communication, a general understanding of optical fiber technology can be useful for anyone working around or with fiber. This course will provide an overview of optical fiber and its application in communication systems The key focus of this course is on the components, which make up a fiber optic system. These include fiber and cable, splices and connectors, and transmitters and receivers. The fundamental optical and mechanical properties of fiber will be discussed from a practical perspective while providing a theoretical background. The typical transmitters and receivers and their interactions with the fiber will also be covered. The objective is to provide an intuitive understanding of how fiber and the components work to a sufficient enough level to understand some of the tradeoffs made in selecting the different fiber designs and component types. Fiber is seeing an ever increasing range of applications. Some of the standard system topologies which apply fiber will be reviewed. Also, common installation techniques will be presented as well as a few of the standard tests which are performed to ensure proper system performance.

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COURSE 3 POLYMERS IN WIRE AND CABLE INDUSTRY Fiesta 4 Instructor: Dr. Sitaram Rampalli Senior Research Chemist Andrew Corporation, Orland Park, Illinois DESCRIPTION Demand for wire and cable products is on the rise due to the rapid expansion in the telecommunications infrastructure. This is a global phenomenon and has created new opportunities and challenges for the telecom equipment manufacturers. Newer types of cable designs and other communications products are required to address various complexities associated with the voice, data, and signal transmissions. Polymeric materials take a center stage in all these research and developmental activities. In view of this, it is necessary for those who are engaged in the design, manufacturing, research, and development of telecom products to have a thorough understanding of the various polymeric materials. More specifically, the material properties and their dependence on the performance of the wire and cable products is an important factor in the overall selection process. Judicious selection of right material for right application will eliminate most of the problems associated with subsequent product failure. This course is developed to address the technical issues relating to polymeric materials selection for wire and cable applications. This course will address: (1) fundamental properties of the polymers that are critical for wire and cable applications, (2) material selection criteria for copper and fiber optic communications cables (3) aspects of polymer degradation and failure, and (4) specifications and standards relating to wire and cable products. This course should appeal to a large segment of communications industry professionals as well as to raw materials suppliers. The knowledge gained by attending this course will help the students in making better and more informed decisions relating to materials selection, specification and evaluation.

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COURSE 4 SINGLE-MODE OPTICAL FIBER TECHNOLOGY Yucatan 1 Instructor: Dr. James J. Refi Distinguished Member of Technical Staff Lucent Technologies, Inc., Norcross, Georgia DESCRIPTION This course focuses on single-mode fiber technology, and assumes a basic understanding of how optical fibers work. Important fiber properties, such as mode field diameter, attenuation, cutoff wavelength, chromatic dispersion, polarization mode dispersion and nonlinear effects are explained with examples of how these parameters are measured (with references to recognized TIA test procedures), specified and depend on length. The newest single-mode fiber type, nonzero-dispersion fibers, are treated in more detail with explanation of the different types that are commercially available. To upgrade the large installed base of dispersion-unshifted fiber to support high-speed transmission over long distances, dispersion compensation is needed to overcome the fiber's high chromatic dispersion at the 1550 nm wavelength. Techniques for accomplishing this use fiber Bragg gratings and dispersion compensating fiber, and these will be explained. Emphasis will be placed on intuitive understanding instead of mathematical rigor.

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COURSE 5 HIGH SPEED DATA ON MULTIMODE OPTICAL FIBER LINKS Fiesta 3 Instructor: Herbert V. Congdon II, PE Director, Global Systems Marketing Tyco Electronics, Conover, North Carolina DESCRIPTION This course will provide a short review of multimode optical fiber theory and common network applications then build on this information to discuss the effects of new technologies that affect how well multimode optical fiber can carry high data rate signals. The effects of optical sources, applications, standards and protocols will be explained with respect to multimode optical fiber. The demand for information is growing exponentially worldwide. In order to meet this demand without large capital infrastructure investments, technology provides advances that increase the achievable data rates in a given media. Many of these advances, however, have conspired to limit the capabilities of standard multimode fiber and have created a market need for new classes of multimode fibers. These advances and their consequences will be discussed. New optical sources such as Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSELs) generate optical signals that are quite different from those generated by light emitting diodes (LEDs). Characterization of multimode optical fiber for laser and laser-like sources has generated difficult questions with respect to measurement and performance expectations. Similar measurement issues exist for connectors and splice loss. High-speed data rate applications such as 10 Gigabit Ethernet, ATM and Gigabit Fibre Channel, have expanded the data rate capacities of end equipment far beyond the 155 Mb/s rate common for so many years. The design requirements for these faster gigabit and multigigabit applications have become more complex. Options in fiber type, fiber parameters, launch conditions, encoding schemes, wave division multiplexing as well as system length requirements must be understood in order to install a passive network which will meet the needs of the current system as well as future system upgrades. Participants should have completed the Introduction to Fiber Optics course, or equivalent, prior to this course.

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COURSE 6 OPTICAL FIBER CABLE DESIGN TECHNOLOGY Yucatan 3 Instructor: Mr. David Seddon Manager, Loose Tube Cable Development Corning Cable Systems LLC, Hickory, North Carolina DESCRIPTION This short course will explore several aspects of optical fiber cable design technology with particular focus on products for communications applications. It will discuss basic considerations for developing new cable designs or for modifying existing designs. General cable structure differences for indoor, outdoor, and specialty applications will be explored. Selection considerations for physical design, component dimensions and appropriate cable materials will be shared. The importance of cable developmental and qualification testing including smoke/flame, mechanical, environmental and material compatibility tests will be explained. The course is intended to provide a basic overview of optical cable design principles to those new to the fiber optic cables industry.

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COURSE 7 ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CABLE DEVELOPMENT Fiesta 2 Instructor: Karin Nygård Skalman Environmental Manager Ericsson Cables, Hudiksvall, Sweden DESCRIPTION There is a trend of today that Organizations of every type and size, public and private, profit and non-profit are being asked for information on how they deal with the environment. Many stockholders - from suppliers, customers and regulators to the public at large - want to know what impact organizations and their products have on the environment and how the companies are dealing with the impacts. There is an increased demand for quantified environmental information. Many sectors in society want a system approach by which it is possible to communicate relevant and environmental performance of products and services. Making an environmental product declaration, EPD, is a good way to provide this type of information. EPD is thought to become a useful tool in "green procurement" within the business and public sector. Such declaration may include information for various purposes, e.g. about the content of hazardous substances as well as information about disassembly, recovery and recycling of used products and waste. There is also a growing need on the market for life - cycle based environmental information including aspects covering all product life cycle phases from raw material acquisition to final waste disposal. This is relevant for a large number of issues related e.g. to the energy and transport sectors as well as for various raw materials, semi manufactured products and goods. This course will address the environmental aspects of telecommunication using the fixed network within the following areas: the different laws and regulations around the world and how they influence the development of new cable products; environmental aspects and experience at different places around the world, what is the key issues in Japan, Europe, America and Africa for wire and cables; life cycle analysis as a tool for product development and as a base for a product declaration, (EPD) as well as a tool for strategic decision within a company; the trends and key issues for tomorrow within the wire and cable business, e.g. recycling and remanufacturing, recycling of plastic materials in the cables, the use of PVC, phthalates and lead stabilizers, use of hazardous chemicals, notable persisting organic pollutants; flame-retardant cables and products and their impact on the environment; energy efficiency of products and services and social and employment implications of the digital revolution; expanding use of the Internet-E-commerce, for example appears to be a clear plus for sustainability, but it also raises questions of equality of access to technology, and disruption to communities and employment patterns; what environmental indicators can be found from telecommunication compared to other ways of communicating. What is the eco-efficiency of resources and materials used?; environmental management systems, ISO 14001 and EMAS; and environmental aspects using a copper based network and fiber optic network.

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COURSE 8 AN INTRODUCTION TO PLASTIC OPTICAL FIBERS Yucatan 2 Instructor: Dr. Ramakrishnaiyer Raman Consultant Tucker, Georgia DESCRIPTION Plastic Optical Fiber, or POF is essentially a "fat" polymeric analogue of glass waveguides, both in terms of design as well as light transmission. Indeed each technological advance such as Single Mode Fiber, amplifier, or photonic switching has produced a plastic twin, the market driver being its low cost. This course is a detailed introduction to an exciting subject that has become increasingly important in short-distance telecommunications, specifically IEEE 1394 applications. In contrast to multi-mode glass fibers having 50 to 200 micron core diameter, POF comes with larger core diameter, typically 1000-3000 microns. One difference between POF and glass fiber is its high attenuation, 180 to 400 dB/km. However, for shorter distances it poses less of a problem. Of importance to all applications is the optical transparency offered by materials such as Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) which is the backbone of all POF technology, the same PMMA that is used in CD players and contact lenses. The bulk of the applications of POF, either in the form of tubes or bundles is in the area of illumination, signs, and displays. POF containing dyes and dopants are used as sensors for measuring temperature, position, pH radiation, etc. Medical applications include laser guides for surgery, baby protective coils, and flexible diagnostic probes. In recent years, there is a tremendous upsurge of interest in using POF for short distance communications. The fact that Asahi Glass has demonstrated the feasibility of transmitting 1 Gb/s over 500 meters of POF, has certainly given POF technology a big boost. Applications such as fiber to the desk-top, fiber to the home, internet, aircraft entertainment networks to the seat, and automotive networks are all LAN, but highly connector-intensive and is, overwhelmingly copper-based. This is an area where glass has failed to penetrate, but where POF has broken the barrier. The big advantage is that POF is flexible, eliminates stress fracture (unlike glass), easy to handle, easy to couple, and can operate at short wavelengths (visible region), and at the same time inexpensive. This course is divided into four parts: Part I will focus on POF basics, core, cladding materials, fundamental chemistry, manufacturing, transmission characteristics, end preparation, connectivity, and opto-electronics. Part II will consist of applications, POF grades, loss factors, performance enhancement, mechanical properties, and LAN systems. Part III will cover high-speed data transmission, Graded Index fiber, application space, aging, new bend requirements and recent advances. Part IV will highlight Standards, market, business issues, industry trends and information resources followed by concluding remarks.

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COURSE 9 TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE, THE STANDARDS, THE MEDIA AND DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS Fiesta 1 Instructor: Steven F. Elmore, RCDD Applications Engineer CommScope Incorporated, Hickory, North Carolina DESCRIPTION This course will explain the differences between "codes" and "standards." We will explore the TIA/EIA Standards for Commercial telecommunications infrastructure. Telecommunications media - unshielded twisted pair, coaxial, and fiber optic cable will be described, defined and explained. We will also offer design considerations for commercial building telecommunications infrastructures.

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COURSE 10 BASICS OF EXTRUSION Fiesta 7 Instructor: Dr. Eric Marsden R&D Project Manager NOVA-Borealis Compounds LLC, Port Murray, New Jersey DESCRIPTION Plastics extrusion processing consists of passing a molten polymer through a die or other forming device to produce a product of the desired size and shape. The role of the extruder is to melt a solid polymer, convey the molten material through the extruder and present a homogeneous melt at a defined rate to the die. There are three major variables, which control and define the success and efficiency of this process namely, polymer properties, screw design and operating parameters. These variables are discussed, as is their interaction within the extrusion process. Screw design and the types and use of mixing elements and their advantages and limitations are covered. Since die design can also effect the properties of the final product, basic considerations of die design are also discussed. The course is designed to be practical and to suggest to the attendee ways and means of understanding and controlling the extrusion process. Mathematical equations and analyses have therefore, been kept to a minimum level.

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COURSE 11 MECHANICAL RELIABILITY OF OPTICAL FIBERS Fiesta 8 Instructor: Dr. Harish C. Chandan Distinguished Member of Technical Staff Lucent Technologies, Bell Laboratories, Norcross, Georgia DESCRIPTION This short course provides an overview of Mechanical Reliability of Optical fibers from a practical viewpoint. We will review the factors that control strength. The effect of moisture on strength, strain rate dependence of strength (Dynamic Fatigue), time dependence of strength under a given load (Static Fatigue), time dependence of strength under no load (Zero Stress Aging), effect of mechanical and thermal stripping on strength will be reviewed. Using the concept of cumulative flaw growth, we will illustrate preparation of design diagrams, which guide the user to determine the proof test level required for a given application. Failure probability in bending will be discussed to enable the user to determine minimum bend radius for a given application. The mechanical reliability of splices will be discussed. We will review how fractography can be used for optical fibers to perform Failure Mode Analysis (FMA). We will briefly review the test procedures to experimentally determine the reliability parameters as prescribed by U.S. and International Standards forums like Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). As an example, current industry specifications (Telcordia Generic Requirements (GR-20) for these parameters will be reviewed.

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COURSE 12 APPLICATION OF POLYMER OPTICAL FIBER FOR DATA COMMUNICATION Yucatan 3 Instructor: Dr. Olaf Ziemann Scientific Director, Polymer Optical Fiber Application Center University of Applied Sciences, Nurnberg, Germany DESCRIPTION This course will show the potential of Polymer Optical Fibers (POF) for short and medium distance data communication systems. First the development of the different fiber types will be described. The different POF structures like step index (SI), double step index (DSI), multi core (MC), multi step index (MSI) and graded index (GI) fibers will be presented and compared. The fiber structure is of great importance for the bandwidth. The choice of material determines the attenuation of the POF as well as the temperature behavior. A second part of the course presents sources and detectors for POF systems, with a special view to advantages of short wavelengths. The differences between the properties of lasers, LED, VCSEL and RC-POF will be shown, followed by some theoretical assumptions for the capacity of POF systems and estimations of the power budget. As an example, the ATM Forum specification will be described with a detailed view to the different loss values. The author will give a review of published transmission system, including world record systems like 11 Gbps over 100 m, 2.5 Gbps over 550 m for GI-POF, 192 kbps over 500 m, 531 Mbps over 100 m and 1.2 Gbps over 10 m with SI-PMMA-POF. Of big interest are also WDM systems with SI and GI POF.A part of the course presents connectors and passive components for POF systems. Application of POF data communication systems are automotive networks (e.g. the new MOST system), building networks (e.g. with IEEE1394b) and board Interconnections, as will be shown in the course. Finally the measurement techniques for POF is included. Special arrangements for the measurement of spectral attenuation, bandwidth, aging behavior and some solutions for OTDR will be introduced. In Germany, the Information Technology Society (ITG) sub work committee "Polymer Optical Fibers" exists since 1997. The author leads this group and will be shown some examples for the work of the group. Furthermore, the foundation of Europe's first application center for POF will be introduced.

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COURSE 13 POLYMER COATINGS FOR OPTICAL FIBERS Fiesta 4 Instructors: Dr. Ad Abel Product Manager, Fiber Optic Materials DSM Desotech, Incorporated, Hoek Van Holland, The Netherlands Dr. Mark Tilley Technical Director, Fiber Optic Materials DSM Desotech, Elgin, Illinois DESCRIPTION The 'Polymer Coatings for Optical Fibers' short course will serve as an introduction to the key aspects of coating technology as they relate to fiber optics and fiber optic assemblies. The course will cover the following topics: The role of coatings, inks and matrix materials in fiber optics A comparison of different classes of coatings The applications of coatings to fiber optics including a discussion of coating rheology An introduction to the chemistry of fiber optic coatings, inks and matrix materials Methods to characterize the liquid properties and chemistry of coating materials A review of UV-curing processes Methods to characterize coating properties on fiber A brief trouble shooting guide for commonly encountered problems with coating application and performance The role of polymer coatings in fiber performance The course is intended as a broad overview of all aspects of coatings technology. The presentation will be complimented with hand-out booklets and conducted using an interactive approach.

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COURSE 14 INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION CABLE STANDARDS Fiesta 3 Instructor: Michel P. de Vecchis Director Alcatel, Paris, Cedex, France DESCRIPTION This short course will discuss the different aspects of International Standardization of Communication Cables covering Copper and Optical Cables Standards, including also Cabling Systems Standardization. It will be focused on International Standardization i.e. work done in bodies like I.T.U. (International Telecommunication Union), I.E.C. (International Electrotechnical Commission) and I.S.O.-I.E.C./JTC1 (Joint ISO-IEC Technical Committee), with a brief description of links with regional and national bodies ( North American and European in particular) which are contributing to the International Standardization process. The importance of standards, the organization and working methods of these bodies, including practical work in Technical Committees dealing with communication cables, and published documents will be described. Special attention will be devoted to the present evolution of these bodies to better accommodate market requirements and to selected items which are representative of the main activities of Communication Cables standardization. Finally questions related to the aim of cable standardization and its relation with technical evolution will be discussed.

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COURSE 15 HIGH PERFORMANCE TWISTED PAIR AND COAXIAL CABLE TESTING Fiesta 2 Instructor: Rafael Herrera Technical Director DCM Industries, Inc., Union City, California DESCRIPTION High performance twisted pair (HPTP) cables is the medium of choice for high-speed data transfer between computers and between computer and its peripherals. Category 6, USB, IEEE 1394 are some of the HPTP cable types that are being used for carrying data at speeds that in the past very few believed was possible. Carrying error free data at these speeds requires using the HPTP cable's bandwidth at its full potential. Proper testing of the HPTP cables is required to guarantee that they meet the bandwidth requirements. This course provides the theoretical and practical background required for accurate testing of high performance twisted pair cables and coaxial cables. The course is divided into two, 2-hour sessions. In the first session, a theoretical background of transmission lines is presented. This includes a complete discussion of the transmission line primary and secondary parameters. The second session is dedicated to the practical aspects of testing the different high frequency parameters of the HPTP and coaxial cables. The testing and calculation techniques for: attenuation, crosstalk, impedance, return loss, attenuation to crosstalk ratio, propagation delay, longitudinal conversion loss, longitudinal conversion transfer loss, screening efficiency and other cable parameters are presented and discussed. Special considerations for testing short cables are also discussed. Published specifications for HPTP and coaxial cables are used to review different cable testing techniques

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COURSE 16 FIBER IN THE LOOP Monterrey 3 Instructor: Dr. David Faulkner Access Technologies Internal Venture Leader, Research Centre BTexact Technologies, Martlesham Heath, Ipswich, United Kingdom DESCRIPTION Copper, satellite, radio (mobile) and coax all have their place in home networking but for this decade FTTH must surely be the way forward. The key questions facing advocates of FTTH is "Who can supply the technology and where will the funding come from?" New ways of providing access are emerging based upon the need for interactive broadband services. Existing cable TV and telephony networks need radical changes in order to carry interactive broadband services. This course explores the problem of making the necessary changes either by evolution from copper or revolution making the jump to all-fiber access. Fiber optic technology is still advancing in both capacity and new device innovations are driving networks and applications. Insight is provided into the state-of-art, recent advances and applications for the local loop. Although almost unlimited capacity is available on fiber, the technology must also meet challenging cost and reliability targets to be justified as a direct-entry solution. Here we explore the requirements for local networks and how a technology, which has already proved itself in long-haul networks, can reach all customers as end users so that they can benefit from exciting new services on a reliable network with capacity for the future. This course will: compare FITL with conventional twisted pair and coaxial cable techniques; show how FITL technology can be used in the network for narrow and broad band services and offer attractive options for evolution and upgrade. Examples of transmission system designs for fiber access including fiber to the street node will be described and compared in the context of published strategy for fiber access systems deployment plans. The use of fiber in cable TV systems will be discussed. An overview of standards for FITL will be given and the rationale and benefits of a FTTx (where x is fiber to the exchange, cabinet, curb, business, apartment, or home) solution will be explained as proposed in the Full Services Access Networks initiative. A view of the future of FITL will be given based upon changes resulting from the impact of competing alternative networks. The question of 'Where Next for Fiber in the Access Network' will be addressed by reviewing the key changes affecting the position of fiber access technology alongside alternatives such as VDSL and hybrid fiber-coax. Opportunities for extending fiber access technologies throughout the network will be examined. Fiber to the home is a key development area, which could lead the way to mass fiber deployment. Within ITU Q2/15 and FSAN work is progressing towards world-wide standards in this area. This short course will give a perspective on the way forward in both these standards communities.

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COURSE 17 OPTICAL FIBER CONNECTORS AND SPLICES Yucatan 2 Instructor: Otto I. Szentesi Vice President, Director of Technology, Hardware and Equipment Division Corning Cable Systems, Hickory, North Carolina DESCRIPTION The explosion in bandwidth demand resulted in a corresponding explosion in the use of interconnection devices. Their use is ubiguitous in every part of the network: long haul, metro, local access, CATV, and premises. Numerous advances have been made in reducing insertion loss, achieving low reflectance, improving reliability, reducing costs and increasing density. This course provides the theoretical foundation required to discuss present trends and tradeoffs in designing and using optical fiber connectors and splices. Recent developments in size reduction, multifiber connectors and splices, and duplex connectors for high density applications will also be covered.

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COURSE 18 OPTICAL FIBER SYSTEM FIELD MEASUREMENTS Yucatan 1 Instructors: Lawrence R. Dunn Member of Technical Staff Lucent Technologies, Inc., Norcross, Georgia Stephen C. Mettler Distinguished Member of Technical Staff Lucent Technologies, Inc., Norcross, Georgia DESCRIPTION During the installation and maintenance of optical fiber telecommunication systems a series of measurements are required and performed in the field to confirm that its performance will meet requirements and customer expectations. These include pre-installation cable measurements, monitoring during installation for splice loss and total system loss, final acceptance testing, periodic measurements during repairs or rearrangements and upgradeability measurements. The introduction of Erbium doped amplifiers, Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) and high bit rate electronics complicates these evaluations. Bit rates are increasing rapidly from 2.5 to 10 to 40 Gb/S and higher and more wavelengths are being multiplexed in. Nonlinear effects and Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD) can also be factors in long-haul systems. Both loss and dispersion must be considered in determining system viability. In this course we will discuss to the equipment and methods used to perform these field measurements on optical fibers to insure that: (1) they meets the system design goals and, (2), they have the potential to be upgraded with additional wavelengths and at higher bit rates. We will discuss theory, field practice, and implications of each of the parameters being measured. The course will focus on test sets and how they are used in the field to guarantee performance. These include measurement of the end-to-end loss, splice loss, and dispersion of the installed system. End-to-end loss measurements use both power meters and Optical Time Domain Reflectometers (OTDRs). Splice losses are estimated using one-way OTDR and splicing machine estimation and confirmed using bidirectional average OTDR readings. Field PMD and chromatic dispersion test sets are becoming more common in field measurements for some systems. Emphasis will be placed on performance criteria used in installing current optical fiber systems and on practical methods for measuring the appropriate parameters of the system.

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COURSE 19 POLYMER STABILIZATION AND ADDITIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE WIRE AND CABLE INDUSTRY Fiesta 1 Instructor: Dr. Neal J. Earhart Staff Scientist Ciba Specialty Chemicals Company, Tarrytown, New York DESCRIPTION Many types of polymers and hydrocarbon materials are used in the wire and cable industry. In order for these products to be successful in their application, additives are used to improve or maintain physical properties. These additives include antioxidants, process stabilizers, metal-deactivators, light stabilizers, pigments, and a variety of other property modifiers. This short course will review additive technology, with emphasis on polymer stabilization, and its use in the wire and cable industry.

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COURSE 20 DSL DEPLOYMENT: LESSONS LEARNED Fiesta 7 Instructor: Ernest J. Gallo Senior Director/Chief Architect DSL Solutions Telcordia Technologies, Incorporated, Morristown, New Jersey DESCRIPTION This course will cover DSL Basics as a tutorial, and discuss DSL deployment issues in North America and Europe and how folds are solving those problems in large DSL rollouts. The course will also cover advanced DSL services like data, video and VoDSL.

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by Mike DeLucia, a member of
Send Email to: mdelucia@iwcs.org

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