Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : LAST MILE TECHNOLOGIES - Let's Discuss Them Here -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Geof Hollingsworth who wrote (4525)	7/8/1999 5:53:00 PM
From: Raymond Duray	Respond to of 12823

Re: VCSELs and Metropolitan Area Networks Hi Geof, Thanks for the penetrating and well-informed questions. Let me share my research, insights and blind spots and I hope you will be able to further inform this discussion, because I, too, find the realm of photonics to be fascinating as well as confusing. I believe the lead researchers in the field feel quite the same, so we are in good company. On to your questions: 1) ...FITL is a practical near-term last mile solution.Here is one example of a presently available solution that can be adapted by common carriers as well as serve CPE functions. connect.amp.com^P~70255^M~PROP^LG~1^I~13^N~2^G~G AMP appears to have considered and created a more practical termination methodology with their "tolerant blindmating" solution on the Lightray MPX device. I.e. more practical than the polish and epoxy solutions that are still in common use. See: connect.amp.com^P~70255^M~PROP^LG~1^I~13^N~2^G~G Finally, regarding FITL, the fiber is going in as we speak. Most, if not all new residential subdivisions are being provisioned with unterminated FTTC. MFNX and others are spreading an FO network in existing metropolitan areas. The cabling is ahead of the terminating equipment time wise but I doubt the lag is going to be more than 2-3 years. So I guess one isssue is to define the near-term. In my view, near-term in the stock market is ~15 seconds. In the realm of product introduction for FITL, as you see above I take a more relaxed view. 2) When you say "optical switching by means of VCSELs", do you mean using tunable VCSLs? It may be a quibble about that "E", so let's say tunable Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers. To date, the ones that I have found commercially available are from Emcore. emcore.com emcore.com emcore.com The last URL mentioned indicates that Emcore's 850nm GigArray is being presently incorporated into the AMP Lightway MPX product line. 3) If so, I think there are serious power and tuning continuity problems yet to be solved, I would have to agree with you about that. However, I am not convinced that either of these issues is insoluble. 4) plus I don't know of anyone making surface-emitting lasers which operate at DWDM frequencies. Nor do I. Can any threaders supply any info here? 5) Will the fiber in the local loop be operating at a different frequency than in the MAN and the long-haul? It seems likely to me that it could, although this introduces a transformation step that would seemingly best be avoided. TTBOMK, that sort of translation is old hat on Sonet, with most of the undersea cabling operating at 980nm., and most land lines in the 1330 or 1550 ranges, chattering seamlessly. Any techies out there to verify or deny this understanding? Finally, just because it is a well done webpage, you might want to check out: connect.amp.com^P~70255^M~PROP^LG~1^I~13^N~2^G~G I look forward to your response. Best, Ray

To: Geof Hollingsworth who wrote (4525)	7/9/1999 12:15:00 AM
From: Frank A. Coluccio	Respond to of 12823

Hi Geoff, "I am confused (but fascinated) by the above, and by your and Frank C's belief that FITL is a practical near-term last mile solution." [Soon], [imminent], [soon to be forthcoming], all relative terms. In contrast, at least, to the snails pace of rolling out cable (hundreds of thousands [millions?] of folks on waiting lists, giving ample time for the ILECs and others soon to be deploying (CLECs) to mobilize their no-truck-roll alternatives, and establish themselves in DSL. I have received several interesting emails recently which suggest that there is already ongoing FTTC-like plant implementations taking place behind the scenes by some ILECs who have not announced their final platforms yet. And it tends to make sense, if they are taking an evolutionary path to it. Come to think of it, I see a lot more pedestal types of enclosures on the ground and on poles in neighborhoods now than I used to. Hmmm... Let me see if I can find one of the more credible mails I received and I'll post it here. Wait a minute, I'll be right back. ----------------- Okay, here is a snip which I presume is in response to the following post that I made about ten days ago: Message 10309520 -- [delete] Subject: SI: FSAN, ATM, PON alphabet soup [snip] Meanwhile, fiber has been actively pushed "deep into the 'hood". You don't have to go to Atlanta and you don't have to hold your breath unless you feel the need to dive under a breaking wave. It is hiding in plain view, only a borough or two away. The friendly local anonymously gray strand- or wall-mounted FTTC units, which today are delivering reliable POTS, are ATM-fed and VDSL-ready (just plug in the packs and connect the drops). These same FTTC units and their FTTN siblings are actively delivering fast Internet access and 3-channel MPEG video all concurrently over ATM/VDSL, down the same pair as POTS, in another region. [snip]