Fiber Optic Services for New York City
As a company dedicated to providing the most robust support possible to businesses seeking to stay on the cutting edge of communications and security technology, Streamline Telecom is proud to provide full fiber-optic support services for New York City including installation, maintenance, inspection, testing, and splicing.
What is fiber optics?
Simply put, fiber optics is a way of transmitting information as pulses of light. These light pulses are transmitted through fibers made of glass or plastic which are about the diameter of a human hair.
These fibers are bundled together into fiber-optic cables, which can contain anywhere from a few fibers to hundreds of fibers. Fiber-optic cables can be used to provide phone, internet, and/or TV services to homes or businesses.
Advantages of fiber-optics
There are several advantages to using fiber-optic cables over other types of cables:
- They can transmit information faster over longer distances than other types of cables, such as copper.
- Since the cables don’t contain metal, they aren’t affected by electromagnetic interference (such as that caused by weather events like storms) which can reduce transmission speed.
- Fiber-optic cables don’t carry electric current and therefore they can’t generate a spark, which makes them safer.
Types of fiber-optic networks
There are several different types of fiber-optic networks, and which type you have determines how fast your connection will be:
- A Fiber to the Premises network (or FTTP) is the fastest type of connection, because it uses fiber-optic cables all the way to the terminal in your business.
- Fiber to the Building (FTTB) connections, as the name implies, use fiber-optic cable to deliver signals to a building, and from there copper wires take it the rest of the way to individual users (such as businesses located within the building).
- Fiber to the Curb (FTTC) connections use fiber-optic cables to take a signal near a building, and from there copper cables carry the signal the rest of the way.
Fiber-Optic Installation Services
If your business is considering switching from traditional copper cable to fiber-optic cable, there are many things you will need to consider, starting with the cost of installation. Fiber-optic cable costs anywhere from $1-6 per linear foot to install, and depending on how much cable your installation requires, costs can add up quickly.
In addition, because it is still a relatively new technology compared to copper cable, there are not nearly as many contractors trained to install fiber-optic cable. It is very important to hire a professional contractor such as Streamline Telecom that is familiar with both the technology and the regulations and permitting process to insure your installation is successful.
Fiber-optic Inspection and Testing Services
Our fiber-optic testing and inspection services are designed to help evaluate the performance of both newly installed and existing networks. Our tests will either confirm the proper performance of all components in a system, including fiber, connectors, detectors, and receivers, or–in the case of problems–identify what is causing those problems so they can be fixed.
Common Fiber-optic problems
Our testing services are designed to detect all of the common problems that can occur in a fiber-optic network, including:
- Excessive bending of the cable
- Damaged or faulty connectors or cables
- Contamination of end-face connectors
- Faulty splices
These malfunctions can occur at any point in the life of a network, but often they occur after changes, upgrades, or additions of new equipment to the network. That’s why testing the network after any changes are made is so important.
Inspection and Testing Equipment
We use specialized equipment manufactured by Fluke Networks for our fiber-optic testing services. This specialized equipment includes:
- Fiber inspection microscopes
- Fiber detectors
- Visual fault locators
- Power meters
- Optimal time-domain reflectometer (OTDR)
The videos below cover the operation of some of these tools.
Fiber-optic Splicing Services
Fiber-optic splicing is a method of joining together two fiber-optic cables. There are several reasons this might need to be done, including extending the distance of a cable, repairing a damaged section of cable, or joining two different types of fibers.
There are two commonly used methods of fiber-optic splicing:
- Mechanical splicing is usually used for quick repairs and can be used for single mode or multi-mode fibers.
- Fusion splicing uses a specialized machine and is more expensive than mechanical splicing, but has a longer life.
Our BICSI-certified technicians are trained in both methods of splicing, giving them more flexibility when it comes to network installation.
Fiber-optic Maintenance
Because of the way fiber-optic networks are designed, they have very minimal maintenance needs. While some industry experts recommend periodic preventative maintenance such as the cleaning of connectors in the system, others believe that any preventative maintenance is just as likely to cause damage in a network as it is to prevent it.
That being said, Streamline Telecom can work with you to determine what, if any maintenance might be required or recommended for your fiber-optic network.
Fiber-optic FAQs
Here are some answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we get about our fiber-optic services.
Is fiber-optic installation expensive?
This is a very difficult question to answer, since “expensive” is a relative term. If the cost of installing fiber-optic cable in a particular location is being compared to the cost of installing Cat5 cable, then the cost of fiber-optic installation will likely be more expensive.
That being said, there are many factors that can affect the cost of fiber-optic installation, including the distance of your building from the nearest fiber line, whether or not there are existing conduits within your building, and any obstacles that might hinder an installation (such as a highway in between your building and the nearest fiber line).
If you are considering fiber-optic installation and you want to do a cost/benefit analysis to compare fiber-optic to traditional data cabling, contact us and we will be happy to help you compare the two options.
What types of fiber-optic connectors do I need?
A fiber-optic connector is simply a way of connecting two fiber-optic cables. There are several different types of connectors, including Lucent Connectors (LC), Standard Connectors (SC), ST connectors, Ferrule Core connectors (FC), Multi-Position Optical Connectors, and MT-RJ Connectors.
Each type of connector has advantages and disadvantages. While we won’t get into the details here about each type of connector, suffice it to say that choosing the right type of connector for your situation is very important–one of the many reasons to only trust your fiber-optic installation to an experienced contractor.
Do you perform fiber-optic work for data centers?
Yes, we provide fiber-optic services for data centers. Data centers have very robust needs when it comes to structured cabling, and that includes fiber-optic cabling. As a BICSI RDD certified integrator, we have the highest level of training and certification available in our industry. We have experience working with many types of businesses in different industries, including data centers, and we are familiar with their special needs.
Why is fiber-optic testing necessary?
Problems with a fiber-optic network can occur at any time, but are particularly likely to happen after changes or upgrades to the network. Inspecting a network at these times can help identify potential problems before they cause disruptions to service.