OPTICAL FIBER LINKS

 

Click to view a fiber network map

FPUA’s optical fiber network consists of 50-mile backbone rings around Fort Pierce, plus branches extending from the rings to internal and external facilities. This single-mode fiber network is used for FPUA's internal communications and we use the network to provide FPUAnet dark fiber links, bandwidth connections and other FPUAnet fiber communication services to external customers.

Optical fiber is composed of fine strands of clear glass. When an encoded light signal is beamed through a fiber strand, the information sent is received and decoded at the other end of the strand. Although the basic idea is similar to the old Morse code messaging between ships, optical fiber is the fastest communication medium available today! The worldwide Internet backbone is composed of optical fiber.

FPUAnet 'Dark fiber' communication services do not include the signaling devices at either end, but are simply fiber optic connections between two customer locations. Since the customers provide their own signaling devices, they retain control of the speed of their connections without any change in their cost for the link.

FPUAnet ‘Bandwidth Connections’ communication services are used to connect local sites together. We provide an Ethernet port at each end. You simply plug your network in to each port.

Signaling devices are available in many varieties, such as media converters, switches with fiber ports and multiplexing. Maximum bandwidth is attained with devices using Dense Wave Division Multiplexing devices (DWDM), which currently enables bandwidth of 1.6 Tbit/s (Terrabit per second) or more over a signal pair of fibers.

For more information, contact FPUA's Fiber Marketing Group:
Phone: 772-466-1600, ext. 6307, or contact us online.