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  From: Richard White <rwhite@physics.otago.ac.nz>
  To  : Mark Newton <newton@atdot.dotat.org>
  Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2001 03:56:34 +0930

Re: Another view of ADSL provision

> Fibre-optic cable is essentially limitless in capacity these days.  With
> iridium-doped passive amplifiers, you can upgrade the capacity of a cable
> by upgrading the equipment at each end of it, so you don't (technically)
> need to lay new fibre to increase bandwidth supply (the fact that Telstra
> lays new fibre anyway speaks volumes of the profits they reap from their
> existing investment;  They simply don't need to care about how cheap it
> is to upgrade existing equipment, because they're so cash-flush that it's
> just as easy to buy new stuff).

Just in case you're not aware of the error - that should read ERBIUM doped fibre
amplifier (EDFA).  Capacity is increased by adding new channels (at new
wavelengths).  The EDFAs can handle this because they provide gain over a broad
spectral (wavelength) range.

Just thought I might as well share some of my knowledge!

Richard

Richard White

Photon Engineering Pty Ltd
Solid State and Semiconductor Laser Technology

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