After the telecommunications policy was eased, the sun seems to be shining on the fibre optics network companies. Many investors in the state are beginning to invest in this promising line of fibre optic cables. In the near future, these projects, including other areas like establishment of Software Technology Parks are expected to cross investments over Rs. 5,000 crore.

This is the equipment used for Optic Fibres.

Bigwigs in the business have predicted that all these projects are likely to give the Department of Telecommunications a run for their money and consequently may affect their functioning.
Some of the companies, which have proposed to hem up about 13,000 kms of Karnataka by fibre optic cable, are Bharti Telecom, BPL Telecom, Reliance, and Zee Telefilms. The companies will be laying the cables parallel to state and national highways, eventually connecting to VSNL international gateways in Mumbai and Chennai. A few other companies will lay the cable between Bangalore-Mysore, Bangalore-Hubli, Bangalore-Tumkur, etc. The cables will run along a 1.6 m deep trench and in some cases will run parallel to another competitor's cable.

This is a gun used to install Optic Fibres

"These companies are investing about Rs 2,000 crore. Karnataka will be one of the few well-networked states after all the projects are completed," says an official. Another Rs.15,000 crore is expected to come from Reliance, CISCO and a few other investors.

In order to speed the transmission of data around, the world laser system will cut lenses onto the end of optic fibres that are thinner than a strand of human hair.

When data is sent via telephone or e-mail, an electric current is generated, which is then converted to a light signal before it enters the optic fibre. This light contains digitised data (video, audio and text). The speed of data can be increased if more of the light is captured and focussed effectively by a lens as it enters the fibre. This improved efficiency can save millions of dollars because the signal can be boosted less frequently and fewer cables may be needed to transmit the increasing amount of data.

This is an Optic Fibre

A Government Order: "Establishment of Statewide Optic Fibre Network" was released with clear recommendations to participating companies. The state Government is rather willing to give special concessions to these fibre optic network projects, thereby encouraging them.

The advantages of using Optic Fibres are:

• Optic Fibre cables are capable of carrying many more transmissions than
  copper cables
• Optic Fibre cables are cheaper to make than copper cables
• Optic Fibres are small - more of them can be fitted into existing ducts
• The light signal in a glass fibre can travel greater distances without being
  amplified than on electric impulse which travels along a copper wire
  

Some of the disadvantages are:

• More people would lose their jobs in less developed countries
• The glass fibres are hard to handle, they are very delicate, thus special
  care is needed
• If people communicate through telephones, computers and other
  technologies, they will spend less time meeting face to face. And this
  could result in an impersonal society.
  

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