Two New Bend-Optimized Single-Mode Fiber Offerings Meet Need for Tighter Bends in In-Building Applications

OFS offering includes 5 mm bend radius fiber and the world's first solid 2.5 mm bend radius fiber

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Aug 27, 2013, 06:00 ET

NORCROSS, Ga., Aug. 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- OFS, a leading designer of optical fibers, cables, and connectivity solutions, has upgraded its single-mode bend-optimized fiber line with two new offerings, available to the market today, responding to customer needs for tighter bends to extend fiber into buildings and living units.

OFS' new AllWave® FLEX Max Fiber provides less than 0.10 dB of 1550 nm loss at a 5 mm bend radius, with performance superior to and compliant with both the ITU-T G.657.B3 and G.652.D recommendations. The new fiber offers outstanding bending loss performance for demanding in-building and connectivity applications, and is fully compatible with G.652.D fibers. AllWave FLEX Max Fiber complements OFS' AllWave FLEX+ Fiber, a 7.5 bend radius solution designed for general connectivity applications, and AllWave FLEX Fiber, a 10 mm bend radius fiber for demanding outside plant cable installations.

EZ-Bend® Fiber offers less than 0.20 dB of 1550 nm loss at a 2.5 mm bend radius. The fiber utilizes a patented OFS Labs design which enables tight bend loss performance 3 – 5 times better than competing G.657.B3 fibers. This enables the fiber to support the most demanding in-building and in-living unit deployments using smaller diameter cords conformed to surface contours to minimize visibility and speed installation. EZ-Bend Fiber is superior to and compliant with G.657.B3 and fully compatible with G.652.D fibers. It is the world's first fully solid-construction fiber to reliably support a 2.5 mm bend radius within a properly engineered cord or cable.

"OFS continues to lead the industry with bend-insensitive single-mode fiber offerings," said Andrew Oliviero, Director of Global Product Line Management. "We are proud to carry on this tradition of innovation begun by our predecessor, AT&T, which first developed this important product category that is changing the way we meet the ever-growing demand for bandwidth to buildings and residences."

Oliviero said AT&T introduced the first single-mode bend-insensitive fiber, known as depressed cladding fiber, in 1984. OFS introduced AllWave FLEX Fiber, the first zero water peak bend-insensitive fiber, in 2005.

About OFS
OFS is a world-leading designer, manufacturer and provider of optical fiber, optical fiber cable, connectivity, FTTX and specialty photonics solutions. Our marketing, sales, manufacturing and research teams provide forward-looking, innovative products and solutions in areas including Telecommunications, Medicine, Industrial Automation, Sensing, Government, Aerospace and Defense applications. We provide reliable, cost effective optical solutions to enable our customers to meet the needs of today's and tomorrow's digital and energy consumers and businesses.

OFS' corporate lineage dates back to 1876 and includes technology powerhouses such as AT&T and Lucent Technologies. Today, OFS is owned by Furukawa Electric, a multi-billion dollar global leader in optical communications.

Headquartered in Norcross (near Atlanta) Georgia, U.S., OFS is a global provider with facilities in China, Denmark, Germany, Russia, and the United States.

For more information, please visit www.ofsoptics.com.

SOURCE OFS