Summary of Undersea Fiber Optic Network Technology and Systems

By Adam Markow Senior Telecom Analyst

The source of many of the slides is from The David Ross Group http://www.davidrossgroup.com

A view of the Global Submarine Cable Network (TeleGeography)

Undersea System Elements Repeatered Examples

Transoceanic Network Coastal Network

Using the same elements

Submarine Cable

Repeaters Branching Unit Terminal Stations

Undersea System Elements - Non-Repeatered Examples

Repeaterless vs. Repeatered: Limited to <400 km span lengths Sometimes, but not always
Less expensive initially More flexible long term Less expensive to operate & maintain More complex to upgrade

Inter-island Network
Submarine Cable

Terminal Stations

Historical advantages of repeaterless

offset today by current market oversupply of repeatered production capability and inventory

Using the same elements

Coastal Networks

The choice between repeatered & repeaterless must be made on a case by case basis

Source The David Ross Group http://www.davidrossgroup.com

Trunk & Branch

Festoon

Connecting a Terrestrial Network with and Undersea System

Telehouse Backhaul Connection
.

Cable Station & Beach Manhole

ADM

ADM

SLTE

N x STM-1o
ADM

N x STM-64

Ocean Cable
Shore Section

PFE
)

Ocean ground
SLTE Submarine Line Termination Equipment.

PFE Power Feed Equipment (pushes constant current of ~1.5 A across undersea cable link from CS to CS)

Cable Station Floor Plan

GCL Cable Station Requirements:

At least 17,000 square feet (~1900m2 ) of total area Raised floor, with minimum load tolerance of 500 kg/m2 Useable height of at least 2.5m Dual cable vaults DC -48v power, with battery backup for at least 1 hour. Diesel Engine emergency backup HVAC to maintain room temperature between 22 - 24C Ring Ground Fire/smoke detection, with connection to emergency/control center 24 hour access for maintenance and repair

Battery Transmission Equipment Collocation for backhaul Meeting/training room

Cable Station Transmission Components

LINE PAIR #1

Undersea Cable

SLTE

SDH Terminal

Cable Station

Orderwire & Maintenance

Optical Connections of Terrestrial Link connecting to Data Center

SLTE

SDH Terminal

Line Current

Power Feed Equipment

Orderwire & Maintenance

LINE PAIR #4

Line Monitoring Equipment

Land Plant Line Terminating Equipment

1
To SDH Equipment

1- N

Line Amplifier

N
High Performance Optical Equipment DWDM Wavelength Terminating Equipment

Optical Line To Undersea Cable

Land Plant Line Terminating Equipment

OTX Shelf
STM-16 STM-16 STM-16 STM-16
O/E CONV. O/E 2.5GCONV. ORX O/E 2.5GCONV. ORX O/E 2.5GCONV. ORX

2.5G ORX

OH FEC ENCODER INS OH FEC ENCODER INS OH TIMING GENERATOR OH FEC ENCODER INS OH TIMING GENERATOR OH FEC INS ENCODER OH TIMING GENERATOR OH FEC COD

E/O CONV. SCR MUX 10G SOTX

WME 10.8G

SCR MUX

ORX Shelf
STM-16 STM-16 STM-16 STM-16
E/O CONV. E/O 2.5GCONV. OTX E/O 2.5G CONV. OTX E/O 2.5GCONV. OTX OH

Timing Generator
TRM

OH

DECODER Timing Generator DECODER Timing Generator

FEC

TRM

OH

FEC

OH

TRM

OH

Timing Generator

DECODER

FEC

FRM SYNC & DSCR

O/E CONV. DMUX 10G SORX

WME 10.8G

2.5G OTX

OH

TRM

OH

FEC
DECODER

DSCR DMUX

OH FEC DEC

Source NEC

Source The David Ross Group http://www.davidrossgroup.com

Land Plant SDH Ring Terminal

SDH Multiplex Equipment Network Protection Equipment High Performance Optical Equipment Wavelength Terminating Equipment Line Amplifier Optical Line To Undersea Cable

Duplicated Per Fiber Pair

Source The David Ross Group http://www.davidrossgroup.com

Land Plant Network Management Equipment

Network Management System Workstation Network Management System Equipment

Inland Network (optional)

SDH

HPOE Vendor Equipment Element Managers WTE

Undersea Line Equipment

Line Monitoring Equipment

TLA

Power Feed Equipment

Source The David Ross Group http://www.davidrossgroup.com

Land Plant Power Feed Equipment

PR1
800 mm

PR2
800 mm

PM
800 mm

LT
800 mm

SW
800 mm

TL1
800 mm

TL2
800 mm

COM

COM CURR CONT LOAD TRF

FAN

FAN

CONV(1) 1,800 mm CONV(2) CONV(3)

CONV(6) CONV(7) CONV(8) CONV(9 ) OPE & MONI & C/V SENSOR

SW&RETURN

TEST LOAD COMN RECORDER & EARTH TEST

TEST LOAD

CONV(4)

CONV(5)

BLANK

*The depth of the frame: 600mm

HV PFE Configuration

Source KDD SCS

Cable Station and Beach Manhole 2025 Taft Street - Hollywood, Florida

Global Crossing Backhaul in Hollywood, Florida

The optronic connection that starts at Optical Distribution Frame (ODF) in the Cable Station and then continues to the ODF at the City Service Point, the Telehouse. Then a separate connection of the circuit is made to the frame of the carrier who will then take traffic back to the end customer premise. Cable Station

Undersea Cable Landing Configuration

Submerged Plant Beach Manhole Shore Section Land Sections Terminal Station Terminal Station Equipment
Branching Unit Cable

Network Management

Terminal Station

Land Section Beach Manhole Optical & Power Feed Transmission Equipment Equipment

Repeater

Cable Ship

Yes, the cable really does rest on the Ocean Floor!Repeater

Submarine Mountain

Submarine Cable

 South America Physical Map South America ERZ border at 12 nmi South American Crossing Segments are mostly outside of the ERZ

ERZ = Economic Resource Zone

Installing a Submarine Cable System

Source The David Ross Group http://www.davidrossgroup.com

CS Long Lines

LONG LINES YEAR OF BUILD: 1963 LENGTH: 155.91 BREADTH: 21.19 DRAUGHT: 8.17 DEPTH: 13.87 FLAG: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA SHIPBUILDER: DEUTSCHE WERFT HAMBURG COUNTRY OF BUILD: FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY STATUS: IN SERVICE/COMMISSION

Cable Ship Profile Tyco Telecom

Cable Laying and Burial

Phases of Cable System Network

Planning, Finance & Procurement
Carrier Partnership Business Plan Preliminary Network Design & Desktop study Finance Procurement Survey Route engineering Network engineering
Deployment License & Permits Terminal Station Construction Manufacturing- Undersea and Land Plant Undersea Plant Assembly & Load Undersea Installation
Shore end and cable burial Deep water i Branching unit Final Splice

Service, Operations & Maintenance System Provisioning Station & NOC Operations Cable Maintenance agreement (Cable recover, splicing, repair, relay, rebury) Network Upgrades

Terminal Station Installation Commissioning & Acceptance Service

Survey Vessel Installation Ship

Sea Plow for Cable Burial Operation Maintenance Vessel

St. Croix Shore End - SAC,2000

After years and years

If the cable should break, the cable must be hooked

Land Plant

Land Cables Terminal Stations

Land Plant Land Cables

Fiber Cable
Copper/Stainless Steel Bimetal Armor Core Tube Filling Compound Lightpack TM Fiber Bundle 4-48 Fibers Color Coded Binder High Density Polyethylene Jacket Helical Lay Wire Strength Members

Source - Tycom

Land Plant Land Cables

Power Cable
#6 Copper Conductor Strand Screen Insulation Semiconductor Layer Copper Tape Polyethylene Jacket

Source - Tycom

Land Plant Terminal Station Equipment

Line Terminating Equipment

High Performance Optical Equipment Wavelength Terminating Equipment Line Amplifiers

SDH Network Protection Equipment SDH Multiplex Equipment Line Monitoring Equipment Network Management Equipment Power Feed Equipment Synchronization Equipment Test Equipment

Terminal Stations

Typically terminate undersea signals, and interface with domestic network Most often very close to beach Construction & features very similar to other telecom offices, such as Central Offices, but include some unique aspects In multi-point coastal systems, costs can become significant element of network cost. Large stations cost $10-$15M. Very small stations <$5M. Permissions and Rights Of Ways associated with construction and beach access, plus actual civil construction, together often dominate overall network construction schedule In small, regional networks, alternate more efficient options (prefabricated huts) may be possible
Source The David Ross Group http://www.davidrossgroup.com

Undersea Plant

Cable and Fiber Repeaters Equalizers Branching Units Marine Installation

Undersea Plant

Cable and Fiber

Specified for each span of each system Typically 1 to 4 types of cable depending on type of environmental protection needed Typically 1 to 3 types of fiber depending on required management of optical transmission properties Network costs vary widely depending on types of cable (increase dramatically in vulnerable areas)

Submarine Fiber Cables

Comparison of Coaxial and Fiber Optics Cable

Undersea Optical Cable Tyco Standard design < 2000

ARMORED PROTECTION LAYER COPPER SHEATH INSULATION JACKET

OPTICAL FIBER

UNIT FIBER STRUCTURE

STRENGTH WIRES

Undersea Plant Cable Types

LW
(Lightweight)

SPA
(Special Purpose Armor)

LWA
(Light Wire Armor)

SA
(Single Armor)

DA-HS
(Double Armor, High Strength)

DA-HA
(Double Armor, High Impact)

Rock Armor
Source Tycom

Various Cables and Applications

Undersea Cable Types:

Undersea Cable
Double Armored (DA) Single Armored (SA) Light-Wire Armored (LWA) Special Application* (SPA) Light Weight (LW)

Typical Application
Beach Joint to 400 Meter Depth 400 to 900 Meter Depth Buried 900-2,000 Meter Depth >2,000 Meter Depth

Power & Ground Cable Land Cable

*Fish Bite Protected Cable

Undersea Plant LW Cable

Lightweight cable
Used in deep water where hazards are minimal Comes in three outer diameters
10-12 mm, used in non-repeatered systems 17-19 mm, used in several recent repeatered systems 21-23 mm, used in repeatered systems wherever the additional size is deemed necessary or desirable

Cost varies in proportion to size.

Undersea Plant Armored Cable Armored cable

Used in shallower water where hazards from abrasion, fishing activity or anchors warrant Comes in several varieties SPA, for light abrasion or fishbite protection LWA, for harsher abrasion SA, for light marine activity DA, for heavier marine activity Rock armor, for the most challenging environments Specified jointly by supplier, installer, and purchaser Armor is costly, takes more time to produce, load, lay Result: systems in difficult environments cost much more

Undersea Plant- Repeaters Repeater

Performance designed to match needs of system Two sizes presently available
1 to 4 fiber pair 5 to 8 fiber pair

One optical amplifier per fiber Costs strongly dependent on number of fiber pair Cost also dependent on performance Spacing (between repeaters) set for system performance / cost, and typically 50-80km Shorter spacing generally yields higher ultimate capacity In long (many thousand km) systems, often largest single component network cost

Undersea Plant Repeater

Appr ox . 4400 Be l l ows Appr ox . 1300 Cab l e Te rmi na t i on

(Repea t e r Hous i ng)

Cab l e Termi na t i on

Approx. 230

Approx. 265

Approx. 250

Ta i l Cab l e Repea t e r Hous i ng

Cab l e

Appr ox . 1500

Appr ox . 1400
(be tween PIN t o PIN)

Appr ox . 1500

Source - NEC

Undersea Plant Repeater

4 Amplifier Pair Repeater

Amplifier Pair Chassis

Locking Plate

Heat Transfer Plate Supervisory Erbium Amplifiers Pump Unit Control Circuit Power Supply

Source Tycom

TSSL Repeater < 2000

Repeater End Cover 69cm (27)

Cable to Repeater Coupling

33cm (13)

Repeater Housing

Laser Pump Driver

Optical Amplifier Pair

Undersea Plant

Equalizer
Performance designed to match needs of system Inserted at periodic intervals as needed One equalizer per fiber Cost strongly dependent on number of fiber pair Higher capacity systems generally require more exotic equalization

Undersea Plant Equalizer

Pressure Housing

Cable Coupling Equalizer Module

Source - NEC

Undersea Plant

Branching Unit
All currently produced are three-terminal One or more fiber pair may be branched Fiber connections or powering may be switchable from a shore terminal or NOC for restoration or security Wavelength branching (Optical Undersea AddDrop Mutiplexing) has been done on a limited basis Cost is strongly dependent on degree of complexity and number of fiber pair

Undersea Plant Branching Unit

Approx. 4600

Bellows Cable Termination

Approx. 1245

Cable Termination

Housing Unit

(Pressure Housing)

Approx. 480

Gimbal Joint 1700

Cable

Tail Cable

Approx. 1260

1700

Source - NEC

Undersea Plant

Marine Installation
Uses specially designed cable-laying vessels and tools Costs strongly dependent on
Water depth Types of cable and protection employed Bottom characteristics Burial depth required Number of shore landings and branching units Number of cable and pipeline crossings Distance of lay from cable factory Weather

Deployment Timeline Economies to Be Achieved

Traditional Procurement Cycle Typical 2 Year Timeline

Financing Network Planning Desktop Study Supply Procurement & Contract Survey Procurement Survey System Manufacture System Installation Operations Readiness Testing

Source The David Ross Group http://www.davidrossgroup.com

Primary Network Construction Elements

Wet Plant Dry Plant Terminal Stations & Backhaul Marine Work Network Operations Center

Network Construction Cost & Payment Schedule

Typical Network Costs (1998-2001): $30-40K/km, plus stations Todays Discounted Network Costs, with Market Oversupply: $20K/km, plus stations Work Typically Begins with secure finance, followed by secure supply contract
5-10% down payment Periodic milestone-based progress payments during construction period, cumulating to 75-85% before service begins Additional 10-15% at start of service Last 5-10% at final acceptance months thereafter

Work might begin earlier via an ITP IF purchaser guarantees payment for all supplier expenses prior to secure contract
Todays oversupply market offers huge discounts for purchasers, but minimal opportunities for vendor finance

Costs After the Initial Installation

Operation and Administration Maintenance and Repair Network Upgrades

Costs After the Initial Installation

Operation and Administration

In consortium and domestic systems, operation handled by experts landing-party carriers. In private systems, operation provided by carriers carriers or outsourced to suppliers. Involves staff at cable stations and the Network Operations Center (if any). Functions involve provisioning, troubleshooting, monitoring performance, and billing. For domestic undersea networks, processes can readily be integrated with similar processes for other land & satellite-based elements of the carriers complete network

Costs After the Initial Installation Maintenance and Repair

Dry maintenance and repair handled by operations staff and suppliers. Wet maintenance and repair handled by Cable Maintenance Authorities under Cable Maintenance Agreements. CMAs employ ships, spares, and skilled personnel on standby to do repairs on any cable within the agreement. CMAs are specific to geographic regions, e.g. Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Ocean, etc. Costs of CMAs typically depend on length of system and number of landings, as drivers of expected number of repairs. Per-network costs are greatly dependent on the number of networks covered in the CMA sharing its expense. Wet maintenance costs have dropped dramatically from 20012003 as a consequence of an excess of cable ships, but remain millions (US$) annually

Costs After the Initial Installation

Network Upgrades
Network upgrades to increase capacity by adding wavelengths are planned and contracted (price-capped) at the time of the initial system construction. Typically, but not always, the same supplier installs and upgrades the network Terminal stations must be sized for the ultimate capacity of the system, often requiring tens of thousands of square feet. In high-capacity WDM systems, upgrading to the ultimate design capacity may take many years, and will often cost more than the initial undersea system installation. Since technology and prices change over time, purchasers often obtain better prices (than originally contracted) at the time they are needed

Life-Cycle Costs $
Revenue Possible Revenue Projection
(further study required)

Construction Begins with ITP Supply & OA&M Contract Cost Finance & Supply Contract Closure

First Revenue

Time
Net Cash FlowBreak-even Dependent On Demand & Revenue

100%

Construction Milestone Payments

Service

Final Acceptance

Cumulative Costs

Operations, And Maintenance Begin