Latest Standards for China Unicom Optical Cable Laying

China Unicom's optical cable laying standards emphasize fiber type selection, environmental adaptability, attenuation limits, dispersion control, and maintenance efficiency for backbone and terrestrial networks.

Fiber Type and Standardization

China Unicom has led the adoption and standardization of G. 654E large-effective-area optical fiber (LEAF) for both land and submarine networks, aiming to improve transmission performance in high-speed systems beyond 100G and 400G networks. The G.

654E fiber subclass is designed for long-distance, high-capacity transmission, with parameters including mode field diameter (MFD), dispersion coefficient, polarization mode dispersion (PMD), macro bending resistance, optical cable attenuation coefficient, and cutoff wavelength. China Unicom has coordinated with manufacturers like YOFC, Hengtong, and FiberHome to ensure these parameters meet operational and environmental requirements.

Environmental and Installation Requirements

Optical cables must be adaptable to harsh environments, including deserts, snow-covered mountains, and urban pipelines. Laying methods include overhead, pipeline, and direct burial, with careful consideration of mechanical stress, temperature variations, and bending radius. The standards require that cables maintain long-term performance stability under external pressures, interference, and environmental extremes.

Transmission and Performance Criteria

China Unicom emphasizes low optical attenuation and large effective area to maximize transmission distance and system capacity while minimizing nonlinear effects. The standards also address optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) and figure of merit (FOM) to ensure reliable high-speed transmission. For 400G backbone networks, the focus is on balancing spectrum efficiency, transmission distance, and system capacity under the Shannon Limit.

Maintenance and Cost Considerations

The standards include requirements for ease of maintenance and cost efficiency, ensuring that new fiber types can be deployed and maintained without excessive operational costs. Pilot projects in Shandong and Xinjiang have demonstrated that the cost of laying and maintaining G. 654E fibers meets China Unicom's operational requirements, supporting large-scale deployment.

Standardization and Compliance

China Unicom has actively participated in CCSA standardization efforts, with consensus reached on key fiber parameters and expected completion of formal standards by 2017. Compliance with these standards ensures interoperability, network reliability, and readiness for future high-capacity applications. In summary, China Unicom's optical cable laying standards focus on selecting advanced fiber types, ensuring environmental adaptability, controlling attenuation and dispersion, and maintaining cost-effective deployment and maintenance, forming a robust framework for high-speed backbone and terrestrial optical networks.