When a fiber is in use, it has a light pulse being transmitted through it. What do these light pulses do, you ask? Well, these light pulses send data and information from one point to another.
So, what is a dark fiber in that case?
Since fibers that have light pulses in them means that they are in use, it is easy to understand dark fibers, AKA unlit fibers, are simply… unused. They include no service and no traffic on them. These dark fibers are the ones that are already installed in the ground, however although they are ready to be used and be taken advantage of, they are not being used.
But why would you want to add fibers to the ground and then leave it unused?
These unlit fibers are spare pieces of network fiber which are laid on the side in case there is a future need. Do not worry, we will explain more!
The network service providers often overestimate and installs more cables than needed. The reason behind it is because the company wants to ensure they have all the preventative methods and last-minute needs are taken care of.
By preventative needs we mean sometimes growth of data and information takes place. In order for a dark fiber network to not suffer from the overgrowth of it, extra dark fibers are added to the ground.
Apart from being ready for future problems, having extra unlit fiber optic lines have many more benefits such as
- It saves time and is efficient
- It reduces cost
- Provides higher bandwidth capacity
- Ready for any last-minute problems
Dark fibers are also called as black fibers or unlit fibers.
What are dark fibers used for?
You can find dark fibers being used mainly for Telecom and Network Communications. Sure, they can be purchased and used by anyone who is willing to pay. Dark fibers provide extra fast internet for its users. That is why many enterprises and organizations with specific needs benefit from these unlit fibers.
Businesses such as hotels, government and financial institutions, universities, and even online business operators can benefit from these dark fibers. Communication is a must in these businesses, therefore a high speed, reliable and protected data transfers serve as a necessity for them.
We are sure you want to learn more, and we got your back all the way. Visit AiNET and learn more about cloud solutions, data centers, fiber optics and many more!