Sumitomo Gets the Gel Out

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. -- Sumitomo Electric Lightwave, the leader in ribbon fiber technology and manufacturer of fiber optic cable and related products, introduces its DriTube(tm) Ribbon Cable-the industry's first 100% gel-free outside plant ribbon cable. Sumitomo has advanced current cable technology by taking the concept of DriCore one step further. Removing the need for gels in both the cable's core and central tube, the new design reduces cable prep time and labor costs by over 50% resulting in increased productivity, significantly lower project costs, faster deployment, and quicker customer service turn-up.The cable's patent-pending dry water block yarn design eliminates cable flooding gels, thereby eliminating the cleaning and blocking preparation steps and cable cleaning solvents required to install standard gel-filled cables. By eliminating these steps, DriTube speeds overall installation, termination and splicing."Sumitomo Electric Lightwave is pleased to once again advance ribbon fiber technology," comments Bill Beasley, Sumitomo's director of communication networks group. "This breakthrough cable design reaffirms Sumitomo's status as the leader in ribbon fiber technology and the benchmark from which other ribbon cables are measured for quality and reliability." DriTube cable can be used in the same duct, lashed aerial, and buried applications as conventional gel-filled outside plant ribbon and loosetube cables. The new cable has exceeded all Telcordia GR-20 requirements for OSP cables, and are available in various counts up to 432 fibers.Sumitomo Electric Lightwave