Mohawk/CDT Touts New Cable

LEOMINSTER, Mass. -- Mohawk/CDT is proud to announce the release of a unique fiber optic cable for campus applications. VersaLite(TM) fiber optic cable is a fully water blocked cable to meet the demands of the outside plant while also having a plenum rating (OFNP) which meets the most stringent flame test requirement of the National Electrical Code (NEC).

Traditional fiber optic cable installations use a non-rated loose tube cable for the outside plant portion of a campus network. The NEC requires this cable to be terminated within fifty feet of the building entrance. It is then typically connected to a tight-buffered cable with the appropriate flame rating. Since the VersaLite cable is fully water blocked and UV-resistant, it can be installed in the outside plant portion of the network. This allows for an unspliced length of cable to go from the closet of one building to a closet in another building, eliminating the transition points in both buildings. While VersaLite cable costs more than traditional loose tube cable, the elimination of the transition points more than makes up the difference. The transition between the outside plant cable and the premises cable can be expensive not just in labor and materials, but also in terms of optical power.

"With the current growth of gigabit and 10 gigabit backbones, the acceptable cable insertion loss continues to go down," states Mike Connaughton, RCDD, Fiber Optic Sales Manager, Mohawk/CDT. "By using the VersaLite cable, the loss contribution of the transition point is eliminated. This can result in a cable run with 1.5 dB of improved attenuation, which is 20% of the power budget of Gigabit Ethernet!"

In addition to the improved attenuation, VersaLite provides a cable that is completely "dry"-water blocked. Where traditional cables use gels to prevent water ingress, VersaLite uses a super absorbent polymer that is held in place throughout the length of the tubes. This is an important feature to maintain the water protection after the cable is handled during shipping and installation. It also is not a tight-buffered design, which gives the VersaLite product mechanical and environmental advantages.

Adds Connaughton; "The VersaLite product is part of our Mini-Distribution product line which was originally developed to provide data center-type installations with a compact, flame retardant cable. This is a very versatile cable."

Mohawk/CDT