Polarization Dependent Loss (PDL), once a minor impairment in fiber networks, could actually have a "significant effect" on service providers deploying 40 and 100 Gbps transmission networks, a joint Fujitsu/Indiana University trial found.
During the trial, which leveraged buried and aerial fiber supplied by Indiana University, researchers revealed that all real-world fiber routes have some amount of PDL on them. What's more, theoretical and experimental confirmed the existence of Polarization Dependent Splice Loss (PDSL), and further research correlates PDSL and overall fiber connection loss to PDL.
However, as pointed out in a Connected Planet article, the joint Fujitsu/Indiana University press release did not reveal how the tests were done and what improvements they saw. Still, this new knowledge could come in handy for service providers such as AT&T, Level, Qwest and Verizon that are in the midst of transitioning from today's 10 Gbps networks to 40 and 100 Gbps transmission networks on their existing fiber plant.
For more:
- see the release here
- Connected Planet has this article
Related articles:
Verizon tries 100 Gbps on its Metro Ethernet network
IEEE's 802.3ba standard sets stage for 40, 100 Gbps Ethernet
AT&T conducts 100 GigE dress rehearsal
TeliaSonera conducts single wavelength 100 Gbps trial