What Exactly is Dark Fiber?

For years now, fiber optic cable has been an essential part of our lives and in businesses. This is what allows you to watch your favorite cable TV show with a clear image and talk to your family member who lives hundreds of miles away with a static free reception. Internet users are enjoying the benefits of faster connections and even doctors are able to capture pictures of internal organs easily because of this. What many people are not really aware of is the other part of this equation which is dark fiber.

Actually, in terms of fiber optics, dark fiber is exactly what it sounds like, fiber with no light so it is dark. Anytime that optical fiber is being used, the data is pushed through in forms of light pulses and that makes the cable a lit fiber. When a cable is not being used and no light is pulsing through it because of that, it is then referred to as dark fiber. Basically saying, dark fiber is unused optical fiber cable.

Unused optical fiber cable is much more common than people who don't deal with it could imagine. Companies go out and lay the cable, but when they do they normally lay more than they need to so that they don't have to return and lay down more later. The cost of installing this cable is very high; you have the physical labor cost, the cost of planning and networking as well as many other factors. So businesses need to save money where they can when they install this and that includes laying more than is necessary to the project.

And today, the amount of data that is transferred through these cables has taken a big jump. Technology since the 1990's had advanced to the point that it has really cut down the need for more cable right now which in turn is creating an oversupply. More companies and telecommunication networks are finding themselves with a lot more cable than they can use which is creating more and more "dark" cables out there waiting to be used.

This oversupply of cable is causing companies to do what they never thought they would, sell it. In the past selling it was never considered, it was almost sacred to a company. But today, with so much out there unused, companies are finding they can make a profit by selling it or leasing it out to others who want optical connections in their own locations.

Another side effect of this oversupply is that it has made fiber optic cable much more affordable. In the past it was so expensive, only a few companies could take advantage of it. The price drop has allowed more businesses and others to stop leasing and to start buying their own.

There have been reports that because of today's technology, that volume of date sent through fiber optic cable is doubled every nine months and the cost is decreasing in the same time period by half. When you add that to the already huge amount of dark fiber out there, there is enough available for companies to discover what other advantages this cable can play in our everyday lives.