Uses of Optical Communication
Optical communications are used for broadband internet access, cable television, and telephone communication between countries. It is also used for local area networks (LANs). Optical transmission can be either uni-directional or bidirectional. Uni-directional transmission can be like fiber to the home (FTTH), fiber to the building (FTTB), fiber to the curb (FTTC), or fiber to the business office (FTTB). These transmit information from one point to another with no return signal. The bidirectional transmission uses the return signal to transmit information in reverse. For instance, Fiber to the Building (FTTB) is used to send traffic from a network to an individual building, whereas Fiber to the curb (FTTC) is used to send traffic from an individual building to a network.
Optical Communication in CCNA
Optical communication is the use of light to transmit information. This form of communication has many applications in many fields and is very useful for distance-transmitted data, which can be transmitted at a high speed by using light. It offers a cheaper way to transmit data over long distances without needing cables or radio waves. The ITU (International Telecommunications Union) often invites companies and organizations to express interest in forming an international standard regarding optical communication, but so far, there have been no official guidelines set forth. Optical communications are also used on cell phones; the technology was invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1875. Optical communication works by sending a beam of light down a fiber optic line, which is a very thin glass thread (this is where the name “fiber optic” comes from).