Telefonica has launched a trial of Plastic Optical Fibre (POF) technology together with Spanish chipset provider KDPOF. The operator said POF-based networks are far easier and cheaper to install in households than glass fibre networks and provide increased security due to lack of interference which means it can be run along existing electrical wiring. The plastic fibre is 2.2 mm in diameter, with a 1 mm core, can be cut easily with a mat knife and is installed without connectors, guaranteeing speeds of up to 1 Gbps throughout the home.
The company has conducted a trial of the hybrid POF network in 30 homes, with up to four fibre outlets in each household and a smart Wi-Fi amplifier as the access point to expand the coverage.
Telefonica said it’s also testing 60GHz Wi-Fi technology to optimise the connectivity, permitting bandwidth with a theoretical maximum of 4600 Mbps. The technology has various scopes of application, including rapid content download, high-quality video streaming without decompression, wireless docking and virtual reality device connectivity, said the company.
