POF-can it face the future?

Polymer optical fibre has been available for short span communications for at least ten years but has not yet made a significant impact. In part this is attributable to the worldwide need for high bandwidth systems in the trunk and feeder networks before short span systems could be introduced. It is also however a reflection of the deficiencies in the available products. Fundamentally, polymers offer mechanical advantages over glass, so interest in the development of POF based systems remains high