Five years analysis of a free space optics link in Graz

New platforms, services and applications continue to arise every day on the Internet. The number of mobile Internet users has increased dramatically over the last years and cloud online storage services become more and more spread. All this requires a lot of bandwidth, bandwidth older technologies like copper-based digital subscriber lines cannot sufficiently offer anymore. High data rates are present in the backbone of the Internet and optical communication systems enable providers to deliver these rates to the customers. Installing new fibre cables is one solution but using Free Space Optics (FSO) as an optional last mile access technology is another one. TU Graz has developed different systems FSO ranging from cheap systems built with components from the mass market to expensive expert systems built with parts from space technology. This paper shows the availability of the FSO link over a period of five years in the region of Styria, Austria.