Characteristics of wire-space-type submarine optical cable

A new type of submarine optical cable, called wire space cable, is proposed for utilisation in shallow sea areas. In the cable, optical fibres are inserted into spaces formed between stranded wires, which are used as tension members. It has been found from a cable pulling test that nonarmoured cable elongation at 8000 m in water depth is 0.3% and armoured cable elongation at 6000 m is 0.5%. Furthermore, a hydraulic pressure test has shown that single-mode-fibre loss at 1.3 ¿m wavelength does not increase up to a water depth of 2700 m.