Furthermore, also with the aim of optimizing connectivity, Telefónica has showcased the capabilities of 60GHz Wi-Fi technology, which offers theoretical speeds of up to 4600 Mbps.
Plastic optical fiber (POF) is a 1mm core fiber with a total diameter of 2.2mm, providing in-home connectivity through simple installation (it can be cut with a utility knife), without connectors, and at a significantly lower cost than glass fiber. Its installation is risk-free and secure, as it cannot be intercepted and is immune to interference.
Telefónica has conducted a pilot program for POF in nearly 30 homes, with up to four fiber optic connections in each, deploying a hybrid POF (wired backbone) + Wi-Fi network with a Smart Wi-Fi amplifier as an access point to extend coverage.
Telefónica's technology partner in this initiative is the chipset provider, KDPOF, a Spanish startup whose technology has become the Ethernet over plastic optical fiber standard according to the IEEE (The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) and ETSI (The European Telecommunications Standards Institute).
The basic installation components, in addition to the plastic optical fiber, are the wall outlet/media converter and the KDPOF chipset inside. The wall outlet houses the power plug, provides two Ethernet ports, and allows for the connection of two separate POF branches.
60GHz
Wi-Fi technology, which offers high bandwidth with a theoretical maximum of 4600 Mbps. This new technology has various applications, such as fast content downloads, high-quality uncompressed video streaming, wireless docking, and connectivity for virtual reality devices.
Connectivity with plastic fiber and 60 GHz Wi-Fi
Telefónica has presented a pioneering innovation project in Spain based on plastic optical fiber (POF), a home connectivity solution that is easy to install and guarantees speeds of up to 1Gbps for customers.
