Page 57 - SAMENA Trends - July-August 2022

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Sensing applications trawling, anchoring and dredging. Sensors area. With an optical cable along the track,
Telecom fiber is both a critical infrastructure could detect the vibrations of fishing nets DAS can supply information about moving
that needs to be constantly monitored being dragged along the seabed. Trawling trains, detect third party activity and locate
and potentially a globally distributed nets are a great threat to subsea cables, rocks and landslides.
sensor. Sensing the environment provides making up around 70 percent of all damage Opportunities and challenges
information that can be dual-purpose. It can to the network. An early warning will give Having gauged the tremendous
help identify potential network threats or the cable operator time to radio the vessel opportunities presented by fiber optic, one of
disruptions and provide information about and ask it to steer away from the cable. the main challenges that the industry would
an area where other sensors are sparce. Fiber can even be used for environmental need to address is that of managing data.
A notable benefit of fiber optic sensing is and scientific monitoring of earthquakes Monitoring and sensing in modern optical
the monitoring of the cable which quite and tsunamis. The existing mesh of networks can generate an unprecedented
often runs through harsh terrain and submarine cables could effectively be amount of information. The problem at
shifting seabed. For instance, coherent transformed into giant array of sensors hand would be to process the data deluge
transponders can help monitor the entire that once linked to seismometer-based to extract meaningful signals. Proper
cable infrastructure, keeping it safe networks can substantially boost global tools, for instance Artificial Intelligence
from any signs of failure and optimizing earthquake monitoring at an affordable and Machine Learning (AI/ML), could be
capacity. Adverse weather phenomenon cost. In addition to that, fiber optic can used to remove noise in raw sensory data
like a storm, an earthquake or construction monitor various oceanographic conditions and automatically detect and track events
work that can disrupt the fiber can be like ocean currents and rockslides and of interest. It must work dynamically as
sensed with dedicated tools or directly help tracking mammals as well. When it new threats emerge and ensure rigorous
at the transponder. The result is faster comes to terrestrial cable sensing, DAS adherence to established rules that govern
restoration, increased uptime and superior is widely used for monitoring of onshore the decision-making process. Due to the
service quality. Repairing subsea cables is pipelines including leak detection, external massive proliferation of optical networks,
a dangerous and expensive affair. Early and interference and ground movement monitoring and sensing can prove to be
accurate detection of interference, faults monitoring. It can be employed for the next big thing. A technology that has
or damage is crucial for seamless service perimeter protection of critical assets and a positive and meaningful impact, helping
continuity. Advanced cable monitoring border control. By using existing optical reduce and contain risks by early detection
systems can help direct personnel to cable networks in urban areas, DAS can of fires, storms, and earthquakes. It
the exact location of the event for timely provide sensing grids for high resolution could even play an active role in tackling
intervention. The cables also need to be traffic monitoring and road condition. the fallout of climate change by making
protected from human activities such as Railway monitoring is another emerging communities smarter and safer.

The telecom sector is rapidly ditching copper wire in favour of fiber optics

57 JULY-AUGUST 2022