FOA proposes standard fiber optic connector

Fiber Optics Weekly Update, Sept 3, 2004

The Fiber Optic Association Inc. has proposed a new fiber optic connector concept as an industry standard. The proposed design is revealed in the August issue of the FOA Newsletter on the FOA Web site at www.thefoa.org/foanewsletter.html.> One consistent complaint from network equipment manufacturers and end-users has been the lack of connector standardization. An estimated 100 connector designs have been manufactured since fiber optics began in the late 1970s. The lack of standardization has been blamed by many as one of the major reasons fiber optics has been unable to penetrate the LAN desktop market where copper cable and connectors benefit from one standard design.

Previous attempts to standardize on a single design have failed because technology was changing too rapidly, applications were too varied, and the process required agreement from manufacturers, each of whom was supporting its own products. By offering a proposed design and offering to coordinate the process, the FOA hopes to gain involvement of end-users, network equipment manufacturers, fiber optic component manufacturers, and industry standards organizations, making it possible to finally develop a standard connector that will be widely accepted in the industry.

The FOA will make presentations about the proposed connector design at appropriate standards meetings in order to gage response to the idea.