AI and data center growth are placing new demands on fiber infrastructure, increasing the need for greater capacity, higher density and lower latency. Ankit Agarwal, Managing Director of STL (Sterlite Technologies Ltd.), discusses how the company is developing next-generation optical solutions spanning long-haul networks, data center campuses and infrastructure within the data center itself. Innovations include higher-density fiber cables, smaller fiber diameters and connectivity designed to maximize capacity within limited duct space.
Mr. Agarwal also highlights emerging technologies including multicore fiber, hollow-core fiber and G.654.E as networks evolve from 400G to 800G and beyond. These technologies are designed to address requirements such as higher capacity, longer transmission distances, lower loss and reduced latency. By developing an end-to-end portfolio across fiber, cable and connectivity, STL (Sterlite Technologies Ltd.) aims to help operators and data center providers prepare their optical infrastructure for the growing demands of AI.
Linda Hardesty:
I'm Linda Hardesty. I'm an editor with Fierce Network, and I'm here today with Ankit Argawal. He's managing director of STL Sterlite Technologies. Welcome, Ankit.
Ankit Agarwal:
Hi, Linda. Thank you for having me.
Linda Hardesty:
So what kind of optical innovation is STL working on lately? I know you've done some things with Multicore fiber and Hollow Core fiber.
Ankit Agarwal:
Yes, absolutely. So as a background, STL's been in the fiber optic industry for close to 30 years. We're very, very proud of our R&D and our patent portfolio, which is now close to 800. So we've really been focused on what's coming next, what's the next generation of solutions. Happy to share that we've launched our Neuralis portfolio very successfully, and this is a portfolio that really looks at the end-to-end of what are required from the fiber optic layer for the data centers. So starting from our class preform, the fiber optics, the cables, and the connectivity, all of that is something that we've brought as part of the portfolio. Also, very happy to share that recently we've been certified by US Conec for our MMC connectors. So that's something that also really is the next generation high density dominations that we bring. In addition to what we've shared, we've also been working on Hollow Core fiber as well as Multicore fiber.
For Multicore, we've launched our four-core Multicore successfully with Colt in the UK. And also with Hollow Core, we've produced our Hollow Core cable, and we're currently looking at some trials for that in India. So a lot of innovations, a lot of excitement to the team, and we're really looking forward for both FTTH networks as well as data center networks to bring next generation technologies to the front.
Linda Hardesty:
Well, tell me about STL's latest innovations for data centers.
Ankit Agarwal:
At the core of what we see is that the requirements are just getting more and more in terms of the density requirements. The space constraints are tremendous. At the same time, the data centers are looking to deliver on ultra low latency for the networks. So we see three kinds of layers being built. One is the long-haul networks that are typically being built by telecom operators or neutral fiber providers. They are typically looking for high capacity as well as low latency. Then you've got a fiber network that's getting built within a campus, so typically you have 10 to 12 buildings on a campus and they require ultra-high capacity fibers. So typically fiber strands going up to 7,000 strands per cable. That's something that we are very proud of being a very few companies in the world who can build that capacity. And then you've got fiber optic networks that are within the data center themselves, and that's where a lot of the termination comes as well.
So we're very proud to be one of the few companies that have the portfolio going from these long haul networks all the way inside the data center. We're also working on some of the innovations as we go from 240 micron at the fiber level down to 200 micron, and eventually maybe all the way down to 160 micron. So that's something that also we're working on where we can further reduce the diameter of the cables and be able to put higher capacity fiber within the same duct space. The other thing that we're also now looking at is that ultimately, how do we provide next generation products like the Holo-Core and Multicore for the data centers as well? So those are areas that we're working on, not just at the cable level, but also ultimately how do these fibers get spliced in with existing networks? And that's something that we're working on right now.
At the end of it, what we're looking to provide is a lower cost as an end-to-end solution and what we call a total cost of ownership. That's something that we believe we can provide a reduction by at least 20 to 30%.
Linda Hardesty:
What is STL's G654E, and why is this important?
Ankit Agarwal:
What you see in terms of what AI is doing and bringing the network changes to the data center. I think eventually as we're moving now from 400 gig to 800 gig and eventually beyond that, I think the requirements are very clear. We need high capacity long distance networks with low loss, and really making sure that we have large effective areas to manage the signal distortion. I think one part of doing that is to look at next generation fiber and 654E is one critical part. We're very, very confident that the way we're building out these G654 fiber and networks will be able to provide significantly more capacity. And what we are also ensuring is that in addition to the capacity, we're also providing low loss for these networks. So I think this is really a big future. We're already seeing deployments for this starting to happen in various parts of Asia.
And I think now is the right tipping point for lots of these networks to be built out, especially across the US and large parts of Europe.
Linda Hardesty:
Thank you, Ankit. It was great talking with you today.
Ankit Agarwal:
Thank you very much.