Fiber Focus

How to Turn Struggle into Success

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:21:17 -0400

Fiber optic cable is not one thing. It is a precision-engineered and manufactured whole that’s greater than the sum of its parts. The high-quality optical fibers, coating, jacketing, strength members – all integral parts and materials – together form the backbone of the digital age.

In this episode of Fiber Focus, Loren Rapp contributes her insight on this complex supply chain as product line manager for Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s fiber optic cables.

She explains how AI- and broadband-driven demand for optical products impacts manufacturers and suppliers alike, then reminds us that the industry has always been about innovation and resilience. Now more than ever, companies that can plan, pivot, and build relationships with multiple vendors are less likely to struggle and far more likely to succeed.

Tune in to this conversation to learn more.

Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X.

Episode Links

Connect with Us: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/contact-us/

Loren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loren-vitter-rapp-a268a61a/

Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly

Customer-Centric Design

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Fiber Focus pulled James Deane away from his desk for this episode to discuss his work as senior product design engineer for Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s fiber optic cables.

Driven to make a positive impact on society through engineering, James considers every person who his work impacts, beginning with material mining and extending all the way through a cable’s lifecycle. Especially as it relates to customers in the AI Boom, he is focused on innovative ways to deliver the high-density bandwidth that network operators need on time with long-term reliability. His customer-centric approach aligns with the company’s, and it includes thoughtful packaging designs and time-saving deployment methods. Tune in to this episode to learn more.

Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X.

Episode Links

Optical Fiber Cable Solutions: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/product-category/optical-fiber-cable-solutions/

James on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-deane/

Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly

Time to Say Goodbye

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 08:30:00 -0400

This episode of Fiber Focus features Josh Seawell, our director of product management, who is enthusiastic about the ways AI is poised to change people’s lives at home and work. For network operators, that potential comes with extraordinary opportunity in the near term to both deliver and seize tremendous value. The path to those customer experiences (and revenue) is through strategic investments in their infrastructure, and the time is now.

Legacy networks – any infrastructure built with mature technologies, whether greenfield or brownfield – make organizations less competitive and decrease their profits. Josh discusses some of the practical steps that operators can take to better meet the expectations of their customers starting today. Tune in to this conversation to learn more.

Josh will be among the industry experts speaking at DCD>Connect from March 23-24 at the Marriott Marquis, Times Square in New York.

Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X.

Episode Links

Redefining “Legacy Network” Blog: https://blog.sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/what-is-a-legacy-network-in-2026

DCD>Connect New York: https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/dcdconnect-live/new-york/2026/

Josh on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-seawell-09770979/

Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly

Connect with Sumitomo Electric Lightwave

Website: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave

Looking on the Bright Side

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 09:00:24 -0500

At a time when hyperscale network infrastructure projects are consuming most of the available bandwidth – both literally and figuratively – product manager Yuko Agano is here to let everyone else in on some good news.

Air-blown fiber technologies are consistently available to ship in two to three weeks!

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave manufactures air-blown fiber bundles right here in Raleigh, North Carolina, and as a subsidiary of Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. (SEI), benefits from the collective purchasing power and supply chain relationships of 421 subsidiaries and affiliates in more than 40 countries around the world. This ready availability is one bright spot. Another is that air-blown fiber offers network operators some relief from having to compete with larger projects for skilled labor, since it requires fewer technicians and less time to install than conventional cable deployments.

Tune in to this conversation to learn more. To see FutureFLEX® Air-Blown Fiber® for yourself, connect with us in Booth 1658 at OFC 2026, March 17-19 in Los Angeles, California.

Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X.

Episode Links

FutureFLEX® Air-Blown Fiber®:

https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/product-category/futureflex-air-blown-fiber-solutions/

About Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.: https://sumitomoelectric.com/company

Register for OFC 2026: https://www.ofcconference.org/registration?_gl=1*15rfs7i*_up*MQ..*_ga*NDIxNTg0ODA5LjE3NjU1NzA5MjA.*_ga_WCQ36P9K1M*czE3NjU1NzA5MjAkbzEkZzAkdDE3NjU1NzA5MjAkajYwJGwwJGgw

Yuko on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuko-agano-504927106/

Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly

Connect with Sumitomo Electric Lightwave

Website: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave

Giving Back to the Industry

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0500

Sean Kelly, RCDD, general manager and technical director at Light Brigade, visited Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina for this episode of Fiber Focus. Early in his nearly 30 years in the industry, Sean helped develop some of the innovative connector products that shape today’s networks. Now his heart is set on evolving and improving the industry through its workforce. These efforts are particularly crucial at this moment, when network demand is skyrocketing and there is only one new technician entering the field for every five that cycle out into management roles or retirement.

Light Brigade, in partnership with industry-leading organizations, offers certified fiber optic education and hands-on skills training with focus areas that include installation, testing, troubleshooting, engineering, and design. Tune in to this episode to learn more.

Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X.

Episode Links

Light Brigade Certified Fiber Optic Training: https://www.lightbrigade.com/

Sean on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skelly328/

Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly

Connect with Sumitomo Electric Lightwave

Website: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave

Trusted Suppliers Help Customers Navigate Extreme Demand

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 06:00:00 -0500

When the clock is ticking and lead times grow longer, solid manufacturer/customer relationships are invaluable.

In his more than 35 years of telecom experience, senior product manager Greg Pierce has seen it all. He reflects in this episode of Fiber Focus on the state of the industry, especially how massive, AI-fueled demand is straining global manufacturing capacity for fiber optic cabling and connectivity products. This scenario is a familiar one for Greg, who offers some advice for customers navigating supply uncertainty.

He underscores the importance of working closely with trusted suppliers, proactively if possible, and having design flexibility. Solid communication, collaboration, and deep product portfolios enable a creative mix of in-stock and custom products to uniquely meet any given network’s requirements and project timetable. Tune in to this conversation to learn more.

Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X.

Episode Links
Contact Us: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/contact-us/
Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-pierce-4b977b10/
Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly

Connect with Sumitomo Electric Lightwave
Website: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave

Challenging Times Demand Creative Cable Solutions

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Previously on Fiber Focus, we discussed how artificial intelligence and machine learning are rapidly consuming the industry’s supply of high-performance, high-density network products. Loren Rapp dives deeper in this episode.

As Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s product line manager for fiber optic cable, Loren has day-in and day-out supply chain experience. Listen in for her insights on the creative workarounds that customers can consider when demand is skyrocketing for particular products. For example, pliable ribbon cable, aka intermittent bonded ribbon (IBR) cable, is a precision-manufactured product optimized for the AI factory projects that are racing to ramp up around the world.

What is a customer to do when the IBR product specified on their BOM has a lead time that could result in costly delays? With a creative, collaborative approach, customers and manufacturers can keep projects moving forward together. Tune in to this conversation to learn more.
Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X.

Episode Links
Regional Sales Managers: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/regional-managers/
Q102-M12+ Fusion Splicer: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/product/q102-m12-plus/
Splicing 200µm to 250µm Fibers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_8zdyjCxkQ
Loren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loren-vitter-rapp-a268a61a/
Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly

Connect with Sumitomo Electric Lightwave
Website: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave

Creative Supply Chain in a Booming Market

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 06:00:00 -0500

A July 2025 Synergy Research Group report projected that hyperscale capacity will increase threefold through the next six years. Josh Seawell, our director of product management, read about the report in Cabling Installation & Maintenance magazine and hopped on this episode of Fiber Focus to discuss it.

While hyperscalers are expected to represent the lion’s share of oncoming demand for fiber optic cabling and connectivity products, colocation providers and private network operators are participating in the AI boom with their own significant infrastructure investments. This demand can certainly strain the supply chain at times, but Josh encourages customers to be aware rather than concerned.

He details several examples of the creative approaches that SEL has taken with customers to troubleshoot extended lead times so they could get their networks up and running (and generating revenue) faster. “Creative” is the operative word. Tune in to this conversation to learn more.

Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X.

Episode Links
Report Foresees Hyperscalers Dominating Worldwide Data Center Capacity: www.cablinginstall.com/data-center/press-release/55301410/report-foresees-hyperscalers-dominating-worldwide-data-center-capacity-by-2030
Regional Sales Managers: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/regional-managers/
Josh on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-seawell-09770979/
Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly

Connect with Sumitomo Electric Lightwave
Website: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave

Let’s Talk About Money Cutting Costs Not Quality

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Yuko Agano returns to Fiber Focus for this episode discussing how air-blown fiber (ABF) technologies can help address rising project costs. With labor making up 60-80 percent of the price tag for a typical network build, streamlining the number of installers and reducing their time on-site can yield significant savings.

As Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s product manager for FutureFLEX® Air-Blown Fiber® Solutions, Yuko has seen time and again the labor savings that network operators can realize with ABF on their bills of materials. Instead of the five or more people needed to pull conventional cable over many hours or even days, FutureFLEX Solutions can be blown through an existing pathway by two installers in as little as 30 minutes.

Tune in to this conversation to learn more, and join us at ACI-NI in October and BICSI Fall 2025 or Winter 2026 to see a demonstration of FutureFLEX Solutions.

Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X.

Episode Links
Sumitomo Electric Lightwave Tradeshows:
https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/tradeshow-schedule/

FutureFLEX® Air-Blown Fiber®:
https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/product-category/futureflex-air-blown-fiber-solutions/

ACI-NI Registration:
https://airportscouncil.org/conference/2025-annual-conference-and-exhibition/#Registration

BICSI Events:
www.bicsi.org/conferences-and-events/bicsi-events/conference-and-exhibitions

Yuko on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuko-agano-504927106/
Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly

Connect with Sumitomo Electric Lightwave
Website: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave

Why Fiber Optics is the Best Career You’ve Never Heard Of

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 06:00:00 -0400

“This will be the field I retire. I love it. I’d never heard of it before.”

After serving in the U.S. Navy, Andrew Degidio embarked on a new career journey in telecom. He got his start as a field service engineer without ever laying eyes on a fusion splicing machine, and now he is Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s senior technical manager focusing on fusion splicer development and support.

In this episode of Fiber Focus, Andrew shares his perspective on how well the military prepares people for stable, well-paying industry roles. Beyond the training, troubleshooting, and hands-on experience that Andrew gained in the Navy, his demonstrated willingness to learn and rise to challenges primed him for industry success. Tune in to this conversation to learn more.

Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X.

Episode Links
Be Part of a Global Company: https://sumitomoelectric.com/careers
Fusion Splice Training and Certification: https://fiber-aws.pearson.com/fusion-splicing-micro-register
Andrew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-degidio-094bb896/
Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly

Connect with Sumitomo Electric Lightwave
Website: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave

A Future in Fiber

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Meet Lauren Deloatch. She was the marketing director for a golf club when she was recruited by Sumitomo Electric Lightwave nearly 10 years ago. Since then, Lauren’s contributions to the telecom industry have included the free, two-day Fusion Splicing Certificate Course that she developed in collaboration with AWS and Pearson.

Join us for an engaging conversation about Lauren’s career-pivoting experience, telecom’s widespread growth, and a rapidly accelerating demand for new industry workers. She encourages people of all backgrounds and education levels to consider getting their start (and earning a livable wage) as a fusion splicing technician. Hands-on training and certification are easily accessible first steps. Upward mobility opportunities are plentiful. Soft skills, attention to detail, reliability, and a willingness to learn and adapt are especially valuable traits during this transformative era in telecom. Tune in to this conversation to learn more.

Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X.

Helpful Links
Fusion Splice Training and Certification: https://fiber-aws.pearson.com/fusion-splicing-micro-register
Be Part of a Global Company: https://sumitomoelectric.com/careers
Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) Education: https://fiberbroadband.org/education-and-certification/fba-optic-path/
Fiber Optic Association (FOA) Approved Training: https://www.thefoa.org/foa_aprv.htm
Lauren on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ldeloatch/
Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly

Connect with Sumitomo Electric Lightwave
Website: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwaveave - YouTube

Next-Generation Data Center Network Design Automation

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Fiber Focus welcomes Dwayne Holst to this episode for a preview of the next breakthrough in data center network design. A data center optical communications researcher with Sumitomo Electric Lightwave, Dwayne is currently working on “digital twinning,” creating network simulations that enable data center operators to view and optimize a virtual version of their complete physical networks before ordering a single part.

The roadmap for this capability is full of promise; next-generation data center network design automation will be able to generate hyperaccurate bills of material, output construction work orders for network builds, send testing instructions for human verification, and analyze network performance for learning and improvement. Not since the commercialization of electronic data automation (EDA) in the 1980s has there been such a game changer in interconnect automation. Tune in to this conversation to learn more.

Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X.

Helpful Links
History of Computer-Aided Design Tools: www.computerhistory.org/siliconengine/computer-aided-design-tools-developed-for-ics/
Dwayne on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/dwayneholst
Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly

Connect with Sumitomo Electric Lightwave
Website: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwaveave - YouTube

The Best-Case Scenarios for Air-Blown Fiber®

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 06:00:00 -0400

In the 30+ years that air-blown fiber (ABF) has been deployed in North America, industry results show that it is the ideal installation technology in specific scenarios. Yuko Agano, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s product manager supporting air-blown fiber and cable technologies, returns to this episode of Fiber Focus to outline installations where ABF can deliver better installation speed, labor savings, and future-readiness than traditional deployment methods – especially for network operators who place value on being able to keep their facilities up and running without disruption during network expansions and upgrades.

Is ABF uniquely positioned to deliver the strongest ROI for your next project? Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s engineers can help. Tune in to this conversation to learn more and check out the resources in our show notes.

Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X.

Episode Links
Contact Us: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/contact-us/
FutureFLEX® Air-Blown Fiber®:
https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/product-category/futureflex-air-blown-fiber-solutions/
Yuko on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuko-agano-504927106/
Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly

Connect with Sumitomo Electric Lightwave
Website: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave

Have it Your Way! Customer-Driven Product and Solutions

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave offers a broad portfolio of leading-edge connectivity products and solutions, but how does the company respond when customers need a unique solution for their network challenges that industry manufacturers are not yet prepared to meet? In this episode of Fiber Focus, Josh Seawell, our director of product management, shares stories of recent customer collaborations that have sparked innovative products and solutions. These new developments often evolve to benefit customers far beyond the initial collaboration. Tune in to this conversation to learn more.

Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X.

Episode Links
Contact Us: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/contact-us/
Regional Sales Managers: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/regional-managers/
Tradeshow Schedule: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/tradeshow-schedule/
Josh on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-seawell-09770979/
Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly

Connect with Sumitomo Electric Lightwave
Website: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave7062

Customer-Driven Innovation of Highly Efficient Panels

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Many of the products in Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s portfolio were brought to life through customer collaboration. Greg Pierce, senior product manager for Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s connectivity products, is back to describe a lean, efficient rack-mount panel offering as an example of customer-driven innovation. Designed hand-in-hand with enterprise customers, our 1RU-3RU panels delivered on their need for lower-cost hardware in protected, out-of-the-way closets, corners, and colocation facilities. Without sacrificing on quality or technician-friendless, these products are now available for all of our customers to consider as part of their network planning. Tune in to this conversation and check out our show notes to learn more.

Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X.

Episode Links
1RU LGX Compact Patch Panel: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/product/1ru-lgx-compact-patch-panel/
2RU Flush Mount Panels: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/product/2ru-flush-mount-panels/
2RU High Density Panels and Interconnect Panels/Bulkheads: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/product/2ru-high-density-panels-and-interconnect-panels-bulkheads/
Rack-Mounted Splice Enclosure: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/product/rack-mounted-splice-enclosure/
Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-pierce-4b977b10/
Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly

Connect with Sumitomo Electric Lightwave
Website: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave

Breaking Into Telecom: Careers in Network Infrastructure for the Next Generation

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Fiber Focus, Teylor Bremekamp, PMP, RCDD, discusses his path from aerospace engineering to becoming a fiber network design engineer with Sumitomo Electric Lightwave. Teylor’s 10 years of industry experience have led him to consider the imperative of bringing more people into the industry to step into ever-increasing telecom jobs. While many of these roles are highly specialized, the industry itself is broad with positions ranging from Big Tech to manufacturing and installations. Some of these jobs require a college degree or hands-on experience, and others support at-home or on-the-job learning. Teylor details a few of the paths that people can take to find their own way into one of the rapidly growing industry jobs. Tune in to this conversation to learn more.

Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X.

Episode Links
BICSI: https://www.bicsi.org/
Sumitomo Electric Industries Careers: https://sumitomoelectric.com/careers
Teylor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teylor-bremekamp-pmp-rcdd-271aa713b/
Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly

Connect with Sumitomo Electric Lightwave
Website: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/
YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave

Understanding Air-Blown Fiber® vs Microduct Cable: A Deep Dive into FutureFLEX® Solutions

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Air-blown fiber® and microduct cable have a few things in common, but they are not the same. In this episode of Fiber Focus, Yuko Agano, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s product manager supporting air-blown fiber, breaks down the differences between these products. In contrast to the conventional method of pulling cable through conduits, both air-blown fiber and microduct cable are blown through conduits using air pressure. Another similarity is that both of these air-blown technologies speed deployment, minimize downtime, and optimize conduit space. The key differences between these technologies are the products themselves, the pathways and blowing equipment they use, and the maximum fiber count and distance that they can be deployed. Ultimately these differences factor in to the decision of which air-blown technology is right for the customer’s next project.

Tune in to this conversation to learn more.

Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X.

Connect with Sumitomo Electric Lightwave
Website: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave

Splicing 200µm Pliable Ribbon is Easier Than You Think

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Josh Seawell, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s director of product management, returns to Fiber Focus for a conversation about splicing 200 micron pliable fiber optic ribbon cable. Given its role in enabling the AI Boom and solving for space limitations within data center footprints, 200 micron fiber adoption will continue to surge. For splice technicians, that translates to projects where they could be splicing either the conventional 250 micron fibers or the more compact 200 micron fibers on any given day – or they could be splicing the two fiber sizes together. Fortunately, fusion splicing equipment is evolving right along with cable innovations. A variety of fusion splicers on the market enable 250 and 200 micron splicing, but they are not all created equal. Sumitomo Electric’s Q102-M12+ fusion splicer offers benefits and features that other splicers do not. Tune in to this conversation to learn more.

Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X.

Episode Links
Q102-M12+ Overview: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/product/q102-m12-plus
Customer Testimonial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZC1jtclzMM
Josh on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-seawell-09770979/
Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly

Connect with Sumitomo Electric Lightwave
Website: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave7062

From Loose Tube to Multicore: A Journey Through Fiber Cable Innovations

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave — Mon, 19 May 2025 11:28:54 -0400

Starting with the first loose tube fiber optic cable of the 1970s, Loren Rapp, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s product line manager for fiber optic cable, highlights the key drivers in the evolution of cable design. Initial designs focused on providing protection for fibers being pulled in long-haul applications – either by hand across land or by boat in oceanic deployments – to enable telephone and fax services. The industry has come a long way from offering plain old telephone service (POTS), and fiber optic cable manufacturers have enabled every step of this evolution. Many of today’s cables are designed to pack more fiber in less conduit or ladder rack space for AI and machine learning applications. Some of the cable types discussed in this Fiber Focus episode include tight-buffered, central tube/slotted core, monotube, and microcable. Tune in to this conversation to learn more.

Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X.

Episode Links
Optical Fiber Cable Solutions: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/product-category/optical-fiber-cable-solutions/
Loren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loren-vitter-rapp-a268a61a/
Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly

Connect with Sumitomo Electric Lightwave
Website: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave7062

From Empty Panels to Factory-Finished Solutions: A Deep Dive into Fiber Connectivity

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave — Mon, 05 May 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Not all fiber optic patch panels are built the same. Greg Pierce, senior product manager for Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s connectivity products, dives into the reasons why one customer may choose a fully factory-connectorized “plug and play” solution and another would opt for an empty “no bells, no whistles” panel. Pre-connectorization comes with many advantages: high-quality work completed in a clean factory environment, fewer splice points overall with their accompanying dB loss, and savings in terms of on-site installation time and labor costs. The case for pre-connectorization often grows as the network’s fiber density grows; a hyper-scale data center bill of materials is more likely to list custom pre-terminated patch panels and an enterprise customer is more likely to order budget-friendly LGX compact patch panels. Fortunately, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave offers both ends of the spectrum, everything in between, and all the accessories. Tune in to this conversation to learn more.

Fiber Focus is a Sumitomo Electric Lightwave podcast. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X.

Episode Links
PrecisionFlex® Pre-Stubbed Patch Panels: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/product/precisionflex-pre-stubbed-patch-panels/
Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-pierce-4b977b10/
Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly

Connect with Sumitomo Electric Lightwave
Website: https://sumitomoelectriclightwave.com/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@sumitomoelectriclightwave7062

Understanding Pliable Ribbon Technology: Change Can be Hard, Pliable Ribbon Makes it Easy

Sumitomo Electric Lightwave — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 06:00:00 -0400

In this inaugural episode of Fiber Focus, Josh Seawell, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s director of product management, makes the case for embracing change when it comes to pliable fiber optic ribbon cables. Acknowledging that technology adoption can come with some fear, uncertainty, and doubt, Josh shows how easy it is to navigate pliable ribbon’s almost-flat learning curve. Even better, it comes with a steep payoff related to deployment time, labor costs, and space savings. Sumitomo Electric Lightwave’s pliable ribbon cable, offered globally by the name Freeform Ribbon™, is 12x faster to splice vs. single-fiber splicing and delivers 2x the fiber count in the same diameter as traditional ribbon cables.

Tune in to this conversation to learn more. Subscribe, share this episode, and follow Sumitomo Electric Lightwave on LinkedIn and X.

Freeform Ribbon™ Overview: www.youtube.com/watch?v=a408RwpXaUk
Josh on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-seawell-09770979/
Meredyth on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meredythneilly