Show ides ides' may replace copper wire The worlds world's first communication communication communication com com- system using beams of light to transmit sounds will be evaluated this year and could benefit Utah telephone customers according to Mountain Bell engineer George Hatch The system is being developed by Bell Laboratories for AtT DURING the evaluation a cable of thin hair-thin glass fibers known as will run under the streets of Chicago carrying voices data and video signals on pulses of light If successful these cables will replace expensive copper wire which winch is now in common usage Testing will begin by mid midyear If the system pro proves yes economic a and d reliable it may mayb maybe maybe b be used in areas which have heavy communication needs and where there is a great demand for space under the streets Hatch said The thin hair-thin size of the fiber light guides makes possible cables that are much smaller and lighter than copper cables and that could make better use of available underground passageways TilE THE BASIC material of the is silica the most common form of which is sand- sand one of the earths earth's most abundant abundant abundant dant materials Because of the abundance of this raw material cables may in the future cost less to manufacture than copper cables of equivalent capacity Installation of the system is expected to begin shortly A single inch half diameter cable containing 24 will be installed under the streets of Chicago connecting a modern office building with Bell offices in Chicago a distance of approximately approximately approximately ap ap- ap- ap proximately 1 miles The installation will help the Bell system further evaluate the potential of this new technology under actual opera operating ting condi another conditions a nother step toward assuring that s such ch s systems stems will be economical and reliable Hatch said IN TilE THE CHICAGO system a single pair of in the cable will be able to carry simultaneous conversations or oran oran oran an equivalent mix of voice and various types of data signals Amplifiers such as those used on copper cables will not be needed to boost signals along the route The planned system evaluation should be completed next year Ultimately light light- wave communications systems may be used throughout the nations nation's t telecommunications network for both local and long distance to communications-to provide a full range of Bell System services |