The Lack of components Several industries have remained flat over the past two years due to pandemic from COVID-19. Now a new member joins the list and poses a direct threat to the telecommunications industry.

According to the Financial Times, The world is experiencing a shortage of fiber optic cables. Which leads to an increase in costs in Latin America and especially in European countries.

The crisis was caused by rising prices for key components of the fiber optic system. such as silicon tetrachloride. According to the commercial information company Cru, this element is essential for production, And its price has increased to 50%.

The HeliumAnother significant share of the market, also experienced by A 135% increase due to the closure of several manufacturing plants in the United States and Russia.

The scarcity of components and the increasing need for connectivity is a bad combination. Kru appreciates Fiber optic cable consumption will increase by 8.1% in the first half of the year. As companies like it Google, Microsoft or Amazon To expand their data centers, governments are trying to accelerate implementation 5G in their countries.

The problem is that there is a kilometer of fiber optic cable From $3.67 to $6.24. so 70% more than the price in March 2021. Cru analyst Michael Finch He believes that the increase in the prices of fiber products will affect the global connection.

Corning, one of the manufacturers technology The world’s largest, said it is ramping up production to meet demand from governments and media companies. wendel weeks The CEO of this company said that he had never seen such an inflationary crisis.

One of the most affected deficits is Europe

Fiber optic cable manufacturers like Corning or STLThey prioritize their most important customers. Although companies like Amazon, Google or Microsoft can get away with this deficiency, This problem concerns small and medium businesses.

For the less fortunate, delivery times vary 20 weeks and a year And manufacturers set specific time frames in which they determine that final costs can be added.

regions Europe, China and India are the most affected by fiber shortages. Finch revealed that there are many doubts about the ability of countries to meet their infrastructure construction targets.

It should be remembered that this technology is used not only in data centers, but also Underground cables connecting the world. Failing to grow, companies will have to postpone connection plans or services based cloud.

Importance of fiber optic system today

Fiber optic cable is an integral part of today’s communications. Its technology allows high-speed Internet and efficient data transfer, Especially at a time when working from home has become a necessity.

Most companies have switched to fiber optic networks, including because of the speed of data transmission devices.

The use of these cables is not limited to Internet Or 5G, as it is also used in the medical industry. An optical fiber is the basis of an endoscope, A tool used in minimally invasive operations.

Other diagnostic devices such as flexible endoscopes, They use optical cables to illuminate and take pictures of the digestive system.

Industry automotive It uses optical fiber technology Interior lighting in automobiles and electronic security systems. Another application of this technology can be seen in public lighting, decorative lighting and emergency stations.

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