Telecoms

There are three means of transmitting information: traditional copper wire (ASDL), microwave radio links, and fiber optics. The latter provides the highest rate of delivery by far and is now the core of telecommunication networks.

Egide’s packages are found in several types of optoelectronic subassemblies since they call for chips made of sensitive complex materials for which hermetic packages are indispensable:

• Transmitters, that transform an electronic signal into an optical signal transported by fiber,
• receivers, which do the opposite,
• modulators, which transform a continuous signal after 0 and 1,
• amplifiers, which amplify an optical signal by means of high powered lasers,
• multiplexers, which bundle, unbundle, and route communications,
• dispersion compensators that correct certain signal errors,
• wavelength switches (WSS) that allow the reuse of the same wavelength by several users.

The fiber optics telecom market has experienced an exceptional crisis in both its expansion (a sudden craze followed by an abrupt stop in a few months) and by its duration (approximately 10 years). With a slight recovery in 2008, this market has unfortunately been hampered by the effects of the global economic crisis of 2009. Nevertheless, the upward trend is expected to intensify over the coming years, the network overcapacity behind the crisis is now filled and the traffic, thus the need for data transmission, has not failed.

Only fiber optic links can respond to high-capacity needs. The growing power of the Internet, of fixed and mobile telephony, and video (quadruple play offers) in Europe and in the United States necessitates deployment of fiber optics in metropolitan networks. Fiber optic connection of office buildings, houses, and other local networks implies numerous FTTC connections and therefore packaging components.

We have also seen the return of major submarine projects, such as the modernization of the SEA-ME-WE4 connection(South East Asia - Middle East - West Europe 4), which links France to Singapore through 20,000 km of fiber optics or the installation of a network of 440 km of fiber (Silphium project) connecting Libya to Greece. These fiber optics transmissions call for chips made of sensitive and complex materials, for which hermetic packages are indispensable.