University of Zimbabwe

Faculty of Science
Department of Space Science and Applied Physics
HETT401: Optical Network Design and Transport
Assignment 3
Due Date: 2359 h 1 August 2021

1. (a) An optical fibre system is to operate at 622 Mbps over a distance of 71 km without
repeaters. A fibre with a worst case loss of 0.25 dB/km is available. The average
distance between splices is approximately 1km. There are 2 connectors and the
worst case loss per connector is 0.4 dB. The power margin is set to be at least 5 dB.
The receiver sensitivity is -28 dBm and the transmitter output is 1 dBm. Determine
the maximum allowable attenuation per fusion splice. (10 marks)
(b) What are the important mechanisms that are responsible for scattering losses in
optical fibre? (5 marks)
2. (a) Explain the components of link power budget and system rise time budget of optical
communication systems with neat sketches. (10 marks)
(b) Differentiate between LED and LD. (6 marks)
(c) Explain the fusion splicing method with a neat sketch. (4 marks)
3. (b) Write short notes on the different types of receiver noise in a fibre optic system. (5 marks)
(b) A 1550 nm SM digital fibre optical link needs to operate at 565 Mbps over 50 km
without repeaters. A single mode InGaAsp laser diode launched an average power
of -13 dBm into the fibre. The fibre has a loss of 0.35 dB/km and there is a splice
loss of 0.1 dB every km. The coupling loss at the receiver is 0.5 dB and receiver
uses InGaAs APD with sensitivity -39 dBm. Excess penalty noises are predicted to
be 1.5 dB. Set up the power budget link and system margin. (10 marks)
4. Liquid Telecommunications has established customers in Bindura who are in need of
broadband services. The customers are Barclays Bank, Econet Wireless, Bindura
University, Standard Chartered Bank, Bindura Municipality and surrounding mines.
Deploy a robust network linking the Liquid fibre ring in Norton to its intended clients in
Bindura. Requirements should be tailor made to suit each client, ensuring each client is
interconnected to its branches.
Produce a document, outlining your solution for the Fibre Optic Communication Network.
Tasks to Consider when Executing Your Project
a) Draw a network design layout.
b) What is the estimated cost of establishing your network? Justify this cost.
c) What procedures will you undertake to ensure the network is established, functional
and fulfilling clients’ needs?
d) Which equipment and tools would you use for this deployment project? And why?
e) Providing estimate figures, calculate the network capacity.
f) As a network access provider, how will you ensure that your network is optimally
functional and fully satisfying the needs its market during its lifetime?
g) If more clients emerged in Bindura and surrounding areas, how would you interlink
them to your pre-existing network?
h) Downtime occurs in networks. As a network access provider, how would you
manage this? (50 marks)