A submarine fiber optic network is installed in the Hudson riverCreated: 5/2/2011 8:14:15 AMThe ability of fiber-optic cables to withstand sometimes extreme conditions has enabled it to be installed virtually anywhere, including underwater environments.
This is the case for several small towns along the Hudson River in New York. According to the Riverstown Patch, a fiber-optic network is being installed along the river bed to connect municipalities separated by the river. The process necessitates the use of divers, who have to operate an underwater plow and then embed the cable into the ground after a channel has been cut.
The news source says the conditions the divers face fall may be considered extreme. They have to contend with an undersea environment that offers extremely poor visibility.
"There is absolutely no glamor in the job," Jay Crofton, president of Crofton Industries, an underwater construction company, told the media outlet.
Fiber-optic installation in unforgiving environments may become a more common occurrence. According to the research firm Frost & Sullivan, the cable has the ability to withstand the enormous pressure of underseas conditions, all the while maintaining functionality. These findings could make the technology a suitable option for maritime oil and natural gas drilling operations.
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