The implementation provides 27/7 monitoring of both shore-ends (from cable landing station to first repeater) as well as the terrestrial network connecting the two landing stations, providing total “always on” cover.
“We are extremely pleased to collaborate with FiberSense and integrate the distributed fibre sensing service into a live traffic carrying fibre via the proprietary FiberSense Marine Interface Unit where sensing occurs outside the frequencies used for data traffic wavelengths,” said Dean Veverka, director of networks and VP operations, Southern Cross Cable Network.
“The integration was executed seamlessly, and our network is seeing the benefit of the real-time asset protection capability against potential external threats.”
Operation of the sensing service via the Marine Interface Unit means that cable operators no longer need to reserve an unused or “dark” fibre core exclusively for monitoring.
FiberSense has developed a proprietary coupling methodology to ensure that the sensing signal does not interfere with the operation of the communications traffic including fault states, providing peace of mind to cable owners and stakeholders.
Founder and CEO of FiberSense, Mark Englund said: “Subsea networks are an increasingly vital part of the modern digital and AI era.
“We continue to be very grateful for the partnership we have with the exceptional team at SX as we continue to innovate and push the boundaries of what is possible in improved awareness and resilience for submarine cable systems.
“In partnership with SX, we now have delivered a series of world firsts in subsea networks. We are looking forward to further innovations in subsea that balance increased resilience and situational awareness with industry-leading fail-safe architectures.”
The integration of the DigitalMarine service in New Zealand is the first stage of the SX rollout plan, FibreSense says.
By the end of Q3, the new generation technology will be installed on all critical terrestrial links and out to the first repeaters of the SX network in Australia, New Zealand and the United States West Coast.
