The ability to send huge amounts of information along slight strands of high-purity glass optical fiber at the speed of light is revolutionizing communications.

The high signal-carrying capacity of optical fibers makes it possible to provide not only many more, but much more sophisticated signals than could ever be handled by a comparable amount of copper wire. Fiber optics is a relatively new technology used as an alternative to conventional copper wire in a variety of applications such as those associated with security, telecommunications, instrumentation and control and broadcast of audio/visual systems.