FSOC Technology

ERNET India is working on a Pilot R&D to provide high speed network connectivity through Free Space Optical Communication Technology.

Pilot R&D project Using Free Space Optics Technology

The “Free Space Optics Technology (FSOC) for providing the connectivity to Kohima Science College from Kohima Secretariat, Nagaland” is MeitY funded R&D pilot project with the overall aim of providing the high speed network connectivity and measuring the performance of the FSO link between the Kohima Science College and Kohima Secretariat office, Nagaland.

This infrastructure connectivity project aims to perform rich R&D on Free Space Optics Technology (FSOC) by implementing the high speed communication link using FSOC across two sites where the connectivity has not been implemented or unsuccessful due to various challenges such as difficult terrain, River/ Railway tracks between the sites, frequent fiber cuts etc. The project will establish a live & working end to end FSO based Internet connectivity provisioning at a Kohima Science College site (Remote Side) from Kohima Secretariat (Base Side) with at-least 1Gbps/10 Gbps throughput in clear visibility conditions (without fog/rain/snow/sandstorms etc.).

Free Space Optics is a line-of-sight technology that uses invisible beams of light to provide optical bandwidth connections that can send and receive voice, video, and data information.  The technology propagates the light in free space means air, outer space, vacuum, or something similar to wirelessly transmit data for telecommunication and computer networking. It operates between the 780 – 1600 nm wavelengths bands and use O/E and E/O converters. This optical connectivity doesn't require expensive fiber-optic cable or securing spectrum licenses for radio frequency (RF) solutions. With this project implementation, ERNET sees a great opportunity to deploy FSOC technology where other connectivity solution cannot be used due to different factors like location, cost, etc.

 With this project, the existing Kohima Secretariat office NKN / SWAN connectivity will be extended by Free Space Optics Link (FSOL) from Kohima Secretariat to Kohima Science College. This extension of network will benefit the students of Science College of Kohima. The project R&D will result in understanding the impact of Kohima’s weather conditions on FSO technology by measuring the FSO link performance during the Pilot which will help in preparing the guidelines for selecting the other locations which can be connected via FSO. The project will explore another promising means of High Speed infrastructure connectivity provisioning.