Recently, Ankit Agarwal, Director General of STL (Sterlite Technologies Ltd.), was interviewed by Linda Hardesty, Editor of Fierce Network, discussing how AI and data center growth are reshaping fiber infrastructure demand and the next-generation optical solutions being developed by STL.

STL’s Optical Innovations

Ankit Agarwal stated that STL has been in the optical fiber industry for nearly 30 years and holds nearly 800 patents. The company has introduced the Neuralis product portfolio, covering end-to-end data center optical fiber layer requirements from fiber preforms, fibers, and cables to connections. Recently, STL’s MMC connector received US Conec certification, marking the next-generation high-density connectivity solution. Additionally, STL is developing hollow-core and multi-core fibers. Among them, the four-core multi-core fiber has been successfully launched in collaboration with UK-based Colt; hollow-core cables have been produced and are currently undergoing trials in India.

Three-layer Fiber Optic Network Requirements for Data Centers

Agarwal pointed out that the demand for fiber optics in data centers is becoming increasingly dense, with significant space constraints, while data centers aim to achieve ultra-low latency. STL observed the construction of a three-tier network:

– Long-haul networks: Typically built by telecom operators or neutral fiber providers, requiring high capacity and low latency.

Campus Network: A typical campus consists of 10 to 12 buildings, requiring ultra-high-capacity fiber optics, with typical cables reaching up to 7,000 cores per cable. STL is one of the few companies capable of manufacturing such high-capacity cables.

– Internal network within the data center: involves a large number of endpoints.

STL is one of the few companies with a complete product portfolio ranging from long-haul networks to data center infrastructure. The company is reducing fiber diameter from 240 microns to 200 microns, and may further decrease it to 160 microns to deploy higher-capacity fibers within the same conduit space. Meanwhile, STL is also exploring the application of hollow-core and multi-core fibers in data centers, addressing the fusion challenges these fibers present with existing networks. The ultimate goal is to deliver end-to-end solutions that reduce total cost of ownership by at least 20% to 30%.

The Importance of G.654.E

Agarwal stated that as networks evolve from 400G to 800G and beyond, the demand is very clear: there is a need for high-capacity long-distance networks, low loss, and ensuring large effective area to manage signal distortion. G.654.E is a critical component of next-generation fiber optics. STL believes its G.654 fiber and network construction will deliver significantly higher capacity while ensuring low loss. Deployment has already begun in parts of Asia, while the U.S. and much of Europe are at an optimal turning point for building these networks.