Summary

Supplement 22 to ITU-T L-series Recommendations identifies a low-cost, sustainable optical cable solution for potential users of broadband digital services in remote or rural areas who are unlikely to have such services. This solution would quickly and inclusively close the digital divide which is a key target of the ITU Connect 2020 Agenda.

Mature and proven technologies are best integrated into affordable and reliable solutions suitable for local, non-skilled people to install, operate, maintain and repair so that the system will become part of their community, thus leading to better system maintenance and quicker damage recovery.

Best practice examples use lightweight, thin and robust optical cables and commodity-type media converters. The results of field trials are presented in this Supplement. The cost of such cables, with their simple construction, is estimated to be one tenth that of using conventional optical cables.