Telecommunications cable

Abstract: While Africa’s post-independence leaders dreamed of linking their countries through road and railway networks, today’s leaders are on the cusp of making their own dream come true — connecting African countries with each other and the rest of the world through a high-speed telecommunications cable. Originating in Durban, South Africa, a broadband telecommunications cable will stretch underwater for 9,900 kilometres through the Indian Ocean to its final destination, Port Sudan. The East Africa Submarine Cable System (EASSy) will, among other functions, support broadband Internet connections that transmit information at up to 40 times the speed of dial-up telephone links. Such high-speed connections allow users to download large files such as video clips or listen to online radio.

Abstract: A method for deploying a telecommunications cable includes obtaining a payout arrangement including a length of cable, selecting one of the first end and the second end of the length of cable to access; accessing the selected end of the length of cable; and pulling the selected end to unwind the length of cable from the payout arrangement In some embodiments, the cable is arranged around adjacent spools In other embodiments, the cable is arranged within a container with access opening on the top and bottom In still other embodiments, the cable is wound around a spool and at least one spacer

Abstract: A modular communications access apparatus which permits untrained personnel to quickly and properly convert a passive junction box which contains a telecommunications cable to an active junction box with a wall-mounted telecommunications socket, includes a first keyed socket connected to selected conductors of the in-wall telecommunications cable and an associated attachment structure. The attachment structure, designed to be connected by the untrained personnel, includes an active face plate having a centrally located and an outwardly oriented telecommunications socket, an electrical connection means affixed to an inner side of the face plate and plug engageable with the keyed socket affixed to the telecommunications cable as well as an attachment means to retain the attachment structure adjacent the junction box when the installation is completed.

Abstract: A method of transmitting a broadband electrical signal to a subscriber by means of a telecommunications cable, the telecommunications cable comprising at least one pair of electrical conductors surrounded by an electrical shield, which method comprises applying the broadband signal between (a) the shield and (b) at least one of the conductors of the pair.