OALC4

Fibre optic cable for repeatered submarine systems

• Up to 16 fibres The OALC4 cable may be used at any

• Maximum deployment depth: 8000m sea depth between 0 and 8000 meters
• Double barrier against hydrogen for the 1.6 ohm/km version and
• High density polyethylene between 0 and 7000 meters for the 1.0
• Adaptable ohmic resistance ohm/km version.
• Highly reliable over 25 years
• Highly resistant to cable breaks Armoured cables use the deep-sea
• Complete range of armouring cable (LW) structure, and additional
protection is provided according to the
Alcatel has developed a complete conditions and nature of the seabed.
range of fibre optic submarine cables,
one of them being the OALC4 cable The OALC4 cable offers exclusive
family. The OALC4 cable has been benefits for our customers:
designed specially for repeatered
systems, benefiting from our past - Better optical performance owing to
extensive experience in the conception the tube technology
and development of submarine fibre - Better abrasion performance owing to
optic cables. the high-density polyethylene
- Further hydrogen resistance owing to a
The cable design is based on a welded double barrier (copper tube plus steel
steel tube, housing up to 16 fibres in a tube)
stress-free environment to ensure a long - Adaptable ohmic resistance.
lifetime.
In addition, our cable features a lower
At the heart of the cable is the fibre unit weight and a smaller diameter than
structure where the optical fibres are set similar products on the market and
in a steel tube and are protected by a offers a number of extra benefits for the
jelly from water penetration and customer:
hydrogen.
- handling is easier, so the risk of
The composite conductor is composed damage is reduced
of the fibre unit structure protected by a - storage capacity is increased both in
very high-strength steel wire vault, volume and in weight (i.e. storage
surrounded by a seam-welded copper capacity is 60% more in volume and
tube swaged onto the steel wires. 50% more in weight)
- shorter and less costly marine Typical cable types from
Longitudinal watertightness is provided installation schedule as the shipboard the OALC4 family
by a water-blocking material. cable storage tanks can hold more
cable for a lay
The composite conductor is insulated - reduced shipping and storage costs for
with high-density polyethylene. The the customer’s spare cable.
insulation also provides abrasion
resistance (four times more resistant than
conventional insulants). This structure is
used for deep-sea deployment and is
our lightweight cable (LW) type.
Cable performance All rights reserved © 1999
Alcatel Submarine Networks,
Insulating sheath Insulating sheath Nanterre
Ø 17mm Ø 17mm The Alcatel word and the
Optical fibres Fibre unit structure with Alcatel logo are registered
composite conductor trademarks and service marks
Steel wires strand
Galvanised steel wires of Alcatel.
Thixotropic jelly This publication is provided “as
Layers of black is” without warranty of any
Steel tube polypropylene yarn kind, either expressed or
Ø 2.3mm
implied, including, but not
Composite conductor Layers of compound limited to, the implied
warranties of merchantability,
Outer diameter: 17mm Outer diameter: 31mm
fitness for a particular purpose,
OALC4 Lightweight Cable (LW) OALC4 Single Armoured Cable (SA) or non-infringement.
Alcatel may make
improvements or changes in the
LW LWP SAL SA DA RA products described in this
publication at any time without
Performance Unit Values Values Values Values Values Values notice.
July 1999 Ed. 1
NTTS* kN 50 50 200 250 400 250
Printed in England
NOTS* kN 30 30 150 200 300 200
NPTS* kN 20 20 100 150 200 150
UTS* kN 70 70 280 370 560 370

Characteristics
Outer diameter mm 17 23 28 31 46 46
Weight in air kg/m 0.5 0.75 2.0 2.6 7.5 7.4
Weight in water kg/m 0.27 0.33 1.4 1.8 5.7 5.6
*NTTS: nominal transient tensile strength
*NOTS: nominal operating tensile strength
*NPTS: nominal permanent tensile strength
*UTS: ultimate tensile strength

OALC4 global submarine cable references

Alcatel Submarine
System Length (km)
Networks
SEA-ME-WE 3 18,624
72, avenue de la Liberté
Candalta 104 92723 Nanterre cedex
Atlantis 2 13,056 France
Tel: +33 (0)1 55 51 51 51
Northstar 3,227 Fax: +33 (0)1 55 51 63 28
submarine_networks@www.
UK-Germany 6 556
alcatel.com
Americas 2 8,315 http://www.alcatel.com/
telecom/snd
MAC-1 7,485
Japan-US 11,719
BS FOCS 1,198
For more details on this product
SAT-3/WASC 14,110 please contact:

SAC 15,689 Elisabeth Lefranc

Alcatel Submarine Networks
Product Marketing
Tel: +33 (0)1 64 49 29 49
Fax: +33 (0)1 64 49 21 07
elisabeth.lefranc@alcatel.fr