Microsoft has announced its acquisition of Lumenistity, a producer of hollow core fiber (HCF) solutions. According to Microsoft, this technology will “enable fast, reliable and secure networking for global, enterprise and large-scale organizations”. For Microsoft’s part, it plans to use the technology to provide its Cloud Platform and Services customers with lower latency and better security.
Lumenisity’s HCF technology uses light propagates in an air core which apparently has big advantages over cables that use a solid core of glass. Microsoft outlined the following benefits:
- Increased overall speed and lower latency as light travels through HCF 47% faster than standard silica glass.
- Enhanced security and intrusion detection due to Lumenisity’s innovative inner structure.
- Lower costs, increased bandwidth and enhanced network quality due to elimination of fiber nonlinearities and broader spectrum.
- Potential for ultra-low signal loss enabling deployment over longer distances without repeaters.
As part of the acquisition, Microsoft will use Lumenisity’s technology and the team will also be retained to carry on building the technology. Microsoft has not stated how much it has paid to make the successful takeover.
The HCF producer recently completed the development of an HCF manufacturing facility in the United Kingdom. This will help it scale up the production of the technology in the future. Lumenisity is only five years old. It was a spin-off of the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) at the University of Southampton.