Annual output of optical fibers and optic fiber cables also grew to 25 million kilometers and 15 million kilometers respectively.

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Metro networks have phone gear like digital cross-connects, which manage high-and low-speed traffic, and synchronous optical network (Sonet) systems, which come from fiber-optic phone networks.

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The new optical networking system should not be seen as a replacement for fiber-optic systems, Szelag added.

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