Sumitomo Electric Receives the World’s First Thunderbolt Certification for the Optical Thunderbolt Cable, and Starts Mass Production

Optical Thunderbolt cable (Photo: Business Wire)

TOKYO--()--Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. (TOKYO:5802)(ISIN:JP3407400005) has become the first company to receive Thunderbolt certification from Intel Corporation for the optical Thunderbolt cable and has started the mass production. Based on Intel’s Thunderbolt technology, this new optical Thunderbolt cable enables long-distance data transmission. Sumitomo Electric developed this cable through its expertise in optical fiber and module development and, in April 2012, began shipment of the sample products.

All Thunderbolt products must undergo a certification process to ensure optimal operation and end-user experience. The officially certified products provide highly reliable data transmission at a high speed of 10Gbps.

“Thunderbolt technology continues to bring performance and versatility to Macs and PCs today,” said Jason Ziller, Director, Thunderbolt Planning and Marketing, Intel Corporation. “Sumitomo’s new optical Thunderbolt cables add another level of versatility to Thunderbolt, especially for media creators and enthusiasts.”

The optical Thunderbolt cable is an active optical cable that enables long-distance transmission up to 30 meters to connect Thunderbolt devices together. The optical Thunderbolt cable is the same diameter as the conventional metal Thunderbolt cable (4.2 mm), and handles just as easily. Sumitomo Electric’s special optical fiber makes the cable robust and durable for everyday use. This optical fiber offers high bending performance even when pinched up to 180 degrees or tangled in knots.

[Lineup of the Thunderbolt cables]

             
Transmission media  

Metal cable

Optical cable
Number of channels   2
Transmission rate per channel   10 Gbps
Transmission capacity   20 Gbps
Outside diameter   4.2 mm
Cable length   0.3m, 0.5m, 1.0m

1.5m, 2.0m, 3.0m

10m, 20m, 30m
Connector size   28mm 38mm
Bus power supply   10 W None
Others   A host computer and up to six devices can be daisy-chained

Intel, the Intel logo, and Thunderbolt are registered trademarks of the Intel Corporation in the US and other countries.

Contacts

(USA)
SUMITOMO ELECTRIC U.S.A., INC.
Sean Park, +1 408-232-9615
Sales & Marketing
Electronics Group
jpark@sumitomo.com
or
(Europe)
SEI Interconnect Products (Europe) Ltd.
Björn Gerlach, +49 (0) 40-5265-0172
Sales Department (Wire and Components),
German Branch Office
b.gerlach@sumi-electric.de

Release Summary

Sumitomo Electric Receives the World’s First Thunderbolt Certification for the Optical Thunderbolt Cable, and Starts Mass Production.

Contacts

(USA)
SUMITOMO ELECTRIC U.S.A., INC.
Sean Park, +1 408-232-9615
Sales & Marketing
Electronics Group
jpark@sumitomo.com
or
(Europe)
SEI Interconnect Products (Europe) Ltd.
Björn Gerlach, +49 (0) 40-5265-0172
Sales Department (Wire and Components),
German Branch Office
b.gerlach@sumi-electric.de