01 / The world before
Long-distance communication needed high-capacity links.
02 / The discovery
Low-loss fibers and optical components made transmission practical.
03 / The people
Charles Kao and many materials and network engineers.
04 / The obstacles
Deployment requires costly physical networks and repair.
05 / The world after
High-capacity communications spread through fiber networks.
06 / Why it still matters
Internet traffic depends on hidden cables and maintenance.