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A 1975 consensus by electro-optic fiber communications technologists emphasized forty-four (44) applications as being important uses of this rapidly expanding area. Upon analysis, eight major areas appear to be the most cost effective for the next seven years. This paper discusses the nature of such systems and markets and their value-in-use. The 1975 applications cited are: 1. Telephone loops 24. Nuclear plants including fusion develop-2. Telephone trunks ment 3. Telephone terminals and exchange uses 25. Oil and chemical (stationary and mobile) 4. Internal computer links 26. Electronic and electrical instrument 5. Inter-computer links systems 6. Hard-wired computer terminals 27. Space program 7. Long-haul data transmission 28. Medical 8. CATV trunks 29. Supervisory control (low data rate) 9. CATV distribution 30. Sonobuoys 10. CCTV 31. Electric power control (line type) 11. High capacity lines (vs. microwave 32. Substation control cable) 33. Computer-video electric power systems 12. Private broadband networks 34. Hazardous areas 13. Municipal services 35. Long-line isolators 14. Military aircraft 36. Microwave-optical interconnections 15. Civilian aircraft (entrance links) 16. Military ships 37. Laser power guides 17. Naval-towed arrays 38. Signal switching (proximity coupling) 18. Special tethers 39. Satellite ground stations 19. Submarine cable 40. Facsimile systems 20. Civilian ships and tankers 41. Memory delay lines 21. Army cable, connectors, and systems 42. Lightning-resistant instrumentation 22. Secure communications 43. Hospital patient monitoring 23. Cable congestion relief 44. Telemetering Considering value-in-use and cost effectiveness, however, in the near term the fiber optic applications markets of economic significance are: 1. Telephone and non-telephone common 4. Industrial automation (discrete factory carriers automation) 2. Cable television 5. Other industrial automation applications 3. Satellite ground station links and 6. Process controls local loops 7. Computer applications 8. Military applications
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