The Fiber Optic Association, Inc.

the non-profit professional society of fiber optics

Reference Guide To Fiber Optics

Table of Contents: The FOA Reference Guide To

Topic: Fiber Optic Cable
Fiber Optics
Fiber Optic Cable

Cable Types: (L>R): Zipcord, Distribution, Loose Tube, Breakout

Cable provides protection for the optical fiber or fibers within it appropriate for the environment in which
it is installed.
Fiber optic "cable" refers to the complete assembly of fibers, other internal parts like buffer tubes,
ripcords, stiffeners, strength members all included inside an outer protective covering called the jacket.
Fiber optic cables come in lots of different types, depending on the number of fibers and how and
where it will be installed. It is important to choose cable carefully as the choice will affect how easy the
cable is to install, splice or terminate and what it will cost.
Cable's job is to protect the fibers from the environment encountered in an installation. Will the cable
become wet or moist? Will it have to withstand high pulling tension for installation in conduit or
continual tension as in aerial installations? Does it have to be flame-retardant? Ultra flexible? Will the
cable be exposed to chemicals or have to withstand a wide temperature range? What about being
gnawed on by a woodchuck or prairie dog? Inside buildings, cables don't have to be so strong to
protect the fibers, but they have to meet all fire code provisions. Outside the building, it depends on
whether the cable is buried directly, pulled in conduit, strung aerially or whatever.
All cables are comprised of layers of protection for the fibers. Most all start with standard fiber with a
primary buffer coating (250 microns) and add:
Tight buffer coating (tight buffer cables like simplex, zipcord, distribution and breakout types): A soft
protective coating applied directly to the 250 micron coated fiber to provide additional protection for the
fiber, allowing easier handling, even direct termination on the fiber.
Loose Tubes (loose tube cables): Small, thin plastic tubes containing as many as a dozen 250 micron
buffered fibers used to protect fibers in cables rated for outside plant use. They allow the fibers to be
isolated from high pulling tension and can be filled with water-blocking materials to prevent moisture
entry.
Strength members and stiffeners: Usually aramid yarn, the same used in bulletproof vests, often
called by the duPont trade name Kevlar, which absorbs the tension needed to pull the cable and
provides cushioning for the fibers. Aramid fibers are used not only because they are strong, but they
do not stretch. If pulled hard, they will not stretch but eventually break when tension exceeds their
limits. This ensures that the strength members will not stretch and then relax, binding the fibers in the
cable. The proper method of pulling fiber optic cables is always to attach the pull rope, wire or tape to
the strength members.
Some cables also include a central fiberglass rod used for additional strength and to stiffen the cable to
prevent kinking and damaging the fibers. When included, these rods should be attached to swivel
pulling eyes.
Jacket: The outermost layer of protection for the fibers that is chosen to withstand the environment in
which the cable is installed. Outside cables will generally be black polyethelene (PE) which resists
moisture and sunlight exposure. Indoor cables use flame-retardant jackets that can be color-coded to
identify the fibers inside the cable. Some outdoor cables may have double jackets with a metallic armor
between them to protect from chewing by rodents or kevlar for strength to allow pulling by the jackets.
Indoor-outdoor cables have a PE outer jacket that can be removed to expose a flame-retardant inner
jacket for use within buildings.
Protection Against Water and Moisture
Cables installed outdoors require protecting the fibers from water. Either a gel or absorbent tape or
powder is used to prevent water from entering the cable and causing harm to the fibers. Generally, this
applies to loose tube or ribbon cables, but dry water-blocking is used on some tight buffer cables used
in short outdoor runs, such as building to building on a campus or to an outdoor wireless antenna or
CCTV camera.
Look at the pictures below to see how each type of cable incorporates these components.

Cable Types

Tight buffer cables (Simplex, Zipcord, Distribution and Breakout) are used where cable flexibility and
ease of termination are important, more so than ruggedness and pulling strength which characterize
loose tube and ribbon types of cable. Generally, tight buffer cables are used indoors and loose
tube/ribbon cables outdoors.

Simplex and zip cord:

These types are used mostly for patch cord and backplane applications, but zipcord can also be used
for desktop connections. Simplex cables are one fiber, tight-buffered (coated with a 900 micron buffer
over the primary buffer coating) with Kevlar (aramid fiber) strength members and jacketed for indoor
use. The jacket is usually 3mm (1/8 in.) diameter. Zipcord is simply two of these joined with a thin
web.
Distribution cables:

Distribution cable is the most popular indoor cable, as it is small in size and light in weight. They
contain several tight-buffered fibers bundled under the same jacket with Kevlar strength members and
sometimes fiberglass rod reinforcement to stiffen the cable and prevent kinking. These cables are
small in size, and used for short, dry conduit runs, riser and plenum applications. The fibers are double
buffered and can be directly terminated, but because their fibers are not individually reinforced, these
cables need to be broken out with a "breakout box" or terminated inside a patch panel or junction box
to protect individual fibers.
Breakout cables:
Breakout cable is a favorite where rugged cables are desirable or direct termination without junction
boxes, patch panels or other hardware is needed. They are made of several simplex cables bundled
together insdie a common jacket. This is a strong, rugged design, but is larger and more expensive
than the distribution cables. It is suitable for conduit runs, riser and plenum applications. It's perfect for
industrial applications where ruggedness is needed. Because each fiber is individually reinforced, this
design allows for quick termination to connectors and does not require patch panels or boxes.
Breakout cable can be more economic where fiber count isn't too large and distances too long,
because is requires so much less labor to terminate.
Loose tube cables:

Loose tube cables are the most widely used cables for outside plant trunks because it offers the best
protection for the fibers under high pulling tensions and can be easily protected from moisture with
water-blocking gel or tapes.These cables are composed of several fibers together inside a small plastic
tube, which are in turn wound around a central strength member, surrounded by aramid strength
members and jacketed, providing a small, high fiber count cable. This type of cable is ideal for outside
plant trunking applications, as it can be made with the loose tubes filled with gel or water absorbent
powder to prevent harm to the fibers from water. It can be used in conduits, strung overhead or buried
directly into the ground. Some outdoor cables may have double jackets with a metallic armor between
them to protect from chewing by rodents or kevlar for strength to allow pulling by the jackets. Since the
fibers have only a thin buffer coating, they must be carefully handled and protected to prevent damage.
Loose tube cables with singlemode fibers are generally terminated by spicing pigtails onto the fibers
and protecting them in a splice closure. Multimode loose tube cables can be terminated directly by
installing a breakout kit, also called a furcation or fan-out kit, which sleeves each fiber for protection.
Ribbon Cable:

Ribbon cable is preferred where high fiber counts and small diameter cables are needed.This cable
has the most fibers in the smallest cable, since all the fibers are laid out in rows in ribbons, typically of
12 fibers, and the ribbons are laid on top of each other. Not only is this the smallest cable for the most
number of fibers, it's usually the lowest cost. Typically 144 fibers only has a cross section of about 1/4
inch or 6 mm and the jacket is only 13 mm or 1/2 inch diameter! Some cable designs use a "slotted
core" with up to 6 of these 144 fiber ribbon assemblies for 864 fibers in one cable! Since it's outside
plant cable, it's gel-filled for water blocking or dry water-blocked. Another advantage of ribbon cable is
Mass Fusion Splicers can join a ribbon (12 fibers) at once, making installation fast and easy. Ribbon
pigtails are spliced onto the cable for quick termination.
Armored Cable:

Armored cable is used in direct buried outside plant applications where a rugged cable is needed
and/or rodent resistance. Armored cable withstands crush loads well, needed for direct burial
applications. Cable installed by direct burial in areas where rodents are a problem usually have metal
armoring between two jackets to prevent rodent penetration. Another application for armored cable is
in data centers, where cables are installed underfloor and one worries about the fiber cable being
crushed. Armored cable is conductive, so it must be grounded properly.
Aerial cable:

Aerial cables are for outside installation on poles. They can be lashed to a messenger or another cable
(common in CATV) or have metal or aramid strength members to make them self supporting. The
cable shown has a steel messenger for support. It must be grounded properly.

A widely used aerial cable is optical power ground wire (OPGW) which is a high voltage distribution
cable with fiber in the center. The fiber is not affected by the electrical fields and the utility installing it
gets fibers for grid management and communications. This cable is usually installed on the top of high
voltage towers but brought to ground level for splicing or termination.

Even More Types Of Cable Are Available: There's double-jacketed indoor/outdoor, dry water-
blocked, simple jacketed POF, etc. Every manufacturer has it's own specialties and sometimes their
own names for common cable types, so it's a good idea to get literature from as many cable makers as
possible. And check out the smaller cable companies; often they can save you a bundle by making
special cable just for you, even in relative small quantities.
Air-Blown Fiber:
Another "cable" type is not really cable at all. By installing a "cable" which is just a bundle of empty
plastic tubes, you can "blow" fibers into the tubes using compressed gas as needed. If you need to
upgrade, blow out the old fibers and blow in new ones. Both indoor and outdoor versions of air-blown
fiber cables are available and its even been used for FTTH. Special fibers are required that have been
coated for easier blowing through the tubes, but any singlemode or multimode fiber is available. It's
more expensive to install since the tubes must be installed, special equipment and trained installers
are needed but can be cost effective for upgrades.

Hybrid and Composite Cables

These two types of cables are often confused, but almost everybody and the NEC defines them as:
Hybrid cables: Cables that contain two types of fibers, usually multimode and singlemode. These
cables are often used in campus and premises backbones where the singlemode fibers may be used
in the future.
Composite cables: Cables that contain both fibers and electrical conductors. Underwater tethered
vehicles use cables like this, as do some cables used for remoting wireless antennas or CCTV
cameras. These cables must be properly grounded and bonded for safety.
Cable Design Criteria
Choosing a cable requires consideration of all the environmental factors involved during installation
and during the cable's lifetime. Here are some of the most important factors.
Pulling Strength: Some cable is simply laid into cable trays or ditches, so pull strength is not too
important. But other cable may be pulled thorough 2-5 km or more of conduit. Even with lots of cable
lubricant, pulling tension can be high. Most cables get their strength from an aramid fiber (Kevlar is the
duPont trade name), a unique polymer thread that is very strong but does not stretch - so pulling on it
will not stress the other components in the cable. The simplest simplex cable has a pull strength of
100-200 pounds, while outside plant cable may have a specification of over 800 pounds.
Bending Limits: The normal recommendation for fiber optic cable bend radius is the minimum bend
radius under tension during pulling is 20 times the diameter of the cable. When not under tension, the
minimum recommended long term bend radius is 10 times the cable diameter.
Water Protection: Outdoors, every cable must be protected from water or moisture. It starts with a
moisture resistant jacket, usually PE (polyethylene), and a filling of water-blocking material. The usual
way is to flood the cable with a water-blocking gel. It's effective but messy - requiring a gel remover
(use the commercial stuff - it's best- -but bottled lemon juice works in a pinch!). A newer alternative is
dry water blocking using a miracle powder - the stuff developed to absorb moisture in disposable
diapers. Check with your cable supplier to see if they offer it.
Crush Loads or Rodent Penetration: Armored cables are used because their strong jackets
withstand crushing and rodent penetration. Direct burial OSP cables are usually armored or installed in
conduit. Armored indoor cables are available with NEC rated jackets for placement with other cables
under false floors, as in data centers.
Fire Code Ratings: Every cable installed indoors must meet fire codes. That means the jacket must
be rated for fire resistance, with ratings for general use, riser (a vertical cable feeds flames more than
horizontal) and plenum (for installation in air-handling areas. Most indoor cables use PVC (polyvinyl
chloride) jacketing for fire retardance. In the United States, all premises cables must carry identification
and flammability ratings per the NEC (National Electrical Code) paragraph 770.
These ratings are:

NEC Rating Description

OFN optical fiber non-conductive

OFC optical fiber conductive

OFNG or OFCG general purpose

OFNR or OFCR riser rated cable for vertical runs

plenum rated cables for use in indoor air-handling

OFNP or OFCP
spaces or plenums

OFN-LS low smoke density

Cables without markings should never be installed indoors as they will not pass building inspections!
Outdoor cables are not fire-rated and can only be used up to 50 feet indoors. If you need to bring an
outdoor cable indoors, consider a double-jacketed cable with PE jacket over a PVC UL-rated indoor
jacket. Simply remove the outdoor jacket when you come indoors and you will not have to terminate at
the entry point.
Grounding and Bonding
Any cable that includes any conductive metal must be properly grounded and bonded per the NEC for
safety. Indoor cables rated OFC, OFCG, OFCR or OFCP and outdoor cables with metallic strength
members or armor must be grounded and bonded. All composite cables must be properly grounded
and bonded also.

Cable Color Codes

Outdoor cables are generally black but premises cables are color-coded. De facto standard color
codes for cable jackets have been yellow jackets for singlemode and orange jackets for multimode.
With two multimode fibers now in common use, 62.5/125 and 50/125, and two versions of 50/125 fiber,
a more comprehensive industry standard for color codes was required. It's important to follow the TIA-
598 standard to prevent mixing up cables.
Choosing Cables
Choosing a fiber optic cable for any given application requires considering two issues, installation
requirements and environmental or long-term requirements. Installation requirements include where
and how the cable will be installed, such as pulled in conduit outdoors or placed in cable trays in a
building. Long term requirements need to consider moisture or water exposure, temperature, tension
(aerial cables), or other environmental factors.
You should contact several cable manufacturers (two minimum, three preferred) and give them the
specs. They will want to know where the cable is going to be installed, how many fibers you need and
what kind (singlemode, multimode or both in what we call "hybrid" cables.) You can also have a
"composite" cable that includes copper conductors for signals or power. The cable companies will
evaluate your requirements and make suggestions. Then you can get competitive bids.
Since the cable plant design will call for a certain number of fibers, consider adding spare fibers to the
cable - fibers are cheap compared to installing more cables. That way, you won't be in trouble if you
break a fiber or two when splicing, breaking-out or terminating fibers. And consider future expansion
needs. Most users install many more fibers than needed, especially adding singlemode fiber to
multimode fiber cables for campus or premises backbone applications.

More information on cables

Videos on cable design, pulling and preparation on the FOA Channel on

General Guidelines For Installing Fiber Optic Cable
Here are some general guidelines for installing fiber optic cables that should be read by everyone before
installing any cable.
More information on installation.
 Test Your Comprehension

REFERENCES
Table of Contents: The FOA Reference Guide To
Topic: Installing Fiber Optic Cable
Fiber Optics

General Guidelines For Installing Fiber Optic Cable

Fiber optic cable may be installed indoors or outdoors using several different installation
processes. Outdoor cable may be direct buried, pulled or blown into conduit or innerduct, or
installed aerially between poles. Indoor cables can be installed in raceways, cable trays above
ceilings or under floors, placed in hangers, pulled into conduit or innerduct or blown though special
ducts with compressed gas. The installation process will depend on the nature of the installation
and the type of cable being used.

Installation methods for both wire and optical fiber communications cables are similar. Fiber cable
is designed to be pulled with much greater force than copper wire if pulled correctly, but excess
stress on the cable may harm the fibers, potentially causing eventual failure. Particular care should
be taken during installation to prevent kinking the cable which can harm the fibers.

Since there are so many types of fiber optic cable and so many different applications, it is hard to
cover each application in detail. However there are some general rules that should be followed:

Installation Guidelines
Follow the cable manufacturer's recommendations. Fiber optic cable is often custom-designed for
the installation and the manufacturer may have specific instructions on its installation.
Check the cable length to make sure the cable being pulled is long enough for the run to prevent
having to splice fiber and provide special protection for the splices.
Try to complete the installation in one pull. Prior to any installation, assess the route carefully to
determine the methods of installation and obstacles likely to be encountered.

Pulling tension
Cable manufacturers install special strength members, usually aramid yarn (DuPont Kevlar), for
pulling. Fiber optic cable should only be pulled by these strength members unless the cable design
allows pulling by the jacket. Any other method may put stress on the fibers and harm them.
Swivel pulling eyes should be used to attach the pulling rope or tape to the cable to prevent cable
twisting during the pull.
Cables should not be pulled by the jacket unless it is specifically approved by the cable
manufacturers and an approved cable grip is used. These grips are usually tied to the strength
members also.
Tight buffer cable can be pulled by the jacket in premises applications if a large (~40 cm, 8 in.) spool
is used as a pulling mandrel. Wrap the cable around the spool 5 times and hold gently when
pulling.
Do not exceed the maximum pulling tension rating. Consult the cable manufacturer and suppliers of
conduit, innerduct, and cable lubricants for guidelines on tension ratings and lubricant use.
When pulling long lengths of cable in conduit or innerduct (up to approximately 3 miles or 5
kilometers in the outside plant, hundreds of meters in premises cabling), use proper lubricants and
make sure they are compatible with the cable jacket. If possible, use an automated puller with
tension control and/or a breakaway pulling eye. On very long OSP runs (farther than approximately
2.5 miles or 4 kilometers), pull from the middle out to both ends or use an automated fiber puller at
intermediate point(s) for a continuous pull.
When laying loops of fiber on a surface during a pull, use “figure-8” loops to prevent twisting the
cable.

Bend radius
Do not exceed the cable bend radius. Fiber optic cable can be broken when kinked or bent too
tightly, especially during pulling.
If no specific recommendations are available from the cable manufacturer, the cable should not be
pulled over a bend radius smaller than twenty (20) times the cable diameter.
After completion of the pull, the cable should not have any bend radius smaller than ten (10) times
the cable diameter.

Twisting cable
Do not twist the cable. Twisting the cable can stress the fibers. Tension on the cable and pulling
ropes can cause twisting. Use a swivel pulling eye to connect the pull rope to the cable to prevent
pulling tension causing twisting forces on the cable.

Roll the cable off the spool instead of spinning it off the spool end to prevent putting a twist in the
cable for every turn on the spool.
When laying cable out for a long pull, use a "figure-8" on the ground to prevent twisting. The figure
8 puts a half twist in on one side of the 8 and takes it out on the other, preventing twists.
Vertical cable runs
Drop vertical cables down rather than pulling them up whenever possible.
Support cables at frequent intervals to prevent excess stress on the jacket. Support can be provided
by cable ties (tightened snugly, not tightly enough to deform the cable jacket) or Kellems grips.
Use service loops can to assist in gripping the cable for support and provide cable for future repairs
or rerouting.

Use Of Cable Ties

Fiber optic cables, like all communications cables, are sensitive to compressive or crushing loads.
Cable ties used with many cables, especially when tightened with an installation tool, are harmful
to fiber optic cables, causing attenuation and potential fiber breakage.
When used, cable ties should be hand tightened to be snug but loose enough to be moved along
the cable by hand. Then the excess length of the tie should be cut off to prevent future tightening.
Hook-and-loop fastener ties are preferred for fiber optic cables, as they cannot apply crush loads
sufficient to harm the cable.