Advantages of Fiber Optics Cables vs. Copper Cables

Fiber Optic Cable are composed of fine hair-like glass fibers and messages are transmitted by sending light beams down the thin strands of glass through a shielded cable. Fiber Optics Cables are comprised of three main areas:

 

1) Core: Designed as the light carrier of the optical fiber. It is made from a doped glass(Silica).The silica material of the core allows the light signals to be carried efficiently and effectively across the fiber.

 

2) Cladding: It is made up from a different type of silica and surrounds the core. The glass of the cladding is made to contain the light within the core.

 

3) Plastic Coating: This piece surrounds the Cladding and acts as a protector for the glass. It is normally clear (color), but for all Outdoor cables the coating is color coded to help identify the individual fibers. The coating has to be removed to connect the fiber to a connector or splice.

 

Bandwidth

 

Investing in Fiber Optic Cables can significantly increase any businesses bandwidth compared to the transmission of data over the standard Copper Cable. The high frequency ranges they are able to carry exceed even the highest frequencies of any standard copper wire. Also, the speed of messages does not decrease as more demands are added onto the network when using Fiber Optics.

 

Security

 

Due to the higher demand for secure connections Fiber Optics Cables are a cost-effective way of adding an additional layer of security to any business. Copper Cables can easily be accessed by connecting taps to any line to pick up on the electronic signals, however, tapping Fiber Optics Cables is much more difficult. 

 

Energy Efficient

 

The light waves that are transmitted through glass or plastic threads (fibers) use much less energy than data signals sent through metal conductors of Copper Cables.

 

Easy Installations/Testing

 

Fiber Optics Cables provide a light weight variation thus, makes terminating the cables more simplified. Also, testing a Fiber Optic Cable is as easy as sending a beam of light from one end to the other.

 

In order to make installations easier for Fiber Optics, West Penn Wire also provides cabling, installation kits, fiber optics assemblies, fiber optics cassettes and cable management solution.

 

Weight and Strength

 

Fiber Optic Cable is also designed to be much thinner and lighter with pull tensions being much greater than those of most Copper Cables.

 

For Example:

 

6-Fiber Cable: 300 lbs.

RG6 Coaxial Cable: 55 lbs.

Category 5E Cable: 25 lbs.

Variety of Applications:

 

Fiber Optics is also available for numerous applications, which are included but not limited to:

 

Telecommunication

High bandwidth Data

Video signaling

Long distance CCTV

Communication between fire alarm panels

and much more!