FAQ about Fiber Optics Outdoor Cable

Do you have questions about the fibre optics outdoor cabling? We have Q/A to assist you determining which type of cable may suit your needs.

 

If you are a contractor or a fibre optics installer this is a suitable first approach guide for determining your project. Let’s get started.

 

What is the fibre count?

The fibre count you deploy on day one depends on the number of connections you need to make or will expect to make in the future. It is always recommended to install the maximum number of fibres in the space you have available, to avoid costly civil works for upgrades in the future. 

 

fiber-mart.com offers outdoors cables with fibre counts ranging from a single fibre to 144 fibres or more.

What optical fibre type: SM or MM? G632? OM4? 62.5/125µm (The question goes on…)

This varies a lot, you could check our article between the differences between SM and MM fibres,  then you need to check what kind of single mode fibre you need to use or multimode if the case. Remember, this is an economy and technical desition and it’s very important to decide from day one, it’s important to think in the future.

 

Loose tube or ribbon cable?

Loose tube cables are the most common outdoor cable design, featuring a central strength member, stranded buffer tubes containing loose optical fibres and fibre counts up to 144F (Can be more, for custom orders). This construction ensures installer familiarity and optimum splice performance, we even provide the necessary breakout kits for finishing your project.

 

In a ribbon cable, typically 12 fibres are encapsulated in an array (or ribbon) and multiple ribbons can then be stacked to achieve the required fibre count. Ribbon cables offer higher fibre counts and greater fibre density than any other outdoor cable.

 

What is a micro cable?

Micro cables are miniaturized stranded loose tube cables which offer an approximate 50% reduction in size, less than half a reduction in total weight, and 30% or more per-cable fibre density versus traditional loose tube cables. 

 

Micro cables are installed in micro-ducts and enable re-utilisation of congested duct space, flexibly scalable capacity upgrades and innovative, cost-effective deployment techniques. 

 

Do I need an armoured or dielectric cable?

Armor can be applied to a loose tube or ribbon cable for increased mechanical robustness and protection against rodents. It is a pre-requisite requirement when a cable is to be buried directly into the ground. A dielectric (metal-free) cable should be selected when it is deployed on or near high-voltage power lines, through dielectric armour options are available. 

 

A Dielectric

 

Do I need a gel-filled or gel-free (dry) cable?

Traditionally, a gel was used inside buffer tubes to protect fibres from moisture, but thanks to advances in cable water-blocking technology, this messy element can now be eliminated. With no need to clean gel from fibres before splicing, gel-free cables enable fast and efficient splicing preparation and drive cost savings through the elimination of cleaning consumables.

 

You need to figure out this yourself, or we could do it for you! Just let us know your requirement and we could find a cable suitable for your needs.