FOA Interprets Complicated Standards
Satellites For Rural Internet
First Satellite To Phone Demonstration
OFC Turns 50
FOA News
What's New And Popular On FOA Website News
California Wildfires Burn Aerial Cables
WiFi Predictions For 2025
FOCUS On Submarine Cables And Operations
Submarine Cables In The News
Baltic Sea Cable Sabotage?
FCC Review Of Submarine Cable Rules
FTTH Training Video In French
Technical
Problems With MPO Connections
Fiber Optics For IC Connections
What Technical Advisors Are Telling US
Aerial Cable Plant Workmanship
Important Change in Singlemode Fiber
Updated OTDR Trainer
Worth
ReadingLots of interesting
articles to read, watch or listen to. Q&A
Interesting questions from our readers
Workforce Training/Fiber U
Types Of Work Done By Fiber Techs
FOA-Approved School News
Fiber U
MiniCourses Resources
New FOA Technical Resources
Trademarks:
The FOA logo and name, CFOT® (Certified Fiber Optic Technician) and
Fiber U® (the FOA online learning site) are
registered trademarks of the FOA.
To
keep your FOA certifications active, you need to
renew them when they expire every 3 years. Now we have a new more
convenient way to renew - an online store at Paypal
- where you can quickly and conveniently use your
PayPal account or your credit card to renew your
certifications.
Standards are absolutely required for technology and
business. If we did not have standards for weight (mass), length, time,
and many other parameters, building products and commerce would be
impossible. In fiber optics, we have to have some primary standards like
wavelength and optical power and specification standards for
component like fiber, cable, connectors, lasers, on up to systems like
Ethernet to build communications systems.
The majority of standards are written by component or equipment
manufacturers so they can sell products which work together with others
in the market. In their development by committees, standards can - and
usually - get complicated. They must cover all the application
scenarios, often require revision to encompass technology or component
changes. By the time they are completed, they are usually long and read
like a legal document, which in fact many are.Which means they are
generally not understandable for the average tech.
FOA often gets questions about standards, usually about what they mean
or where are they used. Which is why FOA has created a series of
documents called the "FOA 1-Page Standards." These documents are
interpretations of standards for common practices like testing a cable
plant with an OTDR or OLTS. In fact, we even have one covering the cable
plant an the data link that operates over it. Each is easily
understandable and has a link to the FOA Guide page for more
information.
The latest FOA 1-Page Standard is FOA-8, Inspection and Cleaning of Fiber Optic Connectors. The one international standard on inspection is ISO/IEC-61300-3-35
which is actually aimed at automatic inspection using a video
microscope. The FOA standard covers both visual and automated inspection
as well as guidelines for cleaning. And we added links to the FOA Guide page on inspection and cleaning for additional information.
The FOA Newsletter has covered satellites many times in the past, e.g. 10/2022,
In that article we noted the US FCC Chair announced that two
applications for federal programs had been rejected, one to Starlink for
its low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite service and one to LTD Broadband
for line-of-sight fixed wireless, totally over $2billion. In rejecting
the applications, the FCC Chair stated, “After
careful legal, technical, and policy review, we are rejecting these
applications. Consumers deserve reliable and affordable high-speed
broadband,”
Two years later, millions of possible rural users are
still waiting for fiber broadband, all because the two applicants,
Starlink and LTD Broadband, could only promise 25 Mb/s downloads instead
of the new higher requirement of 100 Mb/s, and the FCC and NTIA believed in
fiber. Two years later, none of the BEAD broadband grants promised have been
delivered, and even if they had, rural users would still be years away
from getting a fiber connection.
Millions were unwilling to wait and signed up for Starlink service on
their own, paying $600 for home equipment and $120 per month for
service.
With the change in administration in the US, things
are changing. Starlink's Elon Musk was a big supporter and now has a
major role in the new administration. NTIA has already issued changes to
it's notices that LEO satellites are to be considered for rural
broadband. From the NTIA notice of 1/2/25,NTIA has also taken steps to significantly reduce barriers to participation by LEO satellite providers. (Geostationary satellites are not considered due to the long
latency caused by the 125.milliseconds time to reach the satellite makes
certain online operations like videoconferencing difficult.)
And the status of LEO satellites has changed.
Technology has improved, the number of Starlink satellites has more than
doubled, inter-satellite connections using lasers implemented, ground
stations have increased and speed has improved. Even new competitors are
expected like Jeff Bezos of Amazon plans a similar LEO satellite system
called Kuiper. Other systems are being proposed and even
direct-to-phone LEO satellite service is being tested.
There are now over 150 Starlink ground stations connecting into
the worldwide fiber network. More are coming and even stations on ships
may be coming to enhance coverage in the oceans. Just about everyone
below 60° latitude can get Starlink service.
Map from Starlinkinsider.com, a Starlink fan website with lots of interesting information.
FOA has updated its FOA Guide page on Satellite Communications
with animations showing how satellites communicate with ground
stations, like the one above showing how LEO satellites use both
ground-to-satellite and satellite-to-satellite communications to expand
coverage.
Vodafone makes ‘world’s first’ satellite video call from a regular phone ahead of 2025 rollout
Vodafone has made what it calls “the world’s first”
satellite video call using a standard smartphone, in a test of a system
it says will provide mobile broadband service to 4G and 5G phones
without dedicated satellite hardware. The service, using satellites from
SpaceX rival AST SpaceMobile, is expected to launch in Europe before
the end of 2025.
AT&T and Verizon have also cut deals with Texas-based AST
SpaceMobile to provide satellite-to-smartphone services across the US.
The company has received FCC approval to begin testing its US-based
coverage for AT&T this spring, meaning a full rollout is likely to
lag behind Europe.
AST SpaceMobile
provides the satellite service, using the five low Earth orbit BlueBird
satellites the company has launched so far. The signal is routed
through a space-to-land gateway which connects the satellites to
Vodafone’s terrestrial network. AST SpaceMobile’s satellite system
connects using standard 4G and 5G signals, so there’s no requirement to
use a phone with dedicated satellite components. Beyond video calling,
Vodafone says it offers a “full mobile broadband experience,” with peak
speeds of up to 120 megabits per second, that “goes beyond other low
Earth orbit satellite constellations which have so far only facilitated
text messaging.”
Satellite connectivity is already available on certain iPhones and
Google Pixel phones that include specific modem components, but is
mostly limited to emergency alerts, location-sharing, and SMS messages.
T-Mobile is beta testing its own US network in partnership with the
Starlink Direct-to-Cell service that will also work with standard
smartphones, though this will be limited to text messages at first, with
calls and data to be added in the future.
And they all depend on the terrestrial fiber networks built by fiber optic technicians. Or to modify what AT&T’s CEO John Stankey said, “There’s a
fallacy to say there’s fixed networks and wireless (or satellite) networks. There are
only fiber networks with different access technologies on the end of
them. That’s where this is all going.”
Top Articles From FOA Newsletters In 2024
January 2023 Year in Review, Are Shark Bites The Cause Of Submarine Cable Failures? February What Is Broadband? Geopolitics Of Submarine Cables? March Broadband: Economics, What's Unserved? April April Fool's Joke, Or Not? May Aerial Cable, What Is A Fiber Tech & Their Future? June Updated OTDR Trainer, The Role of Manufacturers In Training July An Important Change in Singlemode Fiber, Can You Trust Your OTDR? August New Fiber U Course on Safety, Troubleshooting Networks September New FOA Badge In Fiber Optics, Inside Look At Corning Manufacturing October Aerial cable Workmanship, Fiber optic Cable Plants As Sensors November Q&A On Restoration And Repair, ITU To Map World's Fiber Optic Networks December FOA Reaches 100,000 Certifications, Telecom Jobs Top "Launchpad" Jobs
For 50 years the Optical Fiber Communications Conference and
Exhibition (OFC) has showcased the emerging technologies of researchers
and industry for the optical networking and communications community. Throughout the years, OFC has been the conference to communicate and share the technical advances in fiber optics.
Come celebrate 50 years of optical networking and communications
achievements that the OFC community has facilitated to connect
individuals and businesses across geographic and oceanic boundaries.
Discover the future of network infrastructure at ISE
EXPO, the industryr event bringing together cutting-edge technology and
innovative solutions, content-rich educational sessions, and valuable
industry connections. Join thousands of professionals from across the
globe to explore the latest advancements in telecommunications, 5G,
fiber, network reliability, and more.
ISE EXPO 2025will be in New Orleans, LA, July 29-31, 2025, and will
feature dynamic exhibits, thought-leading educational sessions, and
hands-on interactive demos. You can also look forward to new, exciting
networking opportunities and receptions designed to help you
effortlessly expand your industry connections.
Classroom
Resources For STEM Teachers In K-12 And Technical Schools
Here is the POF kit sent to teachers for demonstration.
Teachers in all grades can introduce their students to fiber
optic technology with some simple demonstrations. FOA has
created a page for STEM or STEAM (science, technology,
engineering, arts
and math) teachers with materials appropriate to their
classes. Fiber
Optic Resources For STEM Teachers.
As FOA celebrates our 100,000th CFOT® certified technician,
introduces the "FOA Badge In Fiber Optics" for others working in the
field and adds new courses at Fiber U which offer a "Certificate of
Completion," it's a good time to explain the differences between them. FOA has created a page to explain the differences in certifications, certificated and badges.
All FOA
Certification Credentials Are Now Online
All FOA Certified Fiber Optic Technicians now have their certification
credentials online. if your FOA certification has not expired you should have been notified you have an
online credential. If you did not get notification it may be because
FOA did not have a valid email for you. Contact FOA to inquire about your certification credential.
The new FOA "FOA Badge In Fiber Optics"
An industry-wide credential for professionals working in fiber optics FOA is best known as the certifying body for the 100,000+ FOA-certified fiber optic technicians
who build worldwide networks. FOA has been asked many times about credentials for other
professionals in fiber optics.
Besides the technicians that design,
build and operate the fiber optic networks the world uses for
communications, there are many other professionals that are essential
for the success of the fiber optic and cabling industries. These
professionals manufacture, sell and distribute fiber optic components or
plan and manage the projects that include fiber optics.
New Fiber U Course: Fiber
Optic Safety Covers Construction And Installation
This
new Fiber U course focuses on safety in fiber optic installation. There are two lessons in this course,
fiber optic construction and fiber optic installation. The dividing
line between the two courses is the installation of the fiber optic
cables. Construction leads up to and/or is completed when the cables are
installed. Installation begins when the fiber tech installs the cable,
then completes the splicing, termination testing and documentation. The
overlap between the two is the installation of the cables where both
construction personnel and fiber optic techs are involved.
Here is the new Fiber U "Fiber Optic Safety" self-study program. Take the course and get your certificate of completion.
We bought one ourselves - it's well made and distinctive.
New Edition of FOA's Basic Fiber Optics Textbook
It has been 5 years since we have updated the FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optics,
so it is certainly time for an update. The latest version is different
enough we call it a new edition. Many of the updates are for new
technologies which are reshaping the fiber optic industry like coherent
transmission, BI fibers, etc. We've also added a section on the fiber
optic workforce which has much relevance because this book is used to
train those entering the workforce. We've also worked on making the book
more readable, adding formatting that eases reading and a new
comprehensive index.
Inflation was an issue, but the price only goes up $2 to $29.95 for the paperback and $12.95 for the Kindle version.
The new edition of the FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optics is available from Amazon and booksellers worldwide.
FOA Guide To The Fiber Optic Workforce
- what we've learned in developing the fiber optic workforce over more
than a quarter century and almost 100,000 certified techs.
California Wildfires Show Vulnerability of Aerial Infrastructure
FOA has written many articles about the vulnerability of aerial
cables to weather, but most have focused on storms like hurricanes,
tornadoes and ice in winter. But the recent California wildfires showed
how fire can also be a big problem.
The recent wildfires around the Los Angeles area literally destroyed
more than half of two large towns in the area, Altadena, north of LA
near Pasadena, and Pacific Palisades, between Santa Monica and Malibu. There was several large fires in more desolate
mountain areas at the same time. Those of us in the area were constantly
watching the news - for safety - many of us were in areas where
evacuations were being ordered.
The fire in Pacific Palisades burned from the mountains where it
started right down to the ocean, burning thousands of homes including
those along the coastal highway right on the ocean. The Los Angeles
Times had a reporter in the middle of this, Wally Skalij, who is very
brave, crazy or both. He took some incredible video of the houses along
the Pacific Coast Highway (CA Route 1) as they were burning.
To show you the "before," here is a recent photo along this same road
with the dense rows of beach houses. Note the aerial cables along
the road.
Here is a frame capture from the video show by Wally Skalij posted by
the LA Times on the evening of January 7 with the headline "Homes
destroyed along PCH."
You can see the fires burning the buildings to ashes are so hot that the radiant heat from the fires is
also burning the wooden utility poles and the cables. Incredible...
WiFi Predictions For 2025
The
Wireless Broadband Alliance has posted it's WiFi predictions for 2025
and it includes several interesting points. It has been recently
reported as the majority of cellular calls are now carried on WiFi
networks, not cellular networks. The Wireless Broadband Alliance
predictions include several notes about that topic.
The convergence of 5G/6G and Wi-Fi will ensure seamless, high-quality
connectivity by dynamically switching between the best available
networks. In a smart city, for example, a person moving from a
Wi-Fi-rich office to a 5G-powered urban area will experience
uninterrupted service, thanks to technologies like OpenRoaming and
Passpoint, which enable secure, automatic connections to trusted Wi-Fi
networks.
2025 will continue to see an acceleration for OpenRoaming as global
adoption continues to grow. Moving forward on the vision to transform
public and guest Wi-Fi user experience, and changing the way we connect
to Wi-Fi, from remote communities, to universities, stadiums, retail
chains, large city deployments and more.
FOA has covered the news about submarine cables often, usually Telegeography
announcing new cables or new technology to increase the bandwidth of
existing and future cables. But submarine cables have been in the news
more recently for another reason (FOA Newsletter January 2025), cable failures and investigation into the
causes of failure. Increasingly, suspicion that the failures were caused
by sabotage has been the news.
Two more cable breaks occurred in January, this time on both sides of
the world. Another break in the Baltic Sea showed the continuing
tensions in that area, while the one on the other side of the world
showed the continuing political tensions in that region.
Is sabotaging submarine cables becoming as popular as hacking? It seems
fairly easy; use lax international law on shipping to buy and equip a
old ship, send it off to drag its anchors over submarine cables. How do
you stop that? Will this require more surveillance on cable routes
to find the culprits? Can the real ones to blame ever be found?
Norway Seizes Russian-Crewed Ship Suspected of Cutting an Undersea Cable
Crew members on a French Navy plane patrolling over the Baltic Sea last
week as part of a NATO mission to protect undersea cables and
pipelines.Credit...John Leicester/Associated Press
The authorities in Norway have seized a Russian-crewed ship that is
suspected of damaging an undersea cable in an act of sabotage in the
Baltic Sea, the Norwegian police said on Friday. They were acting on a
request from the Latvian authorities and on an order issued in Norwegian
courts, the police said in a statement, after an undersea cable that
runs between Sweden and Latvia was damaged this week.
It is the latest in a growing number of acts of damage or sabotage to
undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, including to cables used for
communication and for the distribution of electricity. In response to
one such instance in December, NATO has stepped up its patrol and
surveillance operation in the Baltic Sea.
Sweden seizes vessel after new cable breach in Baltic Sea
Sweden is investigating damage to a submarine cable
linked to Latvia, the latest breach in the Baltic Sea region where
European authorities are on high alert. Swedish authorities have
launched a preliminary investigation into suspected sabotage and
detained a vessel in the Baltic Sea after damage was reported to an
undersea data cable between Latvia and Sweden.
Swedish officials said Monday that authorities had
boarded the Malta-flagged Vezhen. The Swedish national police, coast
guard and armed forces are taking part in the investigation, senior
prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist said in a statement late Sunday.
The Bulgarian shipping company that owns the
detained ship denied any involvement in sabotage, describing the
incident as an emergency situation that resulted from bad weather. The
company said it was ready to cooperate with the investigation.
This is the latest in a string of ruptures of undersea cables in a vast
underwater network of conduits that carry gas, electricity and internet
traffic to millions of people across Northern Europe. Four cases in the
Baltic Sea since late last year have caused no major disruption to
public life but have rattled European security officials.
Taiwan Says It Suspects a Chinese-Linked Ship Damaged an Undersea Internet Cable
Taiwan is investigating whether a ship linked to
China is responsible for damaging one of the undersea cables that
connects Taiwan to the internet, the latest reminder of how vulnerable
Taiwan’s critical infrastructure is to damage from China. The damaged
cable is one of more than a dozen that help keep Taiwan online.
In Taiwan, communications were quickly rerouted after the damage was
detected, and there was no major outage. The island’s main
telecommunications provider, Chunghwa Telecom, received a notification
on Friday morning that the cable, known as the Trans-Pacific Express
Cable, had been damaged. That cable also connects to South Korea, Japan,
China and the United States.
That afternoon, Taiwan’s Coast Guard intercepted a cargo vessel off the
northern city of Keelung, in an area near where half a dozen cables make
landfall. The vessel was owned by a Hong Kong company and crewed by
seven Chinese nationals, the Taiwan Coast Guard Administration said.
Ship tracking data and vessel records analyzed by The Times show that
the ship may have been broadcasting its positions under a fake name.
In 2023, the outlying Matsu Islands, within view of the Chinese coast,
endured patchy internet for months after two undersea internet cables
broke. These fiber optic cables that connect Taiwan to the internet
suffered about 30 such breaks between 2017 and 2023. The frequent
breakages are a reminder that Taiwan’s communication infrastructure must
be able to withstand a crisis.
To help ensure that Taiwan can stay online if cables fail, the
government has been pursuing a backup, including building a network of
low-Earth orbit satellites capable of beaming the internet to Earth from
space. Crucially, officials in Taiwan are racing to build their system
without the involvement of Elon Musk, whose rocket company, SpaceX,
dominates the satellite internet industry, but whose deep business links
in China have left them wary.
Accidents, not Russian sabotage, behind undersea cable damage, officials say
An emerging consensus among U.S. and European
security services holds that accidents were the cause of damage to
Baltic seabed energy and communications lines.
Ruptures of undersea cables that have rattled European security
officials in recent months were likely the result of maritime accidents
rather than Russian sabotage, according to several U.S. and European
intelligence officials.But so far, officials said, investigations
involving the United States and a half-dozen European security services
have turned up no indication that commercial ships suspected of dragging
anchors across seabed systems did so intentionally or at the direction
of Moscow.
Instead, U.S. and European officials said that the evidence gathered to
date — including intercepted communications and other classified
intelligence — points to accidents caused by inexperienced crews serving
aboard poorly maintained vessels.
Germany suspects sabotage after undersea internet cables are severed
1/19/2024 Washington Post
Chinese-Flagged Ship Suspected of Cutting Cables Remains Halted Weeks Later 12/12/2024 NYTimes
Traficom and other authorities investigate cable damage in the Gulf of Finland
12/28/2024 Traficom
Police investigating incidents in the Gulf of Finland in cooperation with other authorities
12/26/2024 Poliisi
Finland seizes ship in probe of undersea cable damage
12/26/2024 Washington Post
What We Know About the Ship Finland Seized Over Fears of Sabotage
12/27/2024 NYTimes
Joint Statement by the European Commission and the High
Representative on the Investigation into Damaged Electricity and Data
Cables in the Baltic Sea
26.12.2024 EEAS Press Team (European Union)
Has Russia’s Shadow Fleet, Built to Evade Sanctions, Added Sabotage to Its List?
12/28/2024 NYTimes
FCC Launches First Review Of Submarine Cable Rules Since 2001 FCC Announcement
Submarine Cable Certification?
One of the FOA schools recently asked us "We
receive sometimes inquiries submarine fiber cable certification from our
clients. Is a plan to add such a specialized course to the FOA
certifications?".
The submarine cable industry is a very small industry, only about 6
companies make the cables and most do their own installation. There are
only 50-60 ships laying transoceanic cables and probably no more
installing cables on coastal routes. There are some videos on the
procedures but none get into real details; the manufacturers consider
the technology proprietary.
The cables are made in a factory, spliced together and fiber amplifier
repeaters added in manufacture. The cables are tested then loaded on
ships, taken to the proper location and laid on the sea floor, usually
in plowed trenches on shallower depths. During loading and laying,
the cables are generally transmitting data to ensure that any damage is
detected immediately so the laying can be stopped, the cable pulled up
and fixed.
What does a submarine cable tech need to know? Basic fiber optics, of
course, like a CFOT, and also fiber splicing and testing techniques. The
rest of their training depends on the manufacturer and their processes
and will be done by them on the job.
If a tech wants to work on submarine cables, we recommend a CFOT plus
specialist certifications in splicing and testing, CFOS/S and CFOS/T.
FOA School Creates FTTH Training Video In French
Serge Rodrigue of Fibre Zone, the FOA School in
Quebec, Canada, has created a short video on fiber optics and FTTH in
French. Serge teaches fiber in Canada and Africa in French.
L'école FOA crée une vidéo de formation FTTH en français
Serge Rodrigue de Fibre Zone, l'école FOA du
Québec, Canada, a créé une courte vidéo sur la fibre optique et le FTTH
en français. Serge enseigne la fibre au Canada et en Afrique en
français.
Découvrez notre nouvelle capsule Formation Express et plongez dans
l’univers du FTTH, la technologie fibre optique qui transforme les
réseaux de demain
Quote Of The Month/Year (maybe Century!) (this is worth repeating)
Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia +
Technology Conference, AT&T’s CEO John Stankey said, “There’s a
fallacy to say there’s fixed networks and wireless networks. There are
only fiber networks with different access technologies on the end of
them. That’s where this is all going.”
Technical
Fiber optic
technology, standards, equipment, installation,
etc.
The FOA
Update Pagecovers the new technology
and applications we covered in this newsletter
recently. Now you can review all that new tech at
once.
Cross Reference To FOA Technical Reference Materials
The FOA has almost 1,000 pages of technical information on the FOA Guide,
100+ videos and two dozen online courses at Fiber U, all this can make
it difficult to find the right information.
Cross Reference To FOA Tech Materials
To help this, we have created a cross reference guide to the textbooks,
Online Guide and Fiber U courses, all the FOA technical information.
Besides the textbooks, online Guide and Fiber U, each section of the
Guide also includes links to the 100+ FOA videos available. Cross Reference Guide to Textbooks, Online Guide and Fiber U
FOA Videos
We have also rearranged the 100+ FOA videos in similar categories on the
Contents Page of the Online Guide, making the videos, especially the
lectures, much it much easier to find a video on a particular
topic. FOA Videos Guide.
Want to know more about fiber optics? Study
for FOA certifications? Free
Self-Study Programs are on Fiber
U®
More Variations/Problems In MPO Array Connector Connections
At the latest TIA meetings a presentation pointed out a problem with
MPO array connector connection mismatches. MPOs standards have created a
complicated connection situation, now already around 40 pages, fully
taking up half of the TIA-568 fiber standards. The problems are caused
by the options of connecting 12, 16 or more fibers in a row to duplex or
multifiber transceivers.
MPOs are now being used for singlemode fiber, requiring angled (APC)
ferrules to reduce reflectance at connections. Multimode is now using
angled ferrules for some applications also to reduce reflectance. The
problem arises because the standards allow two options for angles, up or
down in relation to the connector key.
MPO APC mismatch problem, from presentation at TR-42.11 meeting presentation.
To properly mate APC connectors, the angles must be properly
aligned. Because the angle is not fixed in relation to the key and
MPO hardware has mating adapter options for keys aligned or opposite,
it is possible in some standard options to have connectors mated where
the angles do not match, such as in the Type B cable connections shown
above.
Single fiber connectors like SCs or LCs do not have this kind of option
if one follows the color codes since they do not have any options on the
alignment of the angle.
Now that this has been brought to the attention of the standards
committee, it will have to be addressed in the standards to ensure users
know the problem.
Will AI Finally Justify Integrated Photonics?
Integrated photonics and optical integrated circuits have been in
development for decades. Connecting chips using light has the potential
of being faster than electrical connections while using substantially
less power. Saving power in integrated circuits means less heat that
must be controlled and removed. The search for higher speed and lower
power in computing chips for AI is driving demand for innovations like
the LIGHTMATTER Passage just announced.
Chips are attached to the Passage optical interposer and connected to other devices over fiber ribbons.
Passage is a component known as an "interposer" in the IC business, a
component that provides a place to mount chips and provide connections
between them. Passage uses integrated photonics to make the connections
optically using lasers and WDM and connects to other devices over fiber ribbons.
Ribbons with 16 fibers, for example for use in the MPO-16 fiber
connectors, require new splicing tools. AFL has introduced an upgrade of
their 90R fusion splicer that
accommodates 16 fiber ribbons with 200 micron buffers. The Fujikura 90R
is the mass fusion splicer workhorse of the splicing world. With
16-fiber add-ons, the Fujikura 90R splicer can splice 16-count ribbon
fibers with a 200 µm pitch and size.
Whether you're managing enterprise data centers, expansive campus
infrastructures, or intricate metro networks, the Fujikura 90R with
these new add-ons can splice the 16-count ribbon fibers with a 200µm
pitch and coating.
What FOA's Instructors And Technical Advisors Are Telling Us
In the October 2024 FOA Newsletter we ran a long illustrated feature article offering
guidelines for aerial cable plant installation, illustrated by some
"excellent" bad examples. That article elicited quite a few comments,
especially from the instructors at some of our FOA schools around the
world, and led to some discussions with others in our field, including
manufacturers. Several topics seem to warrant further discussion, so we
thought it would be interesting to share some of our notes and encourage
more inputs before we cover the topics in detail in future issues of the
newsletter.
Here are some of the topics of the comments. Some, we promise, are controversial! Feel free to comment.
Aerial Cable Plant
Do people still use aerial cable plants? The problems aerial
cables have with weather make them unreliable and not cheaper when they
have to be repaired after damage during disasters. Many areas around the
world are putting all new cables underground.
Some areas don't use messenger wires on aerial cables because of
the problems with lightning strikes. Others complain about the weight of
the messengers causing strain on the poles. They use ADSS cable
instead. ADSS cable is easier and faster to install, even costs less.
Why are ADSS cables still mainly marketed to electrical utilities?
They are popular with utilities because they can be installed closer to
power conductors, but they also make sense if you are installing new
fiber optic cables, especially in rural areas, maybe anywhere.
Who allows cables to be installed with such poor workmanship? Don't the cables get inspected before they are accepted?
Pulling vs. Blowing Cables
Microcables and microducts are becoming more widely used so cables are being blown into ducts not pulled.
Microcables now include cables with more fibers, making them a choice for most installations.
Microducts are easier to install, even possible in currently used
ducts, and easy to include multiple ducts for future expansion.
Microducts are not just for microtrenching. Their small size
allows multiple ducts to be placed when only a single typical duct would
be placed, simplifying the "Dig Once" policy (installing extra ducts
whenever doing underground construction.
Microtrenching vs. Directional Boring
It seems some users prefer directional boring as less disruptive.
Malibu, CA just installed ~7.5 miles (12 km) of duct along the Pacific Coast Highway by directional boring.
Flexible vs. Hard Ribbon Cable
Some cable manufacturers have said traditional hard ribbons are obsolete and future cables will be flexible ribbon cables.
There are so many hard ribbon cables already installed that the need to know how to prepare and splice them will not go away.
Some contractors say they prefer hard ribbons which they claim are are easier to splice.
We've also been told that some flexible ribbons are easier to work with than others. Likewise fusion splicers.
There is a lot there, isn't there? It provides us lots of topics for
investigation and future articles. Should all cables be made like
microcables? Should all cables above a certain number of fibers be
flexible ribbons? Should all aerial cables be ADSS? Who makes the
"best" fusion splicer or other tools? None of these questions have
"black or white" answers, but all merit discussion.
What topics do YOU think should be added to this list? Let FOA Know.
Watch the future FOA Newsletters for more coverage about these issues.
A Quiet But Important Change In The Fiber Optic Cable You Buy
Two manufacturers (Corning and OFS) told FOA the industry is moving towards a G.657.A specification
in fiber, because the industry is moving towards smaller denser cables
in the network & the bend resilience is a requirement for the cable
design.
FOA has rewritten the FOA OTDR Trainer around Fiberizer. The Fiberizer PC
software was the version we used for creating the Trainer, but the basic
techniques apply to all versions of Fiberizer. FOA provides a folder of
sample traces in 3 categories - Parameter Traces, Sample Traces and PON
Traces - around which we build the trainer. If you set up Fiberizer,
you can complete the FOA OTDR Trainer lessons and then use the same
software to analyze other traces you may have, even from other brands of
OTDRs, as long as they are .sor files.
The FOA OTDR Trainer is ready to help you learn about OTDRs. Go to the OTDR Trainer page, tech/ref/testing/OTDR/OTDRsimulator.html, choose your version of Fiberizer, download the FOA Traces and you are ready to go.
FOA wishes to thank VeEX
for permission to use their Fiberizer® software in our OTDR trainer.
And our compliments to them for making the ap available on multiple
platforms that ensure anybody can use it.
NECA/FOA 301 fiber optic installation standard
withdrawn
The NECA/FOA 301 fiber optic installation standard has been
withdrawn. It's almost a quarter century old and a decade since the
last update. It has been decided the standard needs to be replaced with a
more modern document covering current technology and written in a
format that allows easier updating.
In the meantime, there is lots of useful information in the standard and you can still download a free copy from FOA.
The most common way to track projects is the Gantt Chart, a
chart of activities that tracks the progress of projects along a
timeline. each activity is represented by a bar and the position and
length of the bar represents the starting date and duration of the
activity. This allows you to see what activities are needed for the
project, when the activities start and end so it can be used to track
the progress of the project visually. Here is what a Gantt Chart for a
fiber project might look like:
You might remember an article in the FOA Newsletter in April 2022 or the FOA Guide page on Project Management about the timing of a fiber optic project where we showed the progression of steps in a project like this:
The Gantt Chart is simply this list converted to a Gantt Chart
using a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. You can download a copy of the FOA Gantt Chart spreadsheet (xlsx file - 16kB)
and use it to create your own Gantt Chart for any project. All you have
to do is to input your own data and change the activity names as
necessary. You can also follow the directions from Microsoft to create your own version.
Help On Color Codes (Including Copper Cabling And Fiber Optics)
The FOA has created a print-your-own pocket guide to fiber
optic color codes. It has
color codes for fibers and buffer tubes, connectors and premises cables
inside and on the back, QR codes to take you directly to the FOA Guide
and Fiber U. The FOA
Guide page on Fiber Optic Color Codes is one of the most read pages on the FOA
website and the Fiber Optic Color Codes minicourse on Fiber U very popular also.
FOA received an inquiry about whether techs
working on restoring OSP links should be concerned about eye safety if
the link used fiber amplifiers. To answer this question, we had to do some research on fiber amplifiers.
The short answer is YES, you should be concerned. The long answer is
more technical and includes details that every OSP tech needs to know.
FOA
has written many articles about loss budgets,
something everyone involved in fiber optics needs to
know and needs to know how to calculate. We've
created a online Loss Budget Calculator that does
the work for you. Just input your cable plant data
and it calculates the loss budget. It works on any
device, especially smartphones and tablets for field
use and even allows printing the results.
Recent articles from The FOA Newsletter
Fake OTDR Traces Submitted For Testing Documentation January 2023 Tech
Using OTDRs To Test Transoceanic Cables And PONs February 2023
POF - the Other Fiber March 2023
What Do Employers Expect From A Fiber Optic Tech? April 2023
Are Standards Ignoring The OSP? May 2023
FOA Has Proven Results In Fiber Optic Workforce Development June 2023
BEAD Funding For States Announced And Analyzed July 2023
Wisdom From The Street (Analyzing the printing on a fiber optic cable) July 2023
Focus On Disasters August 2023
FOA's Role In Education and Work Done By Fiber Techs September 2023
The Workforce: New US DoL Bureau of Labor Statistics Telecom Tech Category October 2023
How Many Telecom Techs Do We Need and How Big Is The Fiber Optic Market November 2023
Guidelines For Fiber Optic Project Planners December 2023
2023 Year In Review. Kentucky Shows The Value Of Fiber January 2024.
What is Broadband? History of the Cable Modem February 2024
It's Just Economics. Things you need to know. March 2024.
Fiber To The Shore - Undersea cables along the coast April, 2024.
The Future Of The Fiber Tech May 2024.
Worth Reading (And
Watching Or Listening):
January
Rocky times ahead for broadband in 2025 - BBCmag - Veteran telecom analyst and journalist Steve Ross looks at the current situation in the US telecom/broadband market.
Hybrid FO/Power Cabling for Wireless Access Points
- R&M - Next generation WiFi and DAS exceeds the capability of POE
on UTP cabling, so the solution is a hybrid cable with fiber and copper
power conductors
Broadband Infrastructure Safety
- California public Utilities Commissoin - CalPUC creaded a web page to
cover a topic not often discussed in relation to broadband but highly
important
2024 Damage Prevention Report Card - Aii - Review of the damage caused by underground construction and how states and technology are working to prevent it.
Previously:
Too Few Middle-Skills Credentials to Meet Future Job Demand - Inside Higher Ed Most providers have to double the number of credentials they
produce for well-paying jobs that don't require a bachelor’s to avoid
workforce gaps, a new report finds. The Fiber Optic Association Reaches Milestone - ISE Magazine FOA certifies over 100,000 fiber optic technicians. The Other Fiber Optic Workforce(s) - ISE Magazine The workforce required to build BEAD-funded fiber optic projects goes beyond technicians. 2024 Optical Fiber Reference Guide - M2 Optics A
comprehensive list of single mode and multimode optical fibers
currently available from several of the world’s leading manufacturers.
Very useful.
Podcast Telecommunications Industry Therapy Podcast: Future of The Fiber Optic Network JULY 10, 2024 by Scott Stekr and Michelle Kang of
Telecommunications Industry Forum interview Jim Hayes, President of The
Fiber Optic Association to provide clarification on what fiber
optic networks are, who builds them, and what the FOA is doing to help
train and grow the workforce.
Deep Dives (Takes a while to read but worth it)
Investing In Fiber Optic Networks -Hexatronic - not
like venture capital investing, but how financial decisions in network
design may have big effects on the total cost of a network.
VIAVI "NITRO" Fiber Sensing Solutions - VIAVI
is offering systems to use fibers as sensors for finding cabling
problems, structural monitoring and security. Focus is on electrical
power transmission, piplelines, and critical infrastructure. IT might
apply to your network.
Quote of the month, May 2024: “Middle mile is like the
middle child that keeps getting ignored. If we continue ignoring it, at
one point in time, we will not be able to connect all of these new last
mile connections that we are planning on building in the next four
years.” Sachin Gupta, Director of Government Business & Economic Development
at Centranet.
Can Our Industry Develop Fiber Talent? ISE Magazine. Learn how states, schools and training organizations must work together to develop fiber field talent.
CABL® (cabl.com)serves
the business needs of the Broadband industry (including traditional
cable TV, fiber, telecom and satellite providers) with employment
listings, classified ads, discussion forums, and more.A contractor told us it's where they find lots of opportunities for subcontracting.
Worth Reading - Magazines, Websites and Newsletters
CABL® (cabl.com) serves
the business needs of the Broadband industry (including traditional
cable TV, fiber, telecom and satellite providers) with employment
listings, classified ads, discussion forums, and more. A contractor told us it's where they find lots of opportunities for subcontracting.
As
part of celebrating 3 decades serving the fiber
optic industry as its primary source of technical
information and independent certifying body, FOA
thought it appropriate to create a short history of
the organization and how it has developed to
help the fiber optic industry. We also wanted to
recognize the contributions many people have made to
the organization over the years that made FOA what
it is today.
The FOA history is on the FOA
website where you can read it or link to
it.
The First Transcontinental Telephone Line
began operation on July 29th in 1915 - 3400 miles between New
York and San Francisco - required over 100,000 telephone poles! Wonders
of World Engineering
"Who Lost Lucent?: The
Decline of America's Telecom Equipment Industry"
This is a MUST READ for managers in telecom or any
industry! Communications Systems Grounding
Rules: Article 800 provides specific
requirements by
Michael
Johnston, NECA Executive Director of
Standards and Safety in EC Magazine How
To Build Rural Broadband, Learning From History In the August 2021
FOA Newsletter, we published a lengthy article on
rural broadband and compared it to rural
electrification in America in the last century.
Much of the comparison was based on an article
written in 1940 by a USDA economist, Robert Beall,
called "Rural Electrification." If
you are interested in or involved in rural
broadband, we recommend you read the article "How
To Build Rural Broadband, Learning From History"
in the August 2021 FOA Newsletter and
read the Beall article also.
IEC 60050 - International
Electrotechnical Vocabulary - An
extensive dictionary for fiber optics in English and
French. Highly technical - this is one definition:
"mode - one solution of Maxwell's equations,
representing an electromagnetic field in a certain
space domain and belonging to a family of
independent solutions defined by specified boundary
conditions"
DIRT
Report On Damage To Utilities Common Ground
Alliance (CGA) annual DIRT report provides a
summary and analysis of the events submitted into
CGA’s Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) for
the year 2018. The complete report is available
for download here. In addition,
there is an interactive dashboard that
allows users to filter the data more by
factors contributing to damages.
Besides
the FOA reference materials, two JDSU/VIAVI
textbooks, Reference Guide to Fiber Optic Testing,
Volumes 1 and 2, were used as references for
some of the FOA courses and are recommended for
instructors and students. The books are available
from VIAVI as eBooks and the everyone should
download them and recommend them to others.Download
yours now. Volume 1. Volume 2. Viavi Books
When readers ask us questions, we genrally refer them to FOA
resources where they can find the answer to their question and many
more. We first send them to the FOA Guide
which is the table of contents for the FOA technical resources. There
they can find pages indexed by topic and a search engine for the FOA
website. It also links them to FOA videos and courses on our free online learning site Fiber U.
The FOA
Fiber FAQs Page (FAQs = frequently asked
questions) gathers up questions readers have
asked us (which first ran in this newsletter)
and adds tech topics of general interest.
Good Question!
Tech
Questions/Comments From FOA Newsletter Readers
Copper Tech Wants To Learn Fiber Optics Q: I am originally from copper installations and faults
finding. I would like to get involved in Optic fibre faults and
finding, how do I go if there is a possible training it will be highly
appreciated, A: Just learn about fiber, especially fiber testing and troubleshooting. Fiber U has courses you can take for free.
OSP Installation Standards Q: I'm looking for standards for fiber optic OSP installation. A: The whole issue of OSP standards has been one FOA been
trying to get standards bodies interested in for years with little
success, probably because it is an enormous project. Right now there are
two documents that address OSP cable plant:
ITU-T Technical Report, TR-OFCS Optical fibres, cables and systems, (3 July 2015)
As you can see, the ITU document is almost 10 years old and a lot has changed in that time.
Is The FOA CFOT® A License?
Q: Can you use a CFOT certification to install fiber and charge for it? Or do you need other licenses as well? ;
A: FOA Certification is considered evidence of competence and
accepted worldwide by many companies, groups, etc. Licenses are a legal
credential required by local authorities to conduct business for
anything from a barber to a truck triver to contractors doing fiber or
other work. Most locales require a license as a contractor which may
require a fiber specialty. You need to investigate this with your local
authorities.
Pulling Fiber Optic Cables In Metal Conduit
Q: Often when constructing fibre, it is encased in steel pipes (e.g. when being attached to buildings or bridges.
I am seeking guidance on a case where the encasement has to make a right
angle (or less) turn. How is the installation done? Considering
possible challenges in duct laying and fibre pushing / blowing
A: The bend radius of the conduit should be kept large to not cause
excess friction on the cable that would require high pulling tension.
Low friction plastic duct can be pulled into the conduit first or cable
lubricant used before the cable is pulled into the duct or conduit.
Radiation Effects In Fiber Optic Cables
Q: We were asked about fiber optic cables in presents of nuclear
radiation in reactors. Will radiation affect the glass fiber?. Is jacket
material affected by radiation?
A: This has been a topic of discussion and study since the first
optical fiber use, first relative to use in nuclear power plants and
nuclear powered subs and ships. Today fiber is used in satellites and
the ISS. Fiber can be sensitive to radiation and is therefore used as a
sensor for radiation in some experiments. Normal fibers work in most
environments - wherever t is safe for humans - and special fibers and
cables are used in high-radiation areas.
PC and APC Connectors
Q: Can you confirm whether there is a 1 mm gap in APC and UPC optical connectors?
A: PC, UPC and APC connectors are all physical contact connectors -
that’s what “PC” means. If you had a gap between the connectors when
making a connection you would have higher loss and reflectance except on
the APC.
Broken Fibers
Q: What could be the main reasons for this? A buried fibre cable has
broken cores, such that different cores break at different distances
(e.g. core 1 and 2 break at 6 km, core 5 and 9 break at 28km, etc) Why
would a core break at a point where other cores are not even showing a
loss?
A: A likely cause is exceeding the pulling tension or bend radius of
the cable during installation. How it affects fibers could be due to
the alignment of fibers at different points or how the cable was
stressed during installation. Often fiber is pulled using pulleys too
small or over a small radius exiting a duct.
Questions On Restoration Repair;
Q: I have been in several debates about fiber restoration, and
whether a cable being repaired should have all the fibers spliced
through the damage or just the active ones. The people I have the debate
with typically use the line "we follow industry standards" I am
inquiring about where I may find this issue referenced? I have many of
your books (if not all) but it would help me save time if you could tell
me where this specific issue is addressed? For the record, I am for
splicing all cables through and making the cable whole, to reduce
troubleshooting, and the ability to utilize existing fiber to install
new customers or roll a customer to a different fiber if their assigned
fiber needs to be repaired.
A: Let’s address the standards issue first. OSP standards are almost
nonexistent.. When it comes to restoration itself, the goal should be
to restore service as quickly as possible- e.g. splice enough fibers for
current service - then complete the restoration to return the cable
plant to its condition before the damage was done. Considering the time
required to locate, have techs drive to the site, prepare the cable for
repair and then return the cable plant to a secure situation (aerial or
underground), it seems “penny wise and pound foolish” to not complete
the jonb by splicing all the fibers. Do those who argue otherwise think
saving a few minutes now justifies having to do another major project in
the future to restore the other fibers?
Past Questions
OTDR Measures Fiber Length
Q: What property (or defect) of SM G.652D could possibly lead to
span length (fiber length determined by OTDR) being shorter than cable
length? The cable length is 2.517km vs 2.508km fiber length.*
A: It is not uncommon for the OTDR measured fiber distance to differ
from the cable distance read from the cable jacket. OTDR measurements
have errors typically greater than the differences you gave. However
there is another likely difference. THe OTDR measures time of flight
(test pulse out and return) to the end of the cable and calculates the
length based on the index of refraction of the fiber. Most cables have a
fiber length about 1% longer than the cable length to prevent stress on
the fiber when the cable is pulled, so your results showing the fiber
length as being shorter indicated the particular fiber in the cable has
an index of refraction that is different from the value being used by
the OTDR. This is a parameter which can be set if you know the proper
value for the fibers used in the cable.
What is Long Haul?
Q: Do we have a characterisation for long haul plant in terms of
length? How long should a fibre plant be to be called long haul? How
long is a metro and a campus fibre? Apart from length, are there any
other features required for a fibre plant to be called "long haul"?
A: There is no standard definition for “long haul,” but most people probably use the following guidelines:
Long haul: >20km
Metro: 2-20km
Campus: <2km
Premises: <500m
Again, there are no standards for the term “long haul,” so while most
long haul today is high speed (>10Gb/s) and may include WDM, some
long haul systems for special applications like electrical utility grid
monitoring may go long distances but at very low bit rates.
What's The Light Path Link
Q: Generally, how much does the distance travelled by the light
pulse (one way) differ from the length of the fibre (as measured on the
drum) There are probably differences (how ever small) between the
path of the light pulse (as it ping-pongs inside the core) and the
length of the strand.
A: In singlemode fiber, the light path length is the fiber length.
In multimode fiber it depends on the type of fiber and the individual
modes. Cable is generally made with the fiber being about 1% longer than
the cable to prevent tension on the cable elongating it and stressing
the fiber.
Reducing Attenuation
Q: What is the best way of reducing fiber optic attenuation
A: In any cable plant, the loss comes from the loss of the optical
fiber and loss at joints (splices or mated connectors) plus any stress
losses caused by bad installation of the cable. For a give cable plant,
the options are lower loss fiber or lower loss at joints. If you need
lower loss, the fiber loss is a function of the attenuation coefficient
(dB/km) times the length (km)., e.g 0.4dB/km X 10 km = 4.0 dB. So if the
length is fixed, you can try to find lower loss fiber. The loss at
joints is a fucntion of the methods of joining. Splices have very low
loss - 0.1 dB or less on singlemode fiber. slightly more on multimode
fiber. Connections can have loss from 0.1 dB to more than 0.5 dB,
depending on the type of connector chosen. On SM fiber, if connecctors
are top quality fusion splice on connectors and are properly cleaned
loss can be under 0.2 dB. Some connectors like the MPO multifiber array
connector can have losses up to 0.75 dB or more. Replacing connectors
with fusion splices is also a way to lower loss at joints. Here is a
reference to loss budgets: https://foa.org/tech/lossbudg.htm
Safe handling of fiber optics;
Q: Is there a particular glove recommended for safe handling of
FO's? I appreciate dexterity in handling may be important, but glass
shards / splinters into the skin is a significant risk as well. There
are vague references to using gloves, but looking for the preferred /
recommended type of glove.
A: Gloves are hard to use when dealing with bare fiber but thin
surgical gloves work for some people. Regular gloves are too clumsy and
some cannot stop fiber penetration. When working with cable, especially
armored cable or large cables, work gloves are good protection. You can
also get kevlar gloves that resist cuts but are flexible and cooler.
They are often advertised as kitchen gloves to prevent knife cuts.
Fault Location
Q: How do you detect fault location of fiber optics in the field? How much time it takes to detect geo-location?
A: The simple answer is an OTDR but the physical location depends on
cable plant documentation and location data like GIS data. The time
depends on the availability of data and equipment. Minutes to days?
"Certified' Cables
Q: we will be using a large number of fiber cables . We have
specific testing and reporting requirements for the cables that are
shipped to us. Each end needs to be tested in accordance with
IEC-61300-3-35, IEC 61300-1:2022 with automated analysis microscopy.
Instead of purchasing the cables and getting them certified upon
receiving them, is there an option out there that allows you to purchase
Fiber Optic Cables that have already been certified according to the
above listed requirements and come with some sort of clear proof of
that?
A: The question is the matter of definition of “certified.”
Generally it means testing to a standard as you note. Any reputable
manufacturer of these cables will supply documentation with the cables
that includes loss testing and connector inspection reports. If
the cable manufacturer does not supply that documentation, I suggest
finding another supplier. At incoming, it may be desirable to do a
AQL sampling, but testing these cables is very specialized. Not many
contractors are equipped with the special test equipment needed.
Calibrating Multimode Optical Power Meters
Q: Should I be calibrating multimode optical power meters with an
LED source or a laser? I know that standards call for testing multimode
loss with LEDs not lasers.
A: The reason standards call for testing MM fiber with LEDs is the
coherence of lasers leads to modal noise in the fibers and unpredictable
variations in loss. But the wide spectral width of LEDs makes
calibration less accurate than when using lasers at the correct
wavelengths. Calibrate meters with lasers, test fibers with LEDs.
Color Codes On Higher Fiber Count Cables
Q: Why do buffer tubes 13-24 repeat the colors with a black stripe
(black will have a yellow stripe)? Why does it start with black
stripe vs starting with blue? And what happens when you get to black
tube color again do you skip it?
A: Color codes are an interesting topic. The basic color codes go
back to the beginnings of multi-pair phone cables. TIA added color codes
for premises cable jackets and connectors in TIA-598 to the 1-12 color
codes for fibers and buffer tubes. FOA covers that basic system in the
online Guide here: https://foa.org/tech/ColCodes.htm
The question about the second black fiber, fiber 20, is an interesting
one. Many cables use black with a yellow stripe but Corning uses a clear
buffer with a black stripe.
https://www.corning.com/catalog/coc/documents/application-engineering-notes/AEN029.pdf
It turns out that cable manufacturers don’t all do it the same way
for higher fiber counts. Most use the 1-12 colors for fibers and the
same for buffer tubes. 12 fibers per colored buffer tube is the
tradition, but there are 24 fibers in some tubes, so it’s 1-24 colors.
Ribbon cables are another story. With the older hard ribbon designs,
cable manufacturers often printed information on each ribbon. Those are
becoming obsolete and you can’t print on the new flexible ribbons the
same way, so I’ve seen schemes to print dots and dashes on the fibers in
the ribbons!
So what we have is a standard, but standards are voluntary, so not everybody follows them!
Repairing Fiber Optic Connector Ferrules
Q: Can you take an existing fiber optic number connector and polish
the end if the end is to dirty or damaged that it cannot be cleaned via
dry or wet methods?
A: Yes, using special polishing techniques. We have a page on that in the FOA Guide: Fiber Optic Connector Repair
Grounding Armored Jumper Cables
Q: Do you need to bond/ground FTTH drop "jumpers" that ise an armored cable?
A: Yes, just like any other cable that has conductive elements. A
manufacturer of the cables Tinifiber seems to agree:
https://tinifiber.com/bonding-and-grounding-armored-fiber-cable/
I do not know of any fiber optic connectors that address this, unlike the RJ-45/modular 8-pin connectors for UTP copper.
Disoposal Of Fiber Optic Cables
Q: How does an organization dispose of unwanted fiber optic cables in an environmentally safe manner?
A: We recommend that users save some reels leftover from an installation
for possible use in restoration. If a cable break occurs, getting cable
quickly can be a problem. We also have a contact who says he can
recycle fiber optic cable:
Contact: Steve Maginnis, LD4Recycle/ CommuniCom Recycling, (Visit
website https://ld4recycle.com), sm@LD4Recycle.com, 803.371.5436
Otherwise, it is basically landfill.
Finding Buried Fiber Optic Cables Q: We have a client that needs their private fiber
located. We have been on site and confirmed the lines were
installed with no tracer wire or conductive conduit/sheathing.
Want to know if you had any suggestions on how to locate or if there was
specialized equipment that I am aware of. A: Interesting question on an important topic. The answer is a
qualified maybe. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) can sometimes spor fiber
optic cable, maybe more easily if it is in duct or conduit. It requires
someone with a lot of experince in GPR. There are companies around the
US with this capability. Then there is a new proposal using the sensing
capability of fiber with above ground vibrators. Nothing commercial is
available here as far as I know.
https://www.winlab.rutgers.edu/~hansiiii/papers/OECC_2020_Liu.pdf
Fiber Optics For Alarm Systems
Q: Can you please help me with having information about if do you know
if someone did use fiber for complete fire alarm systems, sensor, smoke
detectors, panels etc.
A: FOA checked with my technical contact at the IBEW, Jim Simpson, for this topic. Here is his answer:
NFPA does indeed have requirements for fiber in fire alarm systems. Keep
in mind, the requirements may vary depending on which edition of NFPA
72 the jurisdiction has adopted. The info below is based on the 2022
NFPA 72.
Chapter 12 covers Circuits and Pathways
Section 27.4 covers Communications Methods
Section 27.7 covers Public Cable Plant
Updating FOA Courses And Reference Materials
Q: How often are FOA courses updated? And when they get updated, what happens to those who would have done a previous version?
A: The FOA certifications are updated as needed to stay current with
technology and applications. Udates are incremental and we do not
require current certification holders to retake courses or exams. Some
of our updates are almost humorous. For example, over the last 20 years
the definitions of “hybrid” and “composite” cables have flipped twice in
several international standards. At the last time, we changed all
references to these cable types in all our materials to note the
confusion it creates, then purged all questions from our exams that
covered this confusing topic.
Fiber Optic Color Codes Reference Chart
Q: Has anyone made a fiber optic pocket reference chart that has cable
color orders, frequencies, or other commonly used info on it? A: The FOA has a page on its Online Guide that covers color codes
(https://foa.org/tech/ColCodes.htm). It is the most popular page in the
FOA Guide! It works great with a smartphone.
Free online
self-study programs on many fiber optics and
cabling topics are available at Fiber U, FOA's
online web-based training website. Free online training at
Fiber U
Tempo Communication's brand-new Learning Management System (LMS),
Providing the tools and knowledge you need to succeed in every job you
tackle. Available to all technicians in the telecommunications,
electrical, and related fields.
Access free, on-demand educational courses
Broaden your skill set with practical, job-focused training
Stay ahead in your industry with courses designed for real-world applications
Online Credentials For FOA Schools And Certified Instructors
FOA switched to online credentials 1-1/2 years ago. Now every active FOA
certified fiber optic and premises cabling tech has an online
credential they can use to prove their certification, print paper
certificates and share on social media. When they add another
certification or renew, their online credential is updated.
FOA has now expanded the online credentials to its network of FOA
Approved training organizations and FOA Certified Fiber Optic
Instructors (CFOS/I and CPCT/I.) Now FOA Approved training organizations
and FOA Certified Fiber Optic Instructors can now also share their
credentials online.
Those evaluating fiber optic or premises cabling training organizations
will be able to quickly determine the status of the training
organization they are considering by following the link to the
organizations online credential. Likewise the qualifications of the
instructor are also available on their online credential which lists all
their FOA certifications.
The Types of Work Done By Fiber Techs And How It Affects Training
What is a fiber optic technician? What kinds of work
do they do? Those topics were the center of FOA discussions with the US
Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics that led to the new job
category of "Telecommunications Technician" on the BLS
website. The focus of this job category is primarily the
installation and operation of the fiber optic cable plant, but one
should not forget the cable plant must be designed also as part of a
more extensive communications network.
In our discussion with the BLS analysts, we pointed out the various
stages of a fiber optic communications network project and how techs
with various knowledge and skill sets are needed and involved in every
step. Here is how FOA defines these stages of a project and the skills
of the techs. This is not unique to FOA; it's what has been traditional
at telecom companies forever.
Planning and Design: Once needs for a communications network is
established, project managers will be responsible for all the details of
the project while experienced fiber techs trained and experienced in
fiber optic network design (CFOS/D) will design the cable plant itself. (FOA Guide - Design)
Construction: Aerial cable plants may require installing new poles or
doing make-ready on existing poles and messengers. Underground
construction requires trenching and installation of ducts. In many cases
the actual construction is done by general construction workers, as the
construction work in many cases is not unique to fiber optics. Heavy
machinery is required for much of the construction work and training is
focused on safety as well as operating the machinery. (FOA Guide - Construction)
Fiber Optic Cable Installers: Once the route is prepared, the fiber
optic cable can be installed. Aerial cable installation depends on the
type of cable. Regular OSP cable, figure 8 cable and ADSS cable requires
special hardware and installation techniques so the techs must
understand the process appropriate for each cable. (FOA Guide - Installation)
Splicers: Since the beginning, fiber techs have been called
"splicers"
because that was the original job unique to fiber optics. Construction
and cable installation was not very different from earlier copper
cables, but splicing was very different. Even today, fiber techs are
often called splicers and splicing is a core skill for any fiber tech
whether they are joining cables or terminating them. (FOA Guide - Splicing)
Testers: After the fiber optic cable is installed and spliced,
it must be tested. Testing goes together with splicing since every
splice will be tested, often as soon as it is made so if it needs
redoing, it should be done before the splice closure is sealed. (FOA Guide - Testing)
Network Operators: Once the cable plant is built and the communications
equipment installed, it needs techs who know how to operate the comms
but may only know how to connect new gear or change connections on
current gear. These techs should also know how to troubleshoot systems
in an outage and either do the restoration themselves or call a tech who
can. (FOA Guide - Operation)
These categories merely define the stages of installation of a fiber
optic project. Of course there are subsets of these categories and most
fiber techs are expected to have skills and jobs that cross into
multiple groups, as FOA has defined in the KSAs (knowledge, skills and abilities) for a CFOT.
What an individual worker does differs according to their job. An
independent fiber contractor may cover every job except
operation and a FTTH subscriber installation tech may only understand
installing cables, testing and connecting equipment within the scope of
FTTH systems. A construction company may handle the trenching and even
pole setting as well as parts of the traditional fiber work.
The FOA defined its role early on to focus on educating and
certifying techs in the fiber specific skills: cable installation,
splicing, testing and restoration. FOA would like to see more schools
get into the construction phase, especially for newer techniques like
microtrenching and blowing cable, but these require large outdoor areas
for training and large investments in equipment. Most techs who learn
these processes now do it with OJT - on-the-job-training - and hopefully get OSHA
training for safety.
FOA School News
FOA's roster of approved schools is growing as more organizations
recognize our expertise in workforce development and our comprehensive
support for getting new schools started. FOA has over 25 years
experience and nearly 100,000 certified fiber techs (with ~130,000
certifications). As a non-profit organization founded by the industry
specifically to develop a competent workforce, FOA provides the
consultation, curriculum and contacts to get schools started as a free
service to new schools.
Need A Fiber Optic Course Onsite? Invite an FOA School To Come To You
FOA often gets inquiries from an organization that
has personnel that needs training in fiber optics. Recent inquiries have
included contractors, a manufacturer of high-reliability products using
fiber optics and a cable manufacturer. In many cases, where there are
several people needing training, FOA can recommend a FOA Approved School
and Certified Instructor who will come to their location to teach a
class. The advantage is of course the savings in travel costs if
the class comes to you, but it also offers the opportunity to customize
the course to fit your needs, even use your equipment or work on your
components, so the training is more relevant to those taking the class.
Contact FOA to discuss the idea of a custom, on-site class to see if it will better meet your needs.
Fiber U
On-The-Job Training (OJT) Program
The
FOA Fiber U OJT program for novices combines online study at
Fiber U with OJT with mentoring by experienced
co-workers and their supervisor to help new employees
develop into experienced FOA-certified technicians.
The FOA Fiber U “OJT-To-Cert”
program includes both fiber optics
and premises cabling (copper, fiber & wireless),
so it covers techs working in both outside plant and
premises jobs.
Like other FOA
programs, the OJT-To-Cert program is free. If you
and/or your company is interested in the FOA
OJT-To-Cert program, contact FOA.
FOA
Direct Certification Program For Experienced Fiber Optic Techs
Experience Plus
Online Study At Fiber U = FOA Certification
Experienced fiber optic technicians can become FOA Certified using
their experience in fiber optics and study for the
FOA certification exams online at Fiber U.Thousands of
industry professionals have applied to the FOA
directly for certification without the need for
classroom training, based on their knowledge and
skills developed working the field. Since FOA
certifications are based on KSAs (knowledge, skills
and abilities), current techs can show the
skills and abilities required through their field
experience. FOA provides free online self-study courses at Fiber U for the knowledge
part to prepare you for FOA certification exams
which you can also take online.
If you are an experienced field tech interested in
certification, and FOA is the internationally
recognized certifying body for fiber optics, you can
find out more about the FOA Direct Certification Programhere.
If you are already a CFOT, FOA also offers many
specialist certifications you can obtain based on
your experience as a field tech. See what's
available at Fiber
U.
Fiber U "Basic Fiber
Optics" Online Self-Study Course Now In Spanish
El curso de
autoaprendizaje en línea "Fibra óptica básica" de
Fiber U ahora en español
El sitio de
aprendizaje en línea de FOA, Fiber U, tiene más de
dos docenas de cursos de autoaprendizaje gratuitos
sobre fibra óptica y cableado de instalaciones.
Como era de esperar, el tema más popular es el
curso "Fibra óptica básica", que se utiliza para
iniciarse en la fibra óptica y como curso de
preparación para realizar el examen de
certificación FOA CFOT.
Ahora el curso básico
de fibra óptica está disponible en español,
utilizando el libro de texto FOA en español, la
sección de la Guía en línea en español y la
capacidad de YouTube para traducir subtítulos de
video al español. El curso funciona exactamente
como la versión en inglés con 10 lecciones, cada
una con cuestionarios y una opción para tomar un
examen de Certificado de finalización.
Para presentar el nuevo curso de
español Fiber U, el examen Certificate of
Completion es gratuito, así que dígaselo a sus
contactos.
New Fiber U Course: Fiber Characterization
FOA has added a new course at Fiber U on Fiber Characterization. Fiber
characterization is the process for testing long fiber cable plants for
its ability for carrying high speed communications. With so many
networks now operating at 100, 200, 400 or even 800 Gb/s, fiber
characterization is important, especially on older fiber optic cable
plants.The free Fiber U Fiber Characterization course is available in two forms, as a standalone Fiber U fiber Characterization Course with its own Fiber U Certificate of Completion and as a separate Lesson in the Fiber U Fiber Optic Testing course. This course is recommended for those studying for the FOA CFOS/FC Fiber Characterization certification.
Fiber U MiniCourses: Got An Hour Or Less?
Learn Something New About Fiber Optics.
FOA
has introduced a new type of Fiber U
course, the MiniCourse, a free online course you
could take in a short time, perhaps as you ate lunch
at your desk or took a coffee break. The
topics of these courses should explain what they are
about, and these are all very important topics to
fiber optic techs.
New Fiber U MiniCourse - Fiber Optic Jargon
There is a new MiniCourse at Fiber U - Fiber Optic Jargon.
Jargon is the most important thing you need to learn when you learn
about a new technology. This short Fiber U MiniCourse is intended to
introduce you to fiber optic jargon and make learning about fiber much
easier. It's aimed at novices but is a good refresher for even
experienced techs. Fiber Optics In Communications
The courses have two components, video lectures and
readings, that are complementary. As usual there is
a self-test to allow you to check your
comprehension. As with other Fiber U courses if you
desire, you can take a short test for a Fiber U
Certificate of Completion that costs
only $10. All these free courses and many more
are available at Fiber U.
What Fiber Techs
Don't Know -
What We Learn From
FOA Certification Tests
As
FOA moves more testing over to our digital online
testing system at ClassMarker, we have access to
more data about our testing, including what
questions and topics on the tests are answered
incorrectly most often. Having this data gives us an
opportunity to evaluate the questions and how they
are stated, but more importantly it allow us to help
our instructors teach the subjects and us to change
our curriculum and online courses to emphasize these
particular topics. These are some of the topics that
we have noticed are answered incorrectly more often
in FOA and Fiber U tests.
Most of the questions missed are on testing.
1. OTDRs - particularly what information is in the
OTDR trace.
2. The difference between dB and dBm
3. Loss budgets - both the concepts and doing the
math
4. Insertion loss testing - single-ended or double
ended for testing patchcords or cable plants, how to
set 0dB references
5. Units of measure - fiber is measured in microns,
wavelengths in nanometers, etc.
At FOA, we're working to add Fiber
U MiniCourses on these topics and working with
our schools to emphasize these topics in their
classes.
If you are going to be taking a FOA certification
course or test in the near future, these topics
should be on your final exam study list.
What We Learn From Hands On Labs
We learn about students performance in hands-on labs
from the feedback of our instructors and our own
experiences too. One big problem is the use of hand
tools. Growing up today, you learn how to use
keyboards, mouses and touch screens, but decades
ago, you also learned how to use basic hand tools.
This is big enough of a problem that we're
considering adding some video lessons on basic hand
tools to prepare students for cable prep,
termination and splicing that require the use of
hand tools.
FOA offers free online self-study programs at Fiber U.
Many users are preparing for FOA certification
programs - taking courses at our schools or using
the Direct Certification program. Some of our
schools are requiring Fiber U programs as
prerequisites for their classroom courses so they
can spend more time on hands-on activities.
Publications /
Resources
Cross Reference To FOA Tech Materials
FOA has so much technical reference material, we created a cross reference guide to the textbooks,
Online Guide and Fiber U courses, all the FOA technical information.
Besides the textbooks, online Guide and Fiber U, each section of the
Guide also includes links to the 100+ FOA videos available.
To help those new to fiber optic workforce development, FOA has created a web page we call "Fiber Optic Workforce Development."
In this page, we share what we have learned about the fiber optic
workforce, who they are and how they learn their trade. We discuss what
defines a fiber optic tech and how they should be certified.
Just like they say in the product ads, it's new and improved!
It has been 5 years since we have updated the FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optics,
so it is certainly time for an update. The latest version is different
enough we call it a new edition. Many of the updates are for new
technologies which are reshaping the fiber optic industry like coherent
transmission, BI fibers, etc. We've also added a section on the fiber
optic workforce which has much relevance because this book is used to
train those entering the workforce.
We've also worked on making the book more readable, adding formatting that eases reading and a new comprehensive index.
Inflation was an issue, but the price only goes up $2 to $29.95 for the paperback and $12.95 for the Kindle version.
The new edition of the FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optics is available from Amazon and booksellers worldwide.
New In Spanish - Nuevo en español
FOA Spanish Textbook And Online Guide Updated
The FOA Spanish textbook and Online Guide on basic fiber optics has just
been updated. The new version includes all the latest updates and is
intended for use with FOA CFOT certification classes presented in
Spanish. Both paperback and Kindle versions are available. The textbook and the updated CFOT class
curriculum are available now.
Libro de texto en español y guía en línea de FOA actualizados
Se acaba de actualizar el libro de texto en español y la Guía Online de FOA
sobre fibra óptica básica. La nueva versión incluye las últimas
actualizaciones y está diseñada para usarse con las clases de
certificación FOA CFOT presentadas en español. Están disponibles
versiones de bolsillo y Kindle. El libro de texto y el plan de estudios
actualizado de la clase CFOT ya están disponibles.
FOA Adds Fiber Optic Network Design in Spanish
The FOA Design textbook and course curriculum are available in Spanish also. The FOA CFOS/D curriculum in Spanish includes the necessary materials
for an instructor to present the course in Spanish and give thCFOS/D
certification exam in Spanish. The material is available to any
FOA-approved school. For more infirmation on becoming a FOA approved
school, go here.
El libro de texto de FOA Design y el plan de estudios
del curso también están disponibles en español. El plan de estudios de
FOA CFOS/D en español incluye los materiales necesarios para que un
instructor presente el curso en español y dé el examen de certificación
CFOS/D en español. El material está disponible para cualquier escuela
aprobada por la FOA. Para obtener más confirmación sobre cómo
convertirse en una escuela aprobada por la FOA, vaya aquí.
Best Seller: Fiber Broadband (Paperback and Kindle)
In less than half a century,
fiber optics has revolutionized communications and to a large extent,
society in general. Broadband, what many today call high speed Internet
access, has become a necessity for everyone, not a luxury. The
technology that makes broadband possible is fiber optics, connecting the
continents, cities, and just about everybody. Even fiber to the home
(FTTH) brings broadband to hundreds of millions worldwide.
How did we get from an era when communications was making a telephone
call or sending a telegram to today’s world where every piece of
information – and misinformation – is available at the click of a mouse
or touch on a screen? How did we get from a time when a phone was
connected on copper wires to being able to connect practically anywhere
on a handheld device with more computing power than was available to
scientists and engineers only decades ago?
How does broadband work? Without fiber optics it would not work.
This book is not the typical FOA technical textbook - it is written for
anyone who wants to understand fiber broadband or fiber optics or the
Internet. It's also aimed at STEM teachers who want to include
communications technology in their classes. This book will try to
explain not only how fiber broadband works, but how
it was developed. It is intended to be an introduction to
communications technology
appropriate for a communications course at almost any level (junior
high, high school or
college,) for managers involved with broadband projects, or for anyone
who just wonders how all this stuff works.
Paperback ($12.95) and Kindle ($9.95) versions available from Amazon or most booksellers. Kindle version is in color!
More Translations of FOA Textbooks
FOA is a very international organization and it works hard to
accommodate the language needs of everyone. We have been translating our
books and website into the languages most requested, and this month, we
add two more textbook translations. We also want to thank Jerry Morla,
FOA CFOS/I instructor and Director who has been doing the recent
translations into Spanish, his native language.
Here is a listing of all the FOA textbook Translations
Spanish Editions:
Guía de Referencia de la Asociación de Fibra Óptica (FOA) Sobre Fibra
Óptica: Guía de estudio para la certificación de la FOA Amazon
La Referencia de Cableado para Predios de la FOA: Guía para Certificación de la FOA Amazon
La Asociación de Fibra Óptica Manual de Fibra Hasta el Hogar : Para
Planificadores, Gestores, Diseñadores, Instaladores y Operadores De
FTTH Amazon
Guía de Referencia de la FOA sobre Diseño de la red de fibra óptica: Guía de Estudio para la Certificación de la FOA Amazon
And the FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optics: French Edition: Le
Guide de référence de la FOA pour la fibre optique et et
guide d'étude pour la certification FOA: Guide d'étude pour
la certification FOA Amazon Portuguese Edition: Guia de Referência sobre Fibra Óptica da FOA : Guia de Estudo para a Certificação da FOA Amazon The subject matter of these books is also translated in the FOA Guide online.
Did
you know YouTube will close caption videos in many
languages?
Sign in with Google to get translations for closed
captioning. Click on the settings icon (red arrow.)
Choose "Subtitles". English is the default
language. Click on the arrow after "English
(auto-generated) >". In the new window click on
"Auto-translate" and choose the language you
want.
FOA Loss Budget
Calculator On A Web Page 5/2020
FOA
has written many articles about loss budgets,
something everyone involved in fiber optics needs to
know and needs to know how to calculate. We recently
discovered how to get a spreadsheet ported to a Web
page, so we created this web page that calculates
loss budgets. We have an iOS loss budget app, but
with this web page, you can calculate loss budgets
from any device, smart phone, tablet, laptop, or
desktop computer that has web browsing capability.
We are continually updating the Online Reference
Guide to keep up with changes in the industry and
adding lots of new pages of technical information.
When you go to the FOA
Guide Table of Contents to see the latest
updates - look for .
The FOA has it's own
reference books for everyone working in fiber
optics - contractors, installers and end users as
well as for use as textbooks in classes at
educational institutions. They are available as
printed books or Kindle at much lower prices than
most textbooks since we self-publish and sell
online, cutting out the middlemen. Click on the
book images for more information. The Reference
Guide To Fiber Optics is also available in
Spanish, French and Portuguese. The Design book is available in English
and Spanish.
Resources For
Teachers In K-12 And Technical Schools
Teachers in all grades can introduce their
students to fiber optic technology with some
simple demonstrations. FOA has created a page for
STEM or STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts
and math) teachers with materials appropriate to
their classes. Fiber Optic Resources For
Teachers.
Safety
On Safety
New Fiber U Course: Fiber
Optic Safety
Safety
must be the first concern of everyone involved in a fiber optic
project, including those planning, designing, managing or supervising
and of course those doing the installation.
FOA is often asked about safety for fiber optics. Some
inquiries ask where it's covered in the FOA Online Guide or textbooks or
if we have a course on safety at Fiber U. Almost all Fiber
U Courses have lessons covering safety, because
safety is important in every aspect of a fiber optic project.
This
new Fiber U course will focus on safety alone. There are two lessons in this course,
fiber optic construction and fiber optic installation. The dividing
line between the two courses is the installation of the fiber optic
cables. Construction leads up to and/or is completed when the cables are
installed. Installation begins when the fiber tech installs the cable,
then completes the splicing, termination testing and documentation. The
overlap between the two is the installation of the cables where both
construction personnel and fiber optic techs are involved.
Here is the new Fiber U "Fiber Optic Safety" self-study program. Take the course and get your certificate of completion.
The FOA is concerned about safety! FOA
considers safety an integral part of all our
programs, curriculum materials and technical
materials. We start all our textbooks and their
online versions with a section on safety in the
first chapter, like this: Before
we get started - Safety First!
The FOA is a, international non-profit
educational association chartered to promote
professionalism in fiber optics through education,
certification and standards.
Founded in 1995 by a dozen prominent fiber optics
trainers and leaders from education,industry and governmentas a professional society for fiber
optics and a source of independent certification,
the FOA has grown to now being involved in numerous
activities to educate the world about fiber optics
and certify the workers who design, build and
operate the world's fiber optic networks.
Want to know more about fiber optics? Study
for FOA certifications? Free
Self-Study Programs are on "Fiber U®."
Looking for specific information? Here's the largest
technical reference on the web: The
FOA Online Fiber Optic Reference Guide.
Free online self-study programs
on many fiber optics and cabling topics are
available at Fiber U,
FOA's online web-based training website.
The
FOA has created a store on Zazzle.com offering lots
of new logo merchandise. It has lots of versions of
shirts and other merchandise with "FOA," "Fiber U,"
"Lennie Lightwave" designs and more so you should
find something just for you! See FOA on Zazzle.
Your
Name, CFOT® - It pays to advertise!
The FOA encourages
CFOTs to use the logo on their business cards,
letterhead, truck or van, etc. and provides logo
files for that purpose. But we are also asked
about how to use the CFOT or CFOS certifications.
Easy, you can refer to yourself as "Your Name,
CFOT" or "Your Name, CFOS/T" for example.
Feel free to use the
logo and designations to promote your achievements
and professionalism!
Contact
FOA at info@thefoa.org to get logos in file format
for your use.
Privacy Policy (for
the EU GDPR): The FOA does not
use cookies or any other web tricks to gather
information on visitors to our website, nor do
we allow commercial advertising. Our website
hosts may gather traffic statistics for the
visitors to our website and our online testing
service, ClassMarker, maintains statistics of
test results. We do not release or misuse any
information on any of our members except we will
confirm FOA certifications and Fiber U
certificates of completion when requested by
appropriate persons such as employers or
personnel services. Read
the complete FOA Privacy Policy here.