November 2024

Links To Sections

FOA Certified Techs: 

2024 At FOA - Heading For 100,000 

See FOA Jobs Web Page and FOA on 

The FOA Jobs

Using your FOA Training/Certification to Find the Right Job in Fiber Optics

 

Fiber Optic Safety Poster to download and print

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The Archives: Past Issues.

Use these links to read past issues or use FOA's  Custom Search to look for specific topics on our website.

1/24, 2/24, 3/24, 4/24.5/24, 6/24, 7/24, 8/24, 9/24, 10/24, 11/24,    

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FOA Certified Techs: 

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What FOA's Instructors And Advisors Are Telling Us

Last month 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.

Aerial Cable Plant Workmanship - Continued.

Over the years, FOA has published many photos illustrating poor workmanship on aerial cable plants. Workmanship in aerial cable networks can affect the performance and reliability of the network of course, but also the aesthetics of the visible aerial cable plant. Aerial cables should be installed "in a neat and workmanlike manner;" which can be interpreted as "what is correctly done also looks good."

We wanted to find a photo of a neat aerial installation and we found one on our block, which you can see below. Although it has been overlashed a number of times - we think there are at least 10 cables in that bundle on the bottom - this is now a neat installation.



What is amazing about this section of cables is what it looked like just a couple of months ago.



We've used this cable as a "bad example" a number of times. Did somebody get the message and fix it?

• Installers must follow local ordinances and customer requirements for the aerial cable plant.
• Cables on poles sharing electrical and telecom/CATV cables must be installed in the telecom space with proper clearance from both electrical cables and other low voltage cables. This includes separation mid-span where both electrical cables and the messenger/fiber cables both sag from their weight.
• All aerial cables should be installed clear of any obstructions including buildings, trees and other cables. Weather conditions, e.g. storms, icing or potential wildfires, at the location may justify greater separation from trees.
• The span must be analyzed for the size of messenger, the tension required for the span length and cable weight to meet sag requirements. Sag is generally limited to <2% of span length and maximum tension <30% of cable minimum breaking strength. Recommended reference: ANSI/ICEA P-79-561-2020 Guide for Selecting Aerial Cable Messengers and Lashing Wires.
• Cables must be sufficiently high above the ground to clear all obstacles including traffic that may pass underneath it.
• All cables must be securely lashed to the messenger and/or cable(s) with no loose hanging cables anywhere along the span. Messenger wire must be neatly terminated at the ends.
• Splice closures should be attached to poles with necessary service loops using appropriate hardware. Closures attached to the messenger and their cable(s) must be securely attached and service loops secured along the current cables with showshoe turnarounds or a cable loop that respect the cable's minimum bend diameter.
• No service loops or cables awaiting further installation may be left hanging from the span. All loops of cable must be secured to a pole at the end of the span. Excess cable awaiting installation may be secured at poles for short periods of time only.
• The steel messenger wire and lashing wire are electrical conductors and should be properly grounded.
• Overlashing must consider the current cable loading, the weight of the cable intended to be added and the affects on span tension and sag.
• Any damage done to current cables during OMTR (one touch make ready) or overlashing must be reported to the permitting authority and the owners of the other cables on the span.

Questions About Restoration And Repair

Normally this would be in the Technical or Q&A sections, but it is such a fundamental topic we moved it up to the Features.

Recommended Reading For City Planners

A Different OSP Construction Project

CFOTs Getting Jobs

FOA Instructor Gilberto Guitarte has been teaching CFOT classes at Wake Tech Community College in Raleigh, North Carolina in Spanish for Spanish-speakers. The courses have been very successful, of course in part because Gilberto is an excellent instructor who speaks Spanish. Prince Telecom, a Google Fiber contractor has hired a number of his graduates.



Some of Latin American CFOTs (graduated of Spanish course) now working at Prince Telecom with Nat Lambeth (Mgr /Drops and Splices), Donnie Kiefer (Mgr Operations Raleigh NC area, and instructor Gilberto Guitarte (center, front).

Gilberto sent us this conversation he had with the Prince Telecom Regional Manager, Donnie Kiefer"
GG- Well folks I'm here with Donnie Kiefer who is the Regional Mgr or Sr Regional Mgr working in the Triangle Area in Wake Co.,and he's been sending representatives to the training courses by The Fiber Optic Association. In the last batch he hired 50% of our students, who are all Latinos, Latin Americans, and in spite of the  language barrier he has high appreciation for their hard working ethics.
DK- Absolutely! They've been wonderful, and they've been great. Work ethics is great. They picked up the work great. And ah, we just want to know when can we get the next batch of guys that you are training up?
GG- In about three weeks!

FOA Programs Support STEM Education

Classroom Resources For STEM Teachers In K-12 And Technical Schools

What Is An FOA Credential?

And now, introducing a new FOA credential: The "FOA Badge In 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.

Enhance your safety with the FOA Safety Vest.

 

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 Newsletter Sections

News

Lots more news in Worth Reading below

Quote of the month:

Dow Introduces Cable Jacket Material Using Recycled Materials

Recycling Pays:

British Telecom Gets £105 Million For Copper Cables Replaced By Fiber

The Guardian

BT has received £105m as an upfront prepayment for the sale of surplus copper cables from its old network which it is replacing in a £15bn rollout of high-speed full-fibre broadband to 25m homes in one of the UK’s biggest private national infrastructure programmes.

The telecoms company has struck a deal with a recycling company and received the sum after entering into a forward agreement to sell copper granules created from surplus copper cables that are being replaced by its new full-fibre network. The £105m transaction is the first of its kind.

BT, through its Openreach division, recovered 3,300 tonnes of copper in the year to 31 March 2024. It has struck a deal with a bank and global recycler EMR to support the extraction and recycling of copper cable from its network until 2028.

Openreach said: “As we look to recover and reuse scarce resources like copper in line with our commitment to sustainability, we estimate that as we replace old copper networks with fibre, we’ll be able to recover up to 200,000 tonnes of copper through the 2030s – in line with customer migrations.” At current market prices, 200,000 tonnes of copper could be worth about £1.5bn.

Read more in the Guardian.

ILSR Community Networks Documents Growth Of Broadband For Indigenous Peoples

This map offers a census of Tribal-owned networks, according to the latest ILSR research, as well as some key context for understanding efforts to close the digital divide on Tribal lands. Native nations need high-speed Internet access. Broadband development on Tribal lands has long lagged the rates of rural and urban areas. Specific data about the digital divide on Tribal lands can vary from source to source, but studies all agree that the problem is significant.  Increasingly, Native nations are beginning to address the digital divide on their own lands and on their own terms.

When ILSR first performed this census, in 2020, they counted around 40 Tribal networks of some kind. Now, that figure has doubled. Research suggests that there are 80 Tribal networks either selling retail services or operating active institutional networks, with many of those in the process of expanding or upgrading their services. Further, they estimate nearly 50 additional networks will come online soon. Finally, about 55 more Tribes appear to be considering or pursuing opportunities to get into broadband. In short, we are in the midst of unprecedented growth in Tribal broadband.

Pennsylvania Broadband Map Provides Useful And Interesting Data

ITU, World Bank, Mozilla, Internet Society And More Join To Map World's Fiber Optic Networks

While companies like Telegeography map the 500 or so submarine cables connecting the continents, the mapping of all the terrestrial networks is probably a task beyond the capabilities of any one company. However, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), World Bank, Mozilla (the Firefox browser company), the Internet Society and others have cooperatively undertaken this Herculean task.

Steve Song of Mozilla described the need for this information well: "In order to understand the true extent of the internet, we need to start with the basics, the physical infrastructure that carries the internet around the world. The first step in developing a solid foundation on which to understand the growth of the internet are terrestrial fibre optic networks, the high-capacity backbones that carry thousands of terabits of internet traffic every day across vast distances."

New Technical Book On FTTx In Serbian

The book can be ordered through the publisher Infoelektronika website  https://www.infoelektronika.net/.  Delivery is available to all countries worldwide via standard mail or international express mail EMS.

Quote Of The Month/Year (maybe century!):

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.

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

Aerial Cable Plant Workmanship

   

Over the years, FOA has published many photos illustrating poor workmanship on aerial cable plants. Workmanship in aerial cable networks can affect the performance and reliability of the network of course, but also the aesthetics of the visible aerial cable plant. Aerial cables should be installed "in a neat and workmanlike manner;" which can be interpreted as "what is correctly done also looks good." Recent discussions with FOA's worldwide network of technical advisors has helped us create some guidelines for aerial installations.

Here  are some guidelines for aerial installations, referring primarily to “strand and lash” cables lashed to a wire messenger. Some exceptions exist for ADSS (all-dielectric self-supporting) cables which may be installed in the power space or telecom space.
(Go here for the full version illustrated primarily by bad examples.)

• Installers must follow local ordinances and customer requirements for the aerial cable plant.
• Cables on poles sharing electrical and telecom/CATV cables must be installed in the telecom space with proper clearance from both electrical cables and other low voltage cables. This includes separation mid-span where both electrical cables and the messenger/fiber cables both sag from their weight. The exception is ADSS cables which are approved for installation in the power space by qualified personnel.
  
• All aerial cables should be installed clear of any obstructions including buildings, trees and other cables. Weather conditions, e.g. storms, icing or potential wildfires, at the location may justify greater separation from trees.
• The span must be analyzed for the size of messenger, the tension required for the span length and cable weight to meet sag requirements. Sag is generally limited to <2% of span length and maximum tension <30% of cable minimum breaking strength. Recommended reference: ANSI/ICEA P-79-561-2020 Guide for Selecting Aerial Cable Messengers and Lashing Wires.
• Cables must be sufficiently high above the ground to clear all obstacles including traffic that may pass underneath it.
• All cables must be securely lashed to the messenger and/or cable(s) with no loose hanging cables anywhere along the span. Messenger wire must be neatly terminated at the ends.
• Splice closures should be attached to poles with necessary service loops using appropriate hardware. Closures attached to the messenger and their cable(s) must be securely attached and service loops secured along the current cables with showshoe turnarounds or a cable loop that respect the cable's minimum bend diameter.
• No service loops or cables awaiting further installation may be left hanging from the span. All loops of cable must be secured to a pole at the end of the span. Excess cable awaiting installation may be secured at poles for short periods of time only.
• The steel messenger wire and lashing wire are electrical conductors and should be properly grounded.
• Overlashing must consider the current cable loading, the weight of the cable intended to be added and the effects on span tension and sag.
• Any damage done to current cables during OMTR (one touch make ready) or overlashing must be reported to the permitting authority and the owners of the other cables on the span.

Comparing The Weight Of Composite vs. Wood Utility Poles

Joe Botha of Triple Play Fiber Optics in South Africa sent us information on the composite utility poles he includes in his training which we covered in the May 2024 FOA Newsletter. He sent us these photos to illustrate the relative weight of the poles, showing how two women can easily carry a composite pole while it takes 6 men to carry a wooden pole.

Great demonstration, Joe!

MaxCell® Flexible Fabric Innerduct Reduces Restoration Time - Case Study

Disasters can strike at any time. MaxCell product experts can help with emergency restoration, offering fast and efficient services to minimize downtime and quickly get systems back online. In Springfield, Missouri, the return of service after a major system failure (caused by directional boring) was reduced from 48 hours to 4 hours due to the previous installation of MaxCell’s flexible innerduct. This saved the telecommunications provider a considerable amount in overtime costs.

Read More From MaxCell.

Understanding Fiber Optic Tools

FOA contributor Vladimir Grozdanovic explains the tools used in fiber optic installation in this new technical paper. Read it in the FOA Guide.

Using Fiber Optic Cables As Sensors To Detect, Locate, And Perhaps Prevent Dig-Ups

VFL for 30km? If It Would Work, You Would Not Want It!

Understanding Optical Distribution Frames (ODFs) And Patch Panels

FOA contributor Vladimir Grozdanovic explains the types, uses and management of optical distribution frames and patch panels in this new technical paper. Read it in the FOA Guide.

Is It Just The OTDR Or Is Singlemode Loss Really Directional?

Our series of articles on the compatibility and splicing of G.652 and G.657 summarized below and explained fully here raised another question from a knowledgeable reader.

"When you do a bidirectional OTDR test and average, you remove the backscatter differences. But it seems to me that two fibers of different MFDs would have an actual directional loss difference, much like mismatched MM fiber. Do you have any information that addresses this?"

One of FOA's technical contacts at a fiber manufacturer gave us this explanation. "With singlemode fibers there is simply one mode. The loss is simply the overlap of the modes in the two fibers and is the same in either direction since only one mode propagates and all other modes are cladding modes." So there you have it -

• Singlemode splices showing different losses in bidirectional losses are just a artifact of how the OTDR tests
• Averaging the loss in the two directions gives the actual splice loss
• The actual splice loss the same in either direction.

A Quiet But Important Change In The Fiber Optic Cable You Buy

Sponsored Content OptConn is a value-add re-seller of optical connectivity products, services and solutions. With over 30 years of experience in the fiber optics industry we are here to serve your requirements from fiber optic training with FOA certification to products, materials and supplies. We have partnerships with industry leading manufacturers to support your installation, splicing and testing needs. Our goal is to guide, support and recognized our client’s requirements. Learn more about OptConn

Updated FOA OTDR Trainer

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.

How Good Are Your OTDR Launch/Receive Cables?

NECA/FOA 301 fiber optic installation standard withdrawn

FTTH Technical Papers

FOA contributor Vladimir Grozdanovic has created another technical paper on testing FTTH PON based on his field experiences.

Testing The FTTH PON Network (new) 

Recycling Fiber Optic Cables?  Contact LD4 Recycle  

Learning Important Information From A Found Cable Scrap

Managing Fiber Optic Projects - The Gantt Chart

(With An Excel File To Make Your Own)

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:

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.

Warning For Techs Doing OSP Restoration

Try The FOA's Online Loss Budget Calculator

Worth Reading

Each month we read hundreds of newsletters and online articles. These are the ones we think you will find "worth reading."

FOA  has a web page with resources on fiber broadband networks and the IIJA/BEAD funding programs.

Cross Reference Guide to FOA Textbooks, Online Guide and Fiber U

FOA Timeline of Fiber Optic History  and the new FOA video "The History Of Fiber Optics"

• Last Gasp For Multimode Fiber?  
• Who Lost Lucent? The Decline of America's Telecom Industry.
  
• How Many Fibers? Optimal cable Size. 
• Women Installers In Alaska. . 
• Building Rural FTTH - Learning From The History Of Rural Electrification. 
• Warning For Techs Doing Restoration (Fiber Amplification).
  
• The Future Of Work Is Skills - So Stop Worrying About Degrees - The reality is the future of work is about skills, not just degrees. (FOA Newsletter Feb 2020)

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):

The State Of Fiber Optics In The Utility Industry - Utility Expo

Recent Articles

Responsible Fiber Deployment: Strategies for Protection and Damage Prevention - Excavation Safety Alliance - YouTube video, 1hr.

Can Our Industry Develop Fiber Talent? ISE Magazine. Learn how states, schools and training organizations must work together to develop fiber field talent.

Landlines are dying out. But to some, they’re a lifeline. Washington Post Providers want to scale back landline service, but people with poor cell reception still rely on it for emergencies.

Pre-Excavation Safety Checklist (PDF) - Excavation Safety Alliance - essential steps before breaking ground for underground construction.

Developing a Fiber Workforce Really Does Take A Village - ISE magazine looks at the role of manufacturers' training in developing the fiber workforce.

How Many More Fiber Techs Do We Really Need?  - ISE Magazine

You can also buy copies - Telegeography




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.

Do You Believe In Magic? Sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.  ISE Magazine.

Fiber Optics Installed By The Lowest Bidder  - ISE Magazine

Building Broadband During Component and Worker Shortages - Broadband Communities - Completing broadband builds requires competent fiber optic techs, but training them requires understanding how they learn.

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.

The Institute for Local Self-Reliance weekly newsletter has lots of interesting articles and links.

Next Century Cities Newsletter - News from cities around the US including Detroit and New York plus small

FOA was founded in 1995 - FOA's History

Worth Reading - History & Technical

Restoration: If you are interested in restoration - aren't we all? - you should also read this article in dpPro magazine by FOA President Jim Hayes: Damage Protection Requires Looking Overhead As Well As Underground - dpPRO Magazine - about the problems with aerial cables. His previous article for the magazine was New Techniques for Fiber Optic Installation.

Universal access to broadband is a cornerstone to a strong economy, Achieving universal access will require community partnerships. by Alfreda B. Norman, Sr. VP,  Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas

FIBER TO THE FARM: The co-ops that electrified Depression-era farms are now building rural internet. Be sure to check out the high-tech equine installation equipment.

Infrastructure Get Some Respect, NY TImes "On Tech"   "The magic of the internet requires a lot of very boring stuff behind the scenes. "

VIAVI Books On Fiber Optic Testing (2 volumes) - They're back!

Q&A

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 

More Q&A in the FOA FAQs Page  

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.


Older questions can be found on the FAQs page.

More Q&A in the FOA FAQs Page  

New Edition of FOA's Basic Fiber Optics Textbook

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.

Online Credentials For FOA Schools And Certified Instructors

The Types of Work Done By Fiber Techs And How It Affects Training

New In Spanish - Nuevo en español

FOA Spanish Textbook And Online Guide Updated

Libro de texto en español y guía en línea de FOA actualizados

FOA Adds Fiber Optic Network Design in Spanish

FOA School News

Need A Fiber Optic Course Onsite? Invite an FOA School To Come To You

Fiber U On-The-Job Training (OJT) Program

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.

To explain how OJT works and FOA's OJT-To-Cert program, FOA created a short video: Lecture 62: On The Job Training For Fiber Optics Using Fiber U     

FOA Direct Certification Program For Experienced Fiber Optic Techs

Experience Plus Online Study At Fiber U = FOA Certification

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.

Curso Básico de Fibra Óptica de Fibra U en español.

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.

What Fiber Techs Don't Know -

What We Learn From FOA Certification Tests

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.

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.

Cross Reference Guide to Textbooks, Online Guide and Fiber U

FOA Guide To Fiber Optic Workforce Development

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.

Read the FOA Guide To Fiber Optic Workforce Development online.

Latest FOA Book: Fiber Broadband (Paperback and Kindle)

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.

Planning A Fiber Optic Project?

FOA Video Lectures On YouTube

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.

 

Bookmark this page (especially on your smartphone): FOA Loss Budget Calculator Online

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 .

 
 
 

 

Fiber Optics (4 languages), Premises Cabling, OSP fiber and construction, Network Design, Testing, FTTH Handbook and our latest - FIber Broadband

   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.

Click on any book for more information about it.

  

Fiber Optic Safety Poster to download and print

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.

Enhance your safety with the FOA Safety Vest.

There is a toll-free "call before you dig" number in the USA: Dial 811. See www.call811.com for more information in the US. Here is their map of resources by states.

In Canada, it's "Click Before You Dig.com" They also have a page of resources by US states and Canadian provinces.

The Common Ground Alliance has an excellent "Best Practices Guide" online

The US Department of Transportation has a website called "National Pipeline Mapping System" that allows one to search for buried pipelines.   

Why We Warn You To Be Careful About Fiber Shards


Photo courtesy  Brian Brandstetter,  Mississauga Training Consultantcy

Contact Us:  http://www.foa.org or email <info@foa.org>

Contact Us
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 FOA Logo Merchandise

New FOA Swag! Shirts, Caps, Stickers, Cups, etc.

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!

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.