Search the FOA website






FOA Home Page

Contact Us



Join FOA On  Social Media

Find us on Facebook  FOA on LinkedIn  videos

Pinterest  Twitter


Time To Renew Your FOA Certifications?
You can now renew online
with PayPal or credit cards
 
   FOA logo (R)


May 2020


    
Want to be notified about jobs, special events or when the FOA Newsletter is updated?

Sign up for the FOA eMail Newsletter.


Privacy
Policy

In This Issue - (INDEX)

Features

Fiber Optics & Training In The Time Of Pandemic
Internet Strengths & Weaknesses
Time To Learn Online
ZOOMing
Blended Learning
Remote Labs and Testing
Online Certification Testing
OJT - On-The-Job-Training
Fiber U Basic Skills Labs - Fiber and Premises Cabling
FOA Loss Budget Calculator Web Page
FOA Presentation - New Techniques
Fiber Optic Cable Plant - The Finished Product
dB Is Still Confusing
Quick Guide To Using a VFL
The Status of POF

Standard For Installation
Question On Safety
Recognizing The FOA Founders
Worth Reading- News Summary
FOA School Offers Toolkit With Online Training
More

FOA Certifications: 

CFOT Total

Sections 

FOA Facts - about the organization

FOA Resources  
Fiber U - free online self-study courses
Publications: FOA Textbooks, NECA/FOA 301
 "Quickstart Guides"
 videos FOA YouTube Videos
Online Reference Guide: Many new pages
Certification. Updated:  FOA OSP Certification
FOA Schools: New schools and programs
Q&A: What technical questions you asked the FOA?
FOA Fiber FAQs Page
Product News - New stuff
Worth Reading: News from around the world



DIG SAFE - Call 811 before you dig!


Jobs
See FOA Jobs Web Page and FOA on FOA on LinkedIn
The FOA Jobs Web Page has been updated and a new page added on Using your FOA Training/Certification to Find the Right Job in Fiber Optics

Where Are The Jobs In Fiber Optics? FOA talks about all the applications for fiber optics, what jobs involve and the qualifications for the workers in the field in this YouTube video.

Join The FOA eMail Newsletter List
Want to be notified when the FOA Newsletter is updated? Sign up for the FOA eMail Newsletter. You can also sign up from your cell phone: text "FOA" to 22828 (usual text msg charges apply)


CFOT Renewals
Renew your FOA certification online - plus get a discount on the new FOA books and an extra month free. Details here.


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.
1/20, 2/20, 3/20. 4/205/20
1/19, 2/19, 3/19, 4/19, 5/19, 6/19, 7/19, 8/19, 9/19, 10/19, 11/1912/19
1/18, 2/18, 3/18, 4/18, 5/18, 6/18, 7/18, 8/18, 9/18, 10/18, 12/18
1/17, 2/17, 3/17, 4/17, 5/17, 6/17, 7/17, 8/17, 9/17, 10/17, 11/17, 12/17 
1/16, 2/16, 3/16,  4/16, 5/166/167-8/16, 9/16, 10/16, 11/16, 12/16     
1/15, 2/15, 3/15, 4/15, 5/15, 6/15, 7/15, 8/15, 9/15 , 10/1511/15 , 12/15
1/14, 2/14, 3/14, 4/14, 5/14, 6/14, 7/14, 8/14, 9/14, 10/14, 11/14, 12/14 
1/132/13, 3/13, 4/13, 5/13, 6/13, 7/13, 8/13, 9/13, 10/13, 11/1312/13 
1/12 , 2/12, 3/12, 4/12, 6/12, 7/12, 8/12, 9/12, 10/12, 11/12, 12/12   
1/11 ,  2/11,  3/11,  4/11,  6/11, 7/11, 8/11,  9/11, 10/11, 11/11,  12/11,  
1/10 ,  2/10, 3/10,  4/10,   05/10,  07/10, 08/10,  09/10,  10/10, 11/10 
1/09 ,  2/09,  3/09, 04/09,  05/09,  07/09, 08/09, 09/09, 10/09, 11/09,  12/09
1/08 , 2/08, 3/08, 4/08, 5/08,  6/08, 7/08, 8/08, 09/0810/08, 11/08,  12/08 
12/07 , 11/07, 10/07, 09/07, 08/07, 07/07, 06/07, 05/07, 04/07, 03/07, 2/07, 1/07
12/06 , 11/06, 10/06, 09/06, 8/06, 7/06, 6/06, 5/06, 4/06, 3/06, 2/06, 1/06,
12/05 ,11/05, 10/05, 09/05, 08/05, 07/05, 6/05, 5/05, 4/05, 2/05, 01/05,
12/04 , 10/04, 9/04, 8/04, 7/04, 6/04, 5/04, 4/04, 3/04, 1/04,
12/03 , 11/03 10/03 9/03, 8/03, 7/03, 6/03, 3/03, 10/02 , 8/02, 5/02
Current Issue of FOA Newsletter

The FOA CFOT® (Certified Fiber Optic Technician) and Fiber U® (the FOA online self-study program) are registered trademarks of the FOA.
FOA Guide
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.

fiberu.org

Free online self-study programs on many fiber optics and cabling topics are available at Fiber U, FOA's online web-based training website.


 FOA Reference Books
Available Printed or eBooks
The fiber book is available in Spanish and French

FOA Reference Guide to Fiber Optics book FOA Reference Guide to Premises Cablng book FOA Reference Guide to OSP Fiber Optics book FOA Reference Guide to Fiber Optics book
FOA Reference Guide to Fiber Optic Network Design book FOA Book on Fiber Optic Testing FOA Outside Plant Fiber Optics Construction Guide  Lennie Lightwave

Lennie and Uncle Ted's Guides are now also available as free iBooks on iTunes.
Lennie Lightwave's Guide To Fiber Optics   Uncle Ted's Guide to Premises Cablling
Click on any of the books to learn more.
Fiber Optic Safety Poster to download and print


FOA Videos on videos

FOA is a member of:

TIA Online
ANSI Logo
APOLAN Logo
IMSA
FTTH Council

The FOA Newsletter is edited by Jim Hayes - send your stories, leads, ideas, comments to <jim @ foa.org>
Jim Hayes


Search the FOA Website With DuckDuckGo




Time To Renew Your FOA Certifications?

To keep your FOA certifications active, you need to renew them when they expire. 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.

You can now renew with PayPal or a credit card
 
 

PayPal is available worldwide



FOA Newsletter - Features

Fiber Optics And Training In The Time of Pandemic

Internet Strengths
Last month, we commented on how well the Internet - running over optical fiber, even to most wireless antennas - had accommodated the large number of people who worked at home for the first time with virtually no problems. One big reason for that is that the highest volume of Internet traffic today is after work hours, almost 10 times the traffic during the work day.

People go home and watch movies or engage in online gaming, both big bandwidth users, activities that don't happen during the workday. Online video or gaming needs 2-4 times the bandwidth of a Zoom teleconference which requires only about 1.5Mb/s for a connected user. The Internet has been built for that flood of traffic during the evening, so during the workday when business activities are conducted, the total bandwidth available - the bandwidth built for the evening traffic - is much higher than what is needed. The increase in use for workers at home, even all the video conferencing, was easily accommodated.

Now is a good time to learn more about networks - here are two pages on the FOA Guide that will help you understand how networks work to share bandwidth and how data centers use them to source data that users download.

And Internet Weaknesses
But the current situation has also pointed out the weaknesses of Internet service. Too many households are unserved or underserved, not having connections and/or devices to connect to the Internet. There are two logical analogies here: 1) the rural user living on a dirt road that slows down their connection to the rest of the world and 2) the urban user who lives next to a highway but doesn't have a vehicle to use it.

You have probably read some of the stories about people going to parking lots around schools, libraries or businesses to get connected over free WiFi, school districts setting up mobile wireless hot spots in converted school buses. Or kids having to share a single smart phone with their siblings to try to get their homework done. Remote learning requires connectivity, devices to access the Internet and a program of online learning that students can understand, use effectively and actually learn what they are supposed to learn.

Most suggestions on how to expand Internet service focus on the connection issue, either making connections or expanding bandwidth. Here are examples, a proposal for "Broadband for All" in California sponsored by Silicon Valley companies and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a bill being introduced in the US Senate by Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts to update a program - from the last recession - to expand Internet access and a plan by Democrats in the House of Representatives to spend $80billion on expanding Internet access

Let's put this in perspective. What could $80billion do? FTTH costs between $500 (urban) and $2000 (rural) to connect a subscriber - say $1000 for an average. $80B could connect around 80million subscribers with fiber. That's 8-0-million.

In America there are only 128.58 million households (2019, Statistica). Supposedly about 25% of them now have fiber available - available, not connected, since many residences passed already have cable modem (~70 million) or DSL service (~45M landlines are still being used, about half have DSL Internet) and are not interested in changing to fiber - the actual FTTH number is only about 10-15%.

(Finding these statistics is frustrating as we could find no direct numbers and most statistics were on websites from or connected to service providers. US FCC numbers have been criticized many times for overstating broadband access. CityLab estimates that the actual number of households without broadband access is 42million, twice the FCC number of 21.3million. As we reported here last month, Microsoft analyzed the FCC data and pointed out that, of the FCC estimate of 21million, 17 million live in rural areas.


The issue of broadband availability is heavily a rural issue. Approximately 20% of the American population is "rural." That's more than 25million households. At ~$2000 for a rural user, that would cost $50billion to connect on fiber. Obviously that's a big number, one few service providers are interesting in investing. But the same was true 75 years ago with electricity. Rural electrical co-operatives serve much of rural America and have not missed the need for broadband. According to NRECA, the organization of rural co-ops, co-ops have ~6million electrical users who do not have broadband. At $2000 each, that's "only" $12billion, much less than the $80billion Senator Markey proposes.

Providing grants to rural co-ops can be really effective. FOA worked with the Anza Electrical Coop to create Connect Anza, a "fiber to the ranch" do-it-yourself FTTH network with the help of a grant from the California Public Utilities Commission.

If connecting all those rural households was so "cheap," some of the rest of the money could be spent providing students in urban areas without broadband with connections and inexpensive new or refurbished laptops.

The problem is spending the money effectively. Providing grants to local groups may be more effective than to traditional service providers. Money to stimulate recovery is much better spent by those near the problem rather than those with commercial interests and/or political connections. Witness the number of scams associated with providing PPE - personal protective equipment - during this pandemic.


Time To Learn - Online

Schools have generally been closed during the pandemic lock-downs, so FOA has been working with some of them to create new online learning experiences that can in some cases lead to certification online. FOA certifications are still based on the KSAs - knowledge from the classroom, skills from the labs and abilities judged by instructors or proven by actual experience.

ZOOMing
Much of what we're doing benefits from the capabilities of "Zoom." Others have created videoconferencing apps, but none work so well, especially with limited bandwidth. We've seen remote labs that have an instructor showing students how to use the tools they were sent then watching them duplicate their actions. We have worked out methods to use Zoom to proctor FOA's online certification exams.

Blended Learning
While most FOA schools have suspended in-person training during this period, some are offering a "blended learning" option. That means that students sign up for a FOA certification course, take the classroom sessions on Fiber U with the assistance of a FOA certified instructor. Now online instruction can include reviewing the labs using the
Fiber U Basic Skills Labs, then when it's possible to attend classes at the school, complete the hands-on labs and take the FOA certification exam.

Online Remote Labs and Testing
Alternatively, some schools are experimenting with "remote labs," where the students get sent tool kits and components and labs are conducted by videoconferencing. Before the labs, the students review the relevant "virtual hands-on" lessons in the Fiber U
Fiber Optics Basic Skills Labs  so they will already know the steps in the exercises. Videoconferencing allows the instructor to remotely monitor their work and provide help as needed. Contact the FOA for more information.

exam
FOA Zoom Exam Proctoring

Online Certification Testing
FOA has all its certification tests available online, both for use by our schools and by our direct "Work to Cert" applicants. All tests require a proctor to oversee the applicant taking the exam. In this time of social distancing, getting a proctor can be difficult, so FOA now has procedures for online proctors and administering the exam.
Contact the FOA for more information.
 
OJT - On-The-Job-Training
Many novices get a job and learn on the job. They usually have an experienced tech who helps them gain the knowledge and  learn the skills they need to perform their job. Thinking about this in relation to the 
FOA KSAs, the knowledge, skills and abilities needed by a fiber optic tech,  the tech will learn skills but not the basic knowledge that helps them understand the processes involved. FOA can offer help here, using our Fiber U online self-study programs. While the tech learns on the job, they become a Fiber U trainee, getting the knowledge they need, while working under their "mentor" at work. This is particularly good for contracting companies who need techs but do not have the usual training courses available. Interested in OJT programs? Contact FOA for more information.

Fiber U Basic Skills Labs - Fiber Optics And Premises Cabling
Fiber U now has two "basic skills labs," online courses focused on helping you learn basic skills involved in both fiber optics and premises cabling (copper and fiber.) The assumption has been that you needed a hands-on lab at a FOA approved school or OJT - on the job training - to develop the skills - the "S" of the KSAs. But with these online courses, some tools and equipment, you can learn on your own. Or with the help of an instructor who can show and watch you on video.


Back To Work Soon
Everyone wants to get back to work. Until then, we've provided some interesting things to read in this newsletter and
many other places around the Internet in "Worth Reading" below. We've also got other good, free online training at Fiber U, including the
Fiber Optics Basic Skills Labs, Basic Skills Labs - Copper Premises Cabling described above. We also have the OSP Construction course and a bunch of courses on applications like Data Centers or Fiber for Wireless. If you are preparing for an FOA certification course, now is time to take the Fiber U courses linked to FOA certifications.

Just be safe and stay healthy!



There's More "Worth Reading" Below


.. plus some really interesting technical questions discussed in depth


FOA Loss Budget Calculator - Web Page

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.

FOA Loss Budget Calculator  FOA Loss Budget Calculator
The calculator and the whole page with typical loss values.

Try It Right Here
Here is a version of the FOA Loss Budget Calculator. The page works very simply. You input the data for your cable plant into the red cells, the loss is calculated in the blue cells and the green cell totals the losses for the cable plant loss budget.

Hint: you can use the tab key to jump to the next input box to speed data entry. Below the calculator are typical component loss values you may use, a "Reset" button to clear input boxes and a "Print" button to print the results on one page. Use the scroll bar to see all the calculator.




Below the calculator is a table of typical loss values as suggestions, although you may enter any values you think appropriate. At the bottom of the screen are two blue buttons. "RESET" clears the input tables so you can start over and "Print All" prints the calculations on 1 page for convenience.

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





Conference On Damage Prevention Cancelled But Goes Online

You can watch FOA's presentation "New Construction Techniques In Fiber Optics" on YouTube.

CGS 2021 Tampa

Global Excavation Safety Conference & Expo, the premiere international event in the damage prevention industry, was supposed to be March 24-26 but was cancelled due to the pandemic. Next year's program will be in Tampa.

FOA was supposed to participate with a talk about New Installation Techniques For Fiber Optics and participate in a panel with members of the North American Telecom Damage Prevention Council to discuss the issue of protection fiber infrastructure from damage.

Infrastructure Resources (IR), the conference organizers created five "Digital Days of Education" so people who registered for the conference can watch 25 of the sessions online. IR has made the FOA presentation available to all FOA members, even if you did not register for the conference.  You can now watch FOA's presentation "New Construction Techniques In Fiber Optics" on YouTube.


SPECIAL OFFER - Save 1/3 On Your Certification Renewal Cost

In the near future, there will be a requirement for continuing education to renew your FOA certifications. We'll explain why soon, but for now FOA is testing an option for renewals where you take a short Fiber U online self-study course with certificate of completion exam and pay for renewal when taking the exam. 

If you would like to help FOA test this option, you can save 1/3 the cost of your renewal.  Go here to take the Fiber U CFOT Renewal Course:



Looking For A Job?

Did you know that FOA has a lot of information on the website about where the jobs are in fiber optics and how to get one of them? One of the topics is how to use job search sites to find fiber optic jobs. We just added a new site to the link, ZIPRECRUITER.COM, that you should check out. They even have some good information on what fiber optic jobs pay, based on their listings.






The FOA Update Page covers all the new technology and applications we covered in this newsletter in 2018-19. Now you can review all that new tech at once.

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.

This months "Good Questions" has some unique questions from our readers.

There's More "Worth Reading" Below



Fiber Optic Cable Plant - The Finished Product

in April, FOA received inquiries from several sources that all deal with the same subject - what is involved in the specification and acceptance of a cable plant at the end of a installation project. And what are reasonable specifications for a cable plant.

FOA has a lot of documentation on a project involving  designing and installing a cable plant in the FOA Online Guide and our Textbooks, but the acceptance process has usually been relegated to a few paragraphs. We decided to add a page on project "Deliverables" in the FOA Guide that covers this topic in more depth. This page looks at a project, goes into some depth on loss budgets and includes links to FOA tech documents to help you investigate further.

Correction: In the article, the original list of fiber specs for G.652 was wrong. It should be 0.4dB/km @ 1310nm.

 
Deliverables in the FOA Guide

dB Is Still Confusing

The second most missed question on FOA/Fiber U online tests concerns dB, that strange logarithmic method we use to measure power in fiber optics (and radio and electronics and acoustics and more...). We've covered the topic several times in our Newsletter but there still seems to be confusion. So we're going to give you a clue to the answers and hopefully help you understand dB better.

These are all correct statements with the percentage of test takers who know the answer is correct.

The most answered correctly: dBm is absolute power relative to 1mw of power (78.8% correct. Does "absolute" confuse people? It's just "power" but absolute in contrast to "relative power" which is loss or gain measured in dB.)

This one is answered correctly less than half the time: dBm is absolute power like the output of a transmitter. (41.5% correct, see comment above.)

This one does often get answered correctly: The difference between 2 measurements in dBm is expressed in dB. (23.8% correct)

Read a more comprehensive explanation of dB here in the FOA Guide.



Quick Guide To Using A VFL

Brian Teague of SENKO sent us an interesting graphic that explains the use of a visual fault locator (VFL).
There is some useful information here in visual format.

VFL

Download a larger printable copy here (PDF).


What's The Status Of POF?

FOA gets questions asking what is the status of plastic optical fiber. Besides lighting and consumer electronics, POF has other applications and is a growing market. Compared to glass fiber, it's lower bandwidth and shorter distance capability limit its use, but for particular applications it is an inexpensive solution. Information Gatekeepers which organized POFTO - the plastic fiber trade organization - has just released a new market and technology assessment study that shows the status of POF in 2020.

POF

Plastic Optical Fibers (POF) have been overshadowed in the last decade by the success of glass optical fibers. When people hear the term "optical fibers," they immediately think of glass. Few people, including professionals in the business, know about plastic optical fibers (POFs), which predate those made of glass. Because glass fibers have certain advantages, they have dominated the market, while POFs have remained largely in the background. POF had been relegated to low-bit-rate and short-distance applications.
   
However, recent technological advances and the emergence of new applications in the automotive, avionics, consumer electronics, and short-distance interconnect industries have propelled POF into the limelight as a lower-cost alternative to glass fiber or copper at medium distances and at bit rates of 40Gbps.

New technological developments in sources, connectors, and fibers are expanding the bandwidth-distance limits of POF into new applications. There has been a dramatic increase in the GI-POF technology and its availability in the market. This has resulted in increased interest by component suppliers and end users. The market for short, high-speed optical links is experiencing sustained growth. These links are less than 100 meters, with speeds up to 40Gbps. After many years of playing second fiddle to the glass optical fiber business, POF is now starting to get the recognition it deserves. Some are even saying that POF could be a disruptive technology.

This study reviews the history of POF, the technological developments, emerging applications, commercial activities, market forecasts, and research and education centers around the world. It presents a comprehensive and historical review of the POF business and should form the basis of future internal market research.
For more information on this report, please visit igigroup.com or contact:

Dr. Hui Pan
Information Gatekeepers
Tel: 1-617-782-5033
hpan@ igigroup.com



Is There A Standard For Fiber Optic Installation?

Another question we get often is "Is there a standard for fiber optic installation." The answer is yes, but not from the usual standards groups you might think about. Over 20 years ago, the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) asked FOA to help create a standard for installation. That standard, ANSI/NECA/FOA-301 has been updated three times already and is about ready for another update.

Unlike most of those groups who charge you a fortune for standards, FOA covers the cost so
ANSI/NECA/FOA-301 is available free from FOA.

NECA/FOA 301 Fiber Optic Installation Standard

Download your free copy of
ANSI/NECA/FOA-301 here (PDF)


More Questions and Answers from our readers below.


Good Question - On Safety


Q: Can you please advise if any of the modules offered at FOA include a section on safety best practices?

A: Safety is a very serious topic here at FOA! 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!
 
There is a page on the FOA Guide on Safety procedures Including Eye Safety 
 
And a YouTube lecture: FOA Lecture 2: Safety When Working With Fiber Optics
 
In our OSP Construction Section, these pages cover many safety issues including those related to the construction of the cable plant: Project Preparation And Guidelines, Underground Cable Construction, Underground Cable Installation and Aerial Cable Installation.
 
There is even a safety poster for the fiber activities: PDF Safety Rules For Fiber Optics
 
I did a search for “safety” on this FOA Newsletter and found 14 matches, including a section we run continuously on “Call Before You Dig.”
 
Yes, the FOA is concerned about safety!

More questions from this month below.


Safety Leader Magazine

Safety Leader Magazine

Safety Leader, a new quarterly magazine, informs and educates electrical contractors on safety from various angles—electrical, workplace, PPE, regulations, leadership, line work, NFPA 70E, and more. Safety Leader is bundled with ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR in February, May, August and November. To receive Safety Leader subscribe to ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR magazine here or subscribe to the ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR newsletter here.

Conference On Damage Prevention Cancelled For 2020 - Scheduled for 2021

CGS 2021 Tampa

Global Excavation Safety Conference & Expo, the premiere international event in the damage prevention industry, was supposed to be March 24-26 but was cancelled due to the coronovirus. Next year's program will be in Tampa.


dpPro

The magazine, dp-Pro, sponsor of the conference, has also published it's latest issue with an article by FOA on "New Construction Techniques in Fiber Optics" and a overview of the FOA. You can read the magazine here.

Coherent Communications  - New Section In The FOA Guide

As long haul systems move up from the current standard of 100Gb/s, a decade-old technology, coherent communications, has become the standard for link transmission. Coherent communications systems are complex and expensive compared to the direct modulation systems of the past, but minimize the problems of fiber dispersion that has been a problem in the past while still being compatible with DWDM and fiber amplification.

Learn about Coherent Communications Systems in the FOA Guide.

There's More

Some FOA Founders Still Active

FOA will be 25 years old in July - watch for more articles on FOA history.

Recognize Anybody Here? This is the FOA Board of Advisors 20 years ago, meeting to work on FOA certifications.


FOA Directors 1999

FOA Founder Eric Pearson, Pearson Technologies

Eric Pearson Training
Eric (back row, right) shows students how to interpret their work.

Eric Pearson and Jim Hayes are probably the two FOA Founders with the most years in fiber optics, both started more than 40 years ago and are still active today.

Eric began in the fiber optic cable business, then transmission systems and designed field installation equipment. He began training more than 30 years ago and has published his workbooks and manuals as what we like to call the "cookbooks" of fiber optics. Eric may be the world's top expert in the process of fiber optic termination and his books certainly are the best manuals for termination.  Eric still travels the world doing training courses, finds time to continue writing and updating his books and consulting as an expert witness in legal cases.

Eric Pearson, Pearson Technologies



Who Were The FOA Founders?

Those listed below in BOLD are still active teaching and working with FOA.
 

Jim Hayes, President of FOTEC Inc. Pioneering fiber optic entrepreneur in test equipment and trainer who was trained in physics/astronomy. Author of many EIA/TIA standards and the instigator of the NBS/NIST fiber optic calibration program. Creator of the Fiber U training conferences. Author of ten textbooks, hundreds of technical articles. Current FOA President.

Eric Pearson, Pearson Technologies. Trained by Corning in the 1970s, considered an industry expert on termination and splicing, training since the early 1980s. Respected expert witness in legal cases. Active FOA Instructor.

Dominick Tambone, Engineer, Automatic Tool and Connector, fiber optic termination and installation, training since the early 1980s. Contractor and
Active FOA Instructor.

Bill Graham, Mississauga Training Associates, Toronto, ON, CN. Background in utilities, military, metropolitan fiber optics, training since the early 1990s. Current FOA Director.

Prof. Elias Awad, Wentworth Institute, Boston, MA. Started one of the first fiber optic academic programs in the engineering department in late 1980s. Creator of NSF program “Fiber Optics For Engineering Technology” (NSF#9353997).

Prof. John Highhouse, Lincoln Trail College, Robinson, IL. Head of telecom training program, started teaching fiber optic outside plant construction in late 1980s. Masters in Education, specialty testing.

Paul Rosenberg, writer and technical trainer
 
Dan Silver, Product Specialist, 3M Fiber Optics, trainer and applications. The man with the idea to create the Fiber U training conferences and active FOA member.

Eric Loytty, Field Engineering, Corning/Siecor, applications and training.

Bob Mason, Product Manager, Network Systems, Panduit, applications and training.

Doug Elliott, IBEW Instructor, Toronto, ON, CN. One of first IBEW apprenticeship instructors to teach fiber optics.

Tom Collins, Northern Kentucky Technical College, Professor. Techtricians, Owner/instructor. Current FOA Director.

Dan Lyall, Project Engineer, Lockheed Martin, applications and training.

James H. (Jim) Davis, Program Director, Navsea 56ZC, Navy fiber optic standards.

Dave Chaney, Disney, Network Manager

Tony Beam, Tyco/AMP, Product Manager 

Richard J. Smith, FOTechnologies, Technican/Instructor

Trevor Conquest, Conquest Communications, Brisbane, Australia, fiber optic training.



FOA will be 25 years old in July - watch for more articles on FOA history.



Worth Reading - News Summary


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

How the Internet is coping with work at home: zdnet.

Internet Statistics and Facts, 2020: Interesting, easy to get lost here!

Altice Europe creates Fastfiber in Portugal in collaboration with Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners: Lightwave. Interesting - values FTTH subscribers at $1150.

So Many Fiber Questions: ISEmag.com, By Prysmian . Interesting overview of cables - note what they call "Retractable Module" cable, designed for midspan drops.

House Democrats aim to put more than $80 billion into broadband expansion during coronavirus.  CNBC.

Tennessee will fund $19.7 million in broadband accessibility grants that will expand service to support 31,000 unserved Tennesseans in nearly 12,700 households and businesses, including in Middle Tennessee.

Understanding The True State Of Connectivity In America - 65% of US counties receive broadband speeds below industry reports.

Don't miss this Corning trivia about fiber - 3 times stronger than steel.

Why Businesses Need Fiber Connectivity, from Spectrum CATV. Yes, it's a sales pitch, but they make good points and it indicates they are serious.

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.

Cedar Falls, Iowa is monitoring a bill in the Iowa State House that could threaten their municipally owned and operated broadband utility network.  Senate Study Bill 3009, introduced by Sen. Dan Dawson, R-Council Bluffs is ibacked by commercial service providers.

Structured Cabling News - a website and weekly newsletter about cabling.

Utilities Team Up on Plans to Run Fibre Through the Sewers (Again!)
Five water utilities have teamed up with infrastructure firm SSE Telecoms on plans to lay fibre optic cables in the UK’s sprawling network of waste water pipes. We first reported on this proposed method for fiber installation in the FOA Newsletter in 2012! It has not exactly taken off!)

The Internet Master Plan for New York City. The New York City Internet Master Plan is a comprehensive framework for the infrastructure and services that provide connectivity to New York City residents and businesses. This Master Plan will guide City actions and public-private partnerships to transform New Yorkers’ access to this essential infrastructure for generations to come.

Corning Has Removed The "Dust" from "Dust Caps."
Corning "CleanAdvantage(tm) Edge cables have factory cleaned connectors and caps to keep them clean.

Fiber Trivia From Corning.

Why understanding PoE now is crucial for electricians - To ring in the new decade, IDEAL Networks is urging today's electricians to master new skills and equipment to cope with the growing use of PoE in intelligent lighting applications.

Smart City Projects: Smart city initiatives are underway across the country. But they face funding and technology challenges. Many cities want to upgrade infrastructure to improve resident experience, safety and to generate revenue.

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)

Want a White-Collar Career Without College Debt? Become an Apprentice (NYTimes)
Apprenticeships probably began with the first jobs, where young people work under experienced craftspeople to learn a trade. In the last century, they became more organized under labor unions like the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, one of the FOA's oldest and biggest approved school systems. Today, apprenticeships are expanding as young people look at viable alternatives to loading themselves with debt while attending college.

The job market is hot. So why are half of U.S. grads missing out?  

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

books  book 2

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

50th Anniversary of The Development of Low Loss Fibers
A history of the development of low loss fiber, a fascinating story by Jeff Hecht on the OSA (Optical Society of America) website.

How OFS Makes Fiber

Interesting YouTube video on how fiber is made. Perhaps a little too much "show biz" but fascinating. If you have ever seen fiber manufacture, look at this video. You will be amazed at how big preforms have become!

How Nexans Makes Copper Cables - compare the process to fiber - don't most of the machines look similar?

The True Cost of Telco Damages (what backhoe fade or target practice can cost)

Rural Electric Cooperatives: Pole Attachment Policies and Issues, June 2019.

Ckearfield-FOA Certification Training Clearfield is now offering their customers an FOA CERTIFICATION course. This course provides a basic understanding of fiber optic technology, as well as Clearfield product knowledge and how Clearfield’s integrated product systems work together in a fiber network.

Substandard Contractors - Fiber Optic Knowledge Doesn't Always Trickle Down  (EC Mag)

Another Source Of Articles On Fiber

FOA President and editor of this newsletter Jim Hayes has also been writing a column in Electrical Contractor Magazine for almost 20 years now. Electrical contractors do lots of fiber work and this column has covered some topics they are interested in including installation processes, network design, fiber applications and a lengthy series on dark fiber - what it is, how's its used and how it benefits the growth of communication. A recent web site redesign makes it easier to browse all these articles - just go to http://www.ecmag.com/contributing-authors/jim-hayes and you can see all of them.



Upgrade Your KSAs

You should consider upgrading your KSAs - your knowledge, skills and abilities related to your work in fiber optics and keep up to date with new applications. It should help your business "bottom line" - income and profit, that is.

FOA has just the place to learn -
Fiber U. Fiber U offers 15 free online courses starting with an introduction to fiber optics for those new to fiber and including courses covering installer skills topics (basic fiber, basic skills, OSP construction and installation, testing and OTDRs), a course for those designing fiber optic networks, and six courses on specific applications of fiber optics (FTTx, OLANs, fiber for wireless, cell tower antennas and DAS, and data centers.)

If you are a working fiber tech, the applications courses can enhance your ability to get business in those areas because you will know the specifics of the applications. With so much work being done on wireless (small cells, 4G/5G) and data centers (small to hyperscale), understanding these applications can certainly improve your prospects in those markets.

Learning more from the skills courses like testing and OTDRs is a no-brainer, but you might look at our upgraded
"Basic Fiber Optic Skills Lab" too. You might find it will help you upgrade your skills, but we have another aim for the basic skills self-study.

If you are a contractor who has new employees that you want to upgrade their skills or apprentices who are just starting in fiber optics, the
Basic Fiber Optic Skills Lab lets them use their own tools and components to learn installation skills they use daily on the jobs. The new workbook we've added to the basic skills lab guides the person taking the course through the exercises and provides worksheets to record the results of their labs. We've upgraded the virtual hands-on (VHO) tutorials also and made them so you can download and print them to help you with the steps in the exercises.

Can You Learn Hands-On Skills Online?

basic skills lab

Knowledge is easy to learn online, but learning skills requires "hands-on" practice and that requires tools and components to practice with. Here at FOA, we've been working on an online course that could help many techs learn new skills or improve others using an online self-study course and their own equipment.
Recently, we have updated the materials in the Fiber Optics Basic Skills Labs which includes cable preparation, splicing, termination and testing. And we have created a Basic Skills Labs - Copper Premises Cabling to cover UTP (Cat 5) and coax copper cable processes. As with all Fiber U courses, these are free.
 
The course on
Fiber U called "Basic Fiber Optic Skills Lab"  introduces you to the tools and equipment then takes you through cable prep, splicing, termination and testing. Recently we have been working on improving the course to make it easier and more effective.  We've added a Basic Skills Workbook for each topic in the course that you can download to guide you through the study and hands-on exercises. We've updated what we call "Virtual Hands-On" (VHO) tutorials where we use an analysis of the activities to break them into step-by-step instructions that help you learn the processes. We've also added new technologies like splice-on connectors (SOCs) that have become very popular.

Similarly,
we have created a Basic Skills Labs - Copper Premises Cabling to cover UTP (Cat 5) and coax copper cable processes. It has a lab workbook, VHOs on each topic and quizzes to allow you to check your knowledge. If you have to tools, you can do all the processes on your own.

If you are a newcomer to fiber optics, have completed the
Basic Fiber course and already have a set of fiber tools, this course will help you to learn how to use the tools and learn basic fiber installation practices which you can practice using your own equipment. If you are a CFOT or working tech now and want to learn some new processes, this can help you too.

Like all Fiber U courses, the
Fiber U Basic Fiber Optic Skills Lab is free.




10GPON Update In FOA Guide

FOA has updated its page on FTTH PON protocols to include the latest standards for 10GPONs. There are three standards, NG-PON2, XG-PON and XGS-PON. As is common with all communications networks, work on upgradeing network capability and speed starts as soon as a network is introduced and PONs are no exception. GPON has been the most widely used PON scheme for both FTTx netowrks and passive optical LANs (OLANs) and GPON has been upgraded to several versions with higher transmission speeds and higher power budgets to allow greater distance, higher split capability, or both. The assumption is that a fiber network has a lifetime of up to 40 years, so upgrades to GPON have assumed that they will use the same passive optical network architecture and fiber type (G.652 singlemode.)

Furthermore, upgrades have been designed around coexistence with current GPON networks. By utilizing different wavelengths, it is possible to have these newer, faster networks sharing the same passive optical network as the original GPON system, allowing offering higher speeds to users while continuing to serve current users without disruption. Some commercial users can take advantage of higher speeds while typical consumers are well served by GPON. One of the big advantages of the PON upgrade standards is the ability to overlay networks. Thus a city could operate one regular GPON network for consumer FTTH use and have another, faster network operating on the same cable plant independently, offering a higher level of service and security.

More on PON Protocols in the FOA Guide.



Introducing Lennie Lightwave's Guide - 25th Anniversary Edition

FOA has reprinted "Lennie Lightwave's Guide" on its 25th anniversary in a special print edition.

Lennie 25th Anniversary  


Many of you have used the current online version of Lennie's Guide on the FOA website. Now you can have a slick printed version - real paper - you can hold in your hand and read. Leave a copy on your desktop to impress your friends, or on the table in your company's reception area instead of out-of-date magazines. Give them to your customers and employees to help them learn fiber optics. Use it to prepare for FOA certifications. FOA will be giving them away at conferences like the IMSA Annual Conference in New Orleans later this summer.

You can get your own copies of
Lennie Lightwave's Guide at Amazon.com, only $9.95US.



Another Look At Connector Contamination

Brian Teague of Senko Advanced Components sent us the results of an interesting experiment he ran to show an unusual effect of the contamination on a connector. He started with a clean SC/UPC singlemode jumper, shown in the 400X image to the left. Then he connected it to a 1310nm laser test source and measured the power out of the fiber with a fiber optic power meter. Then he disconnected the connector from the meter, touched the end to his finger, contaminating the end of the ferrule as you can see in the image on the right.

But then he connected the dirty connector to the meter and measured the power again. The power was decreased by 0.22dB. Yes, the contamination on the connector acted as an attenuator to reduce the power considerably. Think what would happen if you them mated it to another connector. Not only would you see the attenuation caused by the contamination, you will probably see even more loss caused by the gap created by the flakes of skin.

That's why you should inspect, clean and inspect again to ensure all connectors are clean before testing or making connections.
contamination of fiber optic conector


FOA Guide

Updates

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 New.


PON Protocols in the FOA Guide. 10GPON Update In FOA Guide

Basic Fiber Optic Jargon, OSP Fiber Optic Jargon and Fiber Optic Jargon for managers.

FOA has a new page on Restoration
 
The updated Fiber Characterization page in the FOA Guide goes in to more depth on why fiber characterization is important, what tests need performing and how to interpret results.

Practically every page in the section of the FOA Guide on Fiber Optic Testing has been reviewed and updated, much of it based on the new FOA textbook on testing. This includes pages on measuring power, fiber attenuation, connector or splice loss and cable plant loss. Browse through the testing section and see what's new.

We've started with a page in the FOA Guide on Fiber Optic Network Management that describes what our advisors think is important and created a page to introduce them to the language and technology of fiber optics which we call "Fiber Optic Jargon - Illustrated." Over time, we'll be expanding this section and create a Fiber U self-study course also.

FOA has created a new section of the FOA Guide on OSP Construction.

Inspecting and Cleaning Connectors.
Dirty connectors are one of the major problems in fiber optics, causing high connector loss, high reflectance and contaminating transceivers. Network operators claim that 15-50% of all network problems can be traced to dirty connectors causing connection problems.
FOA Guide section on inspecting and cleaning connectors.

Go to  The FOA Online Fiber Optic Reference Guide.

FOA School Offers Toolkit With Online Training

Slayton tool kit

Slayton Solutions (FOA Approved School #156) is offering a simple fiber optic tool kit that includes a 29-piece set of fiber optic tools and a power meter along with training videos and online instruction for only $499. 29 Piece Kit includes all tools and devices a technician needs to install fiber optic connectors and test optical power.  Information on the kit is available on YouTube. You can contact them for more information at  slaytonsolutions@sbcglobal.net or https://www.fiberopticsinstitute.com



New FiberNext Job Board And Savings Club For CFOTs

FiberNext
FOA Approved School FiberNext has created an online job board for fiber techs and a special "savings club" for CFOTs.

Job Board
The Job Board was designed to help connect employers with fiber technicians and other fiber optic professionals. It is a place where employers in the fiber optic market can post job openings and a place where fiber optic professionals can post that they are looking for employment. Please feel free to post an opening or browse for your next job or employee. https://fibernext.com/job_board.php

Savings Club
FiberNext, besides being an FOA approved school is also a distributor. FiberNext invites FOA CFOT®s to join the “FiberNext CFOT®  Club to get special savings on selected fiber optic products.  Visit https://fibernext.com/cfot_club.php to sign up today ”


Recycling Fiber Optic Cable

We received this note from Steve Maginnis, LD4Recycle/ CommuniCom Recycling on recycling fiber optic cable:

We have 3 Processors gearing up to accept fiber optic cable (FOC). As we all know, all FOC is not the same. Several truckloads of “typical” FOC scrap from FOC mfgrs and “typical” FOC and Coax cable have been studied and tested.

Therefore, today you can begin contacting me with the type FOC material or scrap you toss to the landfills today. We need to quantify the expected feedstock. Our expectation for quantities is quite large (tons) but there is a capacity limit. And I do have several processors that can take ALL materials and others that can accept LIMITED types of FOC material and quantity.

Contact:
Steve Maginnis
LD4Recycle/ CommuniCom Recycling
(Visit our new website)
sm@LD4Recycle.com
803.371.5436



Safety On The Job

Safety is the most important part of any job. Installers need to understand the safety issues to be safe. An excellent guide to analyzing job hazards is from OSHA, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Here is a link to their guide for job hazard analysis.

FOA also has lots of information on safety: FOA Guide, YouTube video and a Safety Poster


Best Practices Guide For Underground Construction

Best Practices - CGA

We assume you are familiar with the "One Call" and "Call Before You Dig" (811) program, but are you also familiar "Click Before You Dig.com" and with the people behind it - the Common Ground Alliance and their Best Practices website?

CGA is a member-driven association of 1,700 individuals, organizations and sponsors in every facet of the underground utility industry. Established in 2000, CGA is committed to saving lives and preventing damage to underground infrastructure by promoting effective damage prevention practices. CGA has established itself as the leading organization in an effort to reduce damages to underground facilities in North America through shared responsibility among all stakeholders.

Officially formed in 2000, the CGA represents a continuation of the damage prevention efforts embodied by the Common Ground Study. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation and completed in 1999, this Study represents the collaborative work of 160 industry professionals who identified best practices relating to damage prevention.
Any best practice or program endorsed by the CGA comes with consensus support from experts representing the following stakeholder groups: Excavators, Locators, Road Builders, Electric, Telecommunications, Oil, Gas Distribution, Gas Transmission, Railroad, One Call, Public Works, Equipment Manufacturing, State Regulators, Insurance, Emergency Services and Engineering/Design.

Read the CGA Best Practices Guide here.

Here are all the CGA resources for damage prevention.

Should Your Company Become An FOA Corporate Member?





Dig Once

The word on the "Dig Once" program is getting out - FOA is getting calls from cities asking us for information and advice. It helps that the current Administration is trying to convince cities of the advantages of installing ducts or conduits when they dig up a street so they don't have to do it again. Here are some links for more information.

The DoT page on the administration’s Executive Order: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/otps/exeorder.cfm
From the Council of State governments: http://www.csg.org/pubs/capitolideas/enews/cs41_1.aspx
From the city of San Francisco: http://sfgov.org/dt/dig-once
An article about Dakota County, MN: https://muninetworks.org/tags/tags/dig-once

And the one to download and hand out:
A “How To” Guide from The Global Connect Initiative: https://share.america.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/6.-GCI-Dig-Once.pdf

Useful Online Resources

We often have contacts give us online links for useful information which we like to share with our readers. Here are two:




Why We Warn You To Be Careful About Fiber Shards


Fiber in Finger

Photo courtesy  Brian Brandstetter,  Mississauga Training Consultan


FOA Facts

FOA is a non-profit professional association chartered to promote professionalism in fiber optics through education, certification and standards. FOA is mostly known for  certifying techs - mostly CFOT®s -Certified Fiber Optic Technicians - but also may be CPCTs - Certified Premises Cabling Technicians or corporate members involved in fiber optics.

FOA is a "virtual organization" - we have no "brick and mortar" presence. We operate over the Internet with operations centered in California, with active workers and volunteers in locations as diverse as Texas, Ohio, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, Denmark, South Africa, the Middle East and many more.

Being a virtual organization, FOA has very low overhead, allowing us to offer cost-effective certifications and many free programs to support our industry.

CFOT Total
As of today, FOA has certified this many techs. About 90% come from our schools but many experienced techs have become FOA CFOT-certified directly through our "Work-to-Cert" program.

FOA has almost 200 approved training organizations in about 40 countries around the world around the world.

FOA Certifications Now Last For 3-Years

Beginning in 2019, all FOA certifications issued or renewed will be for a period of 3 years. Most certification bodies worldwide have standardized on 3 year certifications. FOA has been working with a number of organizations that use our programs but have standardized on 3 year certifications. FOA has decided that it is time to change our policies to align with the majority of other organizations.

Remember that FOA certification renewals include all the certifications one individual has for one price. FOA does not charge for any additional certifications, so, for example, if a CFOT also has specialist certifications like the CFOS/T or CFOS/S, they are included at no additional cost when the basic certification is renewed.

FOA CFOT Logo

FOA has 14 fiber optic certification programs covering every aspect of fiber optic network design, installation and operation.

Primary Certifications: CFOT (basic fiber), CPCT (premises cabling), CFOS/O (outside plant, taught with CFOT included) and CFOS/D (fiber optic network design).

Skills Certifications (for installers and techs, requires CFOT): CFOS/S (splicing), CFOS/C (connectors/termination), CFOS/T (testing), CFOS/FC (fiber characterization).

Applications Certifications (for techs or anyone, including managers and supervisors): FTTH (fiber to the home), CFOS/L (optical LANs), CFOS/DC (data centers), CFOS/A (fiber to the antenna), CFOS/DAS (distributed antenna systems) and CFOS/W (fiber for wireless)



(what you are reading)

FOA monitors the trade press, websites and other resources continually to look at what's happening in many technologies that affect fiber optics. We're tracing technologies as diverse as wireless, IoT, autonomous vehicles, smart cities, energy, or anywhere fiber is used to bring news to our readers.

FOA continually updates our technical materials, online and printed, and our curriculum to ensure our readers have access to the latest technical information and our schools teach the latest technology and applications. Our printed books are being updated right now.

FOA Guide
FOA created the FOA Online Guide as a non-commercial trustworthy technical reference almost a decade ago so the industry would have a reliable technical reference. In the last year, over 1million visitors downloaded about 4 million pages of technical information.

fiberu.org

FOA offers free online self-study programs at Fiber U. In 2017, the number of online sessions doubled to 200,000. Many of those are preparing for FOA certification programs - taking courses at our schools or using the "Work-to-Cert" 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.

videos

FOA offers over 100 educational YouTube videos that have been viewed 2.4 million times.

FOA offers its training programs to other organizations at no cost to help them train their members properly in fiber optics. For example, FOA has been working with the Electrical Training Alliance (IBEW/NECA) for over 20 years, training their instructors for their apprenticeship programs. We work with many other organizations and companies to provide the materials they need.

FOA has about 300 corporate members - companies in various aspects of the fiber optic industry worldwide that we list online and offer discounts on certifications and renewals.

FOA provides speakers for many conferences and even presentations for use by other organizations to educate people on the aspects of fiber optic communications.

FOA has a program to provide
classroom materials for STEM teachers (science, technology, engineering and math) introducing K-12 students to fiber optics and creating science projects.

FOA provides forums for discussion on various social media. Our LinkedIn groups have about 5,000 members each. If you are not joining us on social media yet, please do.

Find us on Facebook  FOA on LinkedIn  videos 
Pinterest  Twitter


Interested In A Career In Fiber Optics?

Careers in fiber optics


FOA has created a new YouTube video to introduce students to careers in fiber optics. It was made for showing to high school and junior high students interested in tech careers but anyone interested in a possible career in this field will find it interesting. If you have kids in school or know teachers, let them know about this too. Watch the FOA Careers In Fiber Optics Video on YouTube and visit the
FOA Careers In Fiber Optics web page at www.foa.org/careers/.

ts
1-844-440-0047
www.fiberoptictraining.com





Fiber Optic Education For Students At Any Age 

We hear about fiber optics all the time - it's in the news whenever we hear articles about high tech, the Internet and communications, and many communities are getting "fiber to the home." But few people really understand fiber optics or how it works. FOA is focused on educating the workforce that installs and operates these fiber optic networks but we're always getting inquiries from STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) teachers who want to introduce fiber optics to younger students in K-12 grades or technical schools.

We start with the FOA Careers In Fiber Optics Video on YouTube and visit the FOA Careers In Fiber Optics web page at www.foa.org/careers/. These are for students who think they might be interested in careers in fiber optics and want to know more about what fiber techs do.

Teachers for fiber optics
Using red laser light (a VFL here but a laser pointer works also) to show how fiber guides light.

FOA has begun developing a series of YouTube videos intended for teaching students in elementary, middle and high schools about fiber optics. The first FOA video is titled "Fiber Optics For Teachers." With this video, we show teachers how fiber works and carries signals and then explains simple experiments to demonstrate how fiber optics works in the classroom using some plastic fiber and a laser pointer. Since many teachers do not know where to get the fiber, the FOA offers to send them a sample for use in demonstrations in their classroom (USA only right now.)

At the end of the video, teachers are given directions on how to request samples of the plastic fiber from the FOA.

This video joins the "Fiber Optics Live" series How Light Travels In A FiberFiber Attenuation and Connector Loss that show how fiber works using simple experiments that can be duplicated in any classroom. More videos will be coming soon.

If you have kids or know some teachers who would be interested, please send them to the introductory video Fiber Optics For Teachers  and we'll be glad to help them get started with some entertaining programs for their classrooms.


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.

 

If you have kids in school or know teachers who are interested, send them to the FOA page Fiber Optic Resources For Teachers.






Should Your Company Become An FOA Corporate Member?

As all FOA individual members know, they join the FOA by becoming certified, mostly taking their CFOTs but some CPCTs,  either by attending a FOA approved school or joining directly based on field experience (our "work to cert" program.) Over the years, we've been contacted by manufacturers, contractors, consultants, and other types of organizations who ask about becoming members.

We don't certify companies or organizations, we told them, so we were not sure what we could offer as a benefit of membership. But then, companies asked about using our educational programs to train employees, how they could get listed on the FOA website as service providers or if they could get a quantity discount on membership or certification for all the FOA members working for them. That began to sound like a benefit for being an FOA corporate member. And providing a list of useful suppliers to the market could be a benefit to the industry as a whole.

So FOA has quietly been letting companies and other organizations join the FOA to take advantage of those benefits so we now have several hundred corporate members. We've put then into a database and listed them on the FOA website in map and list form. Here's the map.

FOA Corporate members

The online
map and list can be used to find suppliers and service providers.

The map, like our map of schools, lets you find the FOA corporate members close to you.  The table form lists them by category: Installer/Contractor, Component Manufacturer, Installation Equip. Manufacturer, Transmission Equipment, Services/Consulting, Distribution and Users of Fiber Optic Networks. You can sort the tables to find members meeting your needs, e.g. by location, certifications offered, etc. Click on any column heading to sort that column; click twice to sort in reverse order.

How Does An Organization Become An FOA Corporate Member?

Simple, just fill in the online application form. When your application is accepted, you will be asked to pay the one time membership fee - $100US. You will then be listed on the online  map and list, have access to exclusive FOA educational materials for your employees and get discounts on certifications and renewals. 




  


Events of Interest: FOA now posts events on our LinkedIn groups, Facebook page and other social media




FOA on LinkedIn


FOA has a company page and three LinkedIn Groups


FOA - official company page on LinkedIn
 
FOA - covers FOA, technology and jobs in the fiber optic marketplace

FOA Fiber Optic Training - open to all, covers fiber optic technology and training topics


Grupo de La Asociación de Fibra Óptica FOA (Español)  

RETURN TO INDEX


FOA Logo FOA Resources



FOA Standards:


FOA offers free standards for datalinks and testing the installed fiber optic cable plant, patchcords and cable, optical power from transmitters or at receivers and OTDR testing.
Look for the "1 PageStandard" web page and in the FOA Online Reference Guide.

View the  FOA YouTube Video On FOA Standards 

NECA/FOA 301 Fiber Optic Installation Standard

NECA 301
Standards cover components and systems and how to test them, but rarely get into installation issues. The FOA NECA 301 standard which covers installation of optical fiber systems has been revised for the second time, adding considerable new materials. This standard is derived from FOA educational material put in standards form and approved by ANSI as an American National Standard. It's specifically written to be used in contracts to define "installation in a neat and workmanlike manner." The standard is available from NECA.   FOA members can go here for instructions on how to download your free copy.


RETURN TO INDEX




Fiber U

Free Fiber U Self-Study Programs


FOA's "Fiber U" free online self-study programs help you learn about fiber optics, study for FOA certifications or use them to help create "blended learning" classes. There are two new free online self-study programs on Fiber U. Fiber Optic Network Design is for those interested in learning more about how to design fiber optic networks or studying for the CFOS/D certification. FTTx is for those wanting to know more about fiber to the "x" - curb, home, wireless, etc. - or studying for the CFOS/H certification.
Got to Fiber U for more information.

Fiber U Online Self-Study Programs Offer Certificates of Completion

FOA has been offering quite a few free online self-study programs on Fiber U, our online learning site. We are always getting questions about getting a certificate for completing the course online, so we have setup an option to take a test online and get a certificate of completion for these online courses.

Fiber U certificate

While it's not FOA certification, FOA will recognize a
Fiber U Certificate of Completion as background experience to qualify for applying for FOA certifications. We also intend to expand the program to more specialized topics as preparation for FOA specialist certifications.

If you have associates that want to get started in fiber, have them take this course online to get started. Go to  Fiber U and get started.


FOA Books And Publications

Updated Books
FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optics  FOA Reference Guide To OSP Fiber Optics

Many textbooks are behind the technology because they are rarely updated. FOA really keeps our textbooks up to date. We did a major update a year ago and another was just completed. The The FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optics has been updated to reflect new components like OM5 fiber, testing for fiber characterization and more information on installation.

The
FOA Reference Guide To Outside Plant FIber Optics has been expanded to include an extensive section on outside plant construction taken from Joe Botha's OSP Construction Guide textbook. This additional material is being added to support the new FOA CFOS/O OSP tech certification program which now includes of OSP construction.

 FOA Basic Fiber Optic Textbook Available in French and Spanish

  FOA Reference Guide to Fiber Optics book FOA Text in French FOA text in Spanish FOA Reference Guide to Premises Cablng book FOA Reference Guide to OSP Fiber Optics book  FOA Guide To Fiber Optic Network Design  FOA Outside Plant Fiber Optics Construction Guide

FOA Book on Fiber Optic Testing   FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optic Testing


Libro de Diseño para Redes de Fibra Óptica en Español - FOA Design Book Available In Spanish Online

Design in Spanish

La Asociación Profesional de Fibra Óptica (The FOA) ha traducido y hecho disponible en Español, la “Guía de Diseño para Fibra Óptica”. Esto para todos los interesados en estudiar para la certificación CFOS/D en su idioma nativo. Puede acceder a la traducción al libro de Diseño en línea utilizando este enlace. La versión impresa del libro estará disponible muy prontamente.


FOA has translated the FOA Guide To Fiber Optic Network Design book and made it available online to those studying for the CFOS/D Certification but whose native language is Spanish. You can access the Spanish translation of the Design book here. A printed version will be available in the near future.


Lennie & Uncle Ted Guides - Perfect For Getting Started

Lennie and Uncle Ted's Guides have moved  to the FOA website. Lennie is the place where many if not most fiber techs begin their education. FOA has just updated the two guides to ensure they stay relevant - more than 20 years after they were first written.

Lennie goes all the way back to 1993 when he was created as the mascot of the original "Fiber U" conference - the same Fiber U that is now the FOA's web-based training site. Lennie Lightwave's Guide To Fiber Optics was created as a beginner's introduction to fiber optics. Over 60,000 printed version of Lennie's Guide were given away and it became one of the first commercial web pages in 1994. Uncle Ted's Guide To Communications Cabling was written a few years later to introduce techs to "Cat 5" - UTP wiring - that had only recently been standardized in TIA-568.

Lennie and Ted's Guides are used in the current Fiber U online self-study programs and are still the best place to start learning about fiber optics.


Lennie and Uncle Ted's Guides are online at the links here, can be downloaded as printable PDFs and are now also available as free iBooks on iTunes.

Lennie Lightwave's Guide To Fiber Optics   Uncle Ted's Guide to Premises Cablling

Lennie Lightwave's Guide to Fiber Optics and Uncle Ted's Guide To Communications Cabling   are now available free to iPad users who can download them from the Apple iTunes store. Of course they are still available online or for download.

You can also find these free guides on the FOA website - go here for all the links: Lennie Lightwave's Guide to Fiber Optics and Uncle Ted's Guide To Communications Cabling  

Download PDFs of Lennie or Uncle Ted.


RETURN TO INDEX



FOA iPad Apps

FOA LossCalc
FOA Loss Calculator AppFOA LossCalc estimates the optical loss of a fiber optic link. This will save time for the installer of a fiber optic link needing to know whether test results are reasonable and/or make a "pass/fail" determination. It can also help the designer of a link to determine if communications equipment will operate over this link.
By choosing the type of link (singlemode or multimode) and specifying the length of the fiber and numbers of connections and splices, it will calculate the end to end loss of the link. The app has default specifications for singlemode and multimode links or the user may create custom setups with specifications appropriate for any application. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/foa-losscalc/id476262894?mt=8&ls=1



RETURN TO INDEX




videos


The FOA has many videos on videos, including two Lecture Series (Fiber Optics and Premises Cabling), Hands-On lectures on both and some other informational and instructional videos. For all the videos, go to the FOA Channel "thefoainc" or use the direct links below.


View a complete list of FOA Videos with links to each video on YouTube.


Where Are The Jobs In Fiber Optics? FOA talks about all the applications for fiber optics, what jobs involve and the qualifications for the workers in the field.



Fiber Optics - Live!  A series of videos that use lab demonstrations to show how optical fiber works. 
Fiber Optics LIVE!


Cabling Project Management - what's involved in a copper/fiber/wireless project -advice for the customer and the contractor

Hazards Of Counterfeit Cable

You may have read the stories we have written about the counterfeit "Cat 5" cable made from copper-clad aluminum rather than pure copper. Recently we tried an unscientific burn test on the cable compared to a known good UL tested cable and posted a video on YouTube. You can see the results below.

Counterfeit cable flame test

Counterfeit Cable     Real UL-rated cable

The difference is obvious and the danger is real. Watch the video on YouTube: Premises Cabling Lecture 11: Counterfeit Cat 5 Cabling




View a complete list of FOA Videos with links to each video on YouTube.



View all the FOA Channel  on YouTube.  






RETURN TO INDEX



FOA Schools

New School:

Midwest Communications Technologies, FOA Approved School #378.


Find a listing of all the FOA-Approved schools here.


Find An FOA-Approved Training Organization


Most inquiries we get regarding finding a FOA-Approved training organization want to know two things: what school is closest to me or what school offers the certifications I need. The FOA has about 200 training organizations we have approved worldwide so finding the right one can be difficult! We've been looking at ways to make it easier, and we think we've got a good solution. In fact we have two solutions.

First we have added a sortable table of all the FOA-Approved schools.

You can also use our FOA Google Map to find FOA-Approved schools.

FOA Map

What Should A Fiber Optics or Cabling Tech Know and What Skills Do They Need?
FOA certifications are based on our KSAs - the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities that techs need to succeed. Read the FOA KSAs for fiber and cabling techs.



School News


Feedback

We always enjoy feedback, especially when it shows how great some FOA instructors are. These came from students of Tom Rauch, an instructor at BDI Datalynk:


"I took your fiber optics certification courses this past March. I just wanted to let you know that in two weeks I start working as a fiber optic technician with ___ up in ___. You mentioned on the first day of the course that there is always one guy in class who had rubbed his last two nickels together to be there and, in that instance, I was that guy. Now I'm going to be able to provide for my family like never before and I owe it to the certification that I received from you and BDI Datalynk. I just wanted to thank you again."

"Thanks to our tremendously knowledgeable and patient instructor Thomas Rauch, who was not only generous in sharing his wealth of information, but he did so with ease, humor and in a way that invited curiosity and participation. He was encouraging and proud of our accomplishments and helped us learn from our mistakes in a way that did not break our confidence, rather it pushed us to better results the next go around. The hands on labs were just AWESOME!" Just thought you should know what a class act you have representing you in his travels..... but then again you probably already knew that! : )

In almost 19 years at Verizon and having held numerous positions, I have gone through many training sessions. I cannot remember ever having been actually looking forward to coming back to class quickly after lunch, to get back to the hands on activities, and walking away with the sense of empowerment that the information presented was not only relevant but dead on point accurate! I will be signing up for the Outside Plant class on March! I can't say enough good things about Tom and his impact! Feel free to quote me, I can only imagine that he will open so many doors and change so many lives in the years to come, with his style of teaching! Great experience, awesome job!
"

IBEW and FOA Partner on Fiber Optic Training

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the National Electrical Contractors Association(NECA) through the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) in a partnership with the FOA has published a new textbook for training IBEW apprentices and journeymen in fiber optics. The new textbook uses the material from the FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optics with new material and photos from other NJATC training partners.

NJATC FOA Textbook


Quote from one of our certified instructors: I want to thank you and your organization for all the resources you provide for the students and the opportunity to offer the certification to the students. The fact that you published the book yourself to get the cost down and the unlimited free resources on your website shows a commitment to the public that is second to none. I let it be known to the students that the FOA is the best in the industry at supplying knowledge and resources related to the communication industry. I look forward to passing on the information that you provide for the industry.


RETURN TO INDEX

 

Good Question! Tech Questions/Comments Worth Repeating

New: The FOA Fiber FAQs Page (FAQ s = frequently asked questions) gathers up questions readers have asked us and adds tech topics of general interest.

Questions From FOA Newsletter Readers

May 2020
Lashing Aerial Cable With Cable Ties?
Q:
I am considering an electrical job installing fiber optic aerially on a messenger cable.
I have seen the cable tie method of lashing the fiber to the messenger. Would you recommend this method considering the cost of a lashing machine for a single project and if so what would be a good distance between ties for the proper support of the fiber to the cable.
A: The normal way to attach an aerial cable to a messenger is lashing the cable with stainless steel wire. If you use cable ties, you would need ensure the cable doesn’t droop and the cable ties are designed for outdoor use in the sun over a long time (stainless steel ones are available). How long is the span? If it’s more than 100 feet, I think I would go with lashing. If you don’t have a lasher, you can rent one. You will need a bucket truck anyway.

Power Budget For PON
Q:
Do you have any information on guidelines for avoiding over saturation in a PON network? Our ONTs have a power window of between -8dBm and -27dBm.  OLT transceivers transmit at around 4dBm.  So our designers budget for no more than 28dB of loss. However, some ignore the -8dBm maximum power spec.  With a short run from OLT to ONT and a small splitter, installers are sometimes seeing light levels at the ONT at around -6 to -7dBm. What would you recommend as a minimum loss budget in this case?  Do we need margin?
A: The GPON spec does have a max power at the ONT generally expressed as a minimum loss in the cable plant - 13dB for GPON. There is a graph about halfway down this page (https://foa.org/tech/ref/appln/datalink.html) that shows a graph of BER vs Receiver power. To have a link work properly, it must have sufficient power to be above the minimum S/N - signal to noise - ratio for the link but not so much power that it saturates the receiver.
This is a very common situation in telco networks where links are designed for relatively long distances but may be used on short ones - e.g. a 40km link being used over 10km in a city. Their solution is simple - add an attenuator (https://foa.org/tech/ref/appln/attenuators.html). Lots of these links use attenuators.
In a PON, there are several ways to go. 1) Brute force - test each ONT and add attenuators as needed. Techs could carry a selection of 5dB or 10dB attenuators to get at least to the 13dB minimum needed. 2) Rather than require testing at each ONT, have the designer do a loss budget based on the link length and specify a minimum splitter in the link (8:1 would probably work well) which would probably be cheaper than testing and adding lots of attenuators.
 
Midspan Drop Cables
Q:
I am working on a project that has 5 sections, consisting of 5 miles each section, CCTV, detectors, DMS connected by 192 count fiber.  We were directed to use the consultants plans from the first section as a guide for uniformity for the remaining contracts.  The attached fiber detail shows a 4 fiber drop cable going to the ITS device.  I was thinking to take all 12 fibers to the device and back for redundancy?  Also, if we did use the 4 fiber drop cable, I didn’t understand why they would splice the other 10 thru cables and instead leave them intact? Is there a preferred method for a drop cable to a device or just preferences?
A: We are not sure why they do it the way they do. Perhaps the designer was not familiar with midspan access which would preclude having to make the other splices. Using a 12 fiber drop cable would be more expensive and perhaps unnecessary unless the device being connected is in a location where a small cell site might be located. They may also have uses for those other fibers that require a connection through the drop point.  We”d suggest to the designer that midspan access might allow saving the 10 splices at each drop.

 

April 2020
Restoration Time
Q:
Do you have any statistical data on how long (on average) it takes for a utility network operator to detect and pinpoint the exact location of a fiber cut?
A: We don’t have any information on the average time it would take to find a fiber fault and like all averages, it might not have a lot of meaning.

Many fiber optic links today have alarms that indicate loss of transmission so they tell you immediately when the link goes down. Identify the link and the fiber connection.  Then it becomes a matter of troubleshooting and eliminating causes. Sometimes even when reconnected the equipment requires a system reset to get started.

First - check the power on the equipment

Secondly: determine if someone was doing something in the equipment area that might have caused a problem. We do know of a link that was brought down because an executive giving a tour disconnected a live link to show someone a fiber connector! If someone was working nearby, check that area first - patchcords, cables, etc. Don’t forget to check work records to see if a crew is working around the cable plant at that time. It’s possible a crew installing new cables damaged old ones. See the FOA newsletter for this month for what installers do on aerial cable plant https://www.foa.org/foanl-3-20.html or last month for underground https://www.foa.org/foanl-2-20.html.

If it appears to be in the cable plant and nobody is working near it, OTDRs are generally used for troubleshooting. They get you into the area where the problem is and them it’s finding it manually. Underground it’s often contractors digging or boring, overhead it’s just poor workmanship - or as a guy from Bonneville Power put it, it may be “target practice” although animals damage aerial cables too.

FOA has a page on restoration https://foa.org/tech/ref/restoration/rest.html and some of our instructors do seminars on it.

Time? If there are trained techs available, finding the problem can take less than an hour. If not, it can take a lot longer. Repair can be hours or days if the proper techs and equipment are not available.

If nonstop service is required, alternative fiber routing is the solution - build a mesh network.

Under any circumstances, having a restoration plan and repair materials should be ready. If tech personnel are not available, a contractor on call is needed.

APC or UPC?
Q:
Can my otdr test upc connectors?  Can I test this distribution without problems?
APC?
A: APC and UPC connectors are not compatible. APCs are green, UPCs are blue. See https://foa.org/tech/ColCodes.htm To test UPC connectors you would need a launch cable that is UPC on the OTDR end and APC to to mate to an APC connectors. But if I look behind these green APC mating adapters, I seem to see blue connectors - blue is UPC not APC.  (add photo)


VFL Works On Multimode And Singlemode
Q:
Will a VFL for single mode work with a multi mode as well?
A: Yes, a VFL works for either SM or MM fiber. Tight buffer MM is no problem. On patchcords, the ability to see light through the jacket of the cable depends on the color and transparency of the plastic. On buffered fiber, it works well on most 900 micron buffer fibers.

Campus Network Expansion
Q:
Any advice for expanding a campus fiber optic network?
A: Here are some thoughts:
  • Building to building can more easily be done with indoor/outdoor cable to get past the 50’ code limit for OSP cable.
  • Many campuses have ducts but they are often crowded. Microducts or fabric ducts are often the solution even if you have to pull out an older cable to pull in new microducts into one old duct.
  • Microducts and blowing microcables are gaining lots of traction for their practicality.
  • Microducts and microtrenching can be what we call “construction without disruption.”
  • We are seeing more and more directional boring - works fine as long as you know where other buried utilities are! Many contractors need to learn more about underground location.
  • People are finally getting the idea about singlemode fiber - now it’s probably cheaper than multimode.
  • Passive optical LANs can save money. Biggest advantage is the upgrade from GPON to 10GPON is seamless - you can even run both simultaneously, e.g. for a student system and a faculty/research system.
  • High fiber count cables are tempting, but require special handling and lots of manhole/handhole space.
  • We’re working with a Corning “Pioneer” (retired engineer) on trying to educate installers about bend radius violations, esp when pulling large fiber count cables.
  • Most installations shortchange manhole/handhole space.
  • Aerial is sometimes used. Lashing to a messenger is probably best. We worked with a school in Canada last year trying to use short lengths of ADSS and it was not cost effective nor was their much applications support for short ADSS links.
  • Line of sight wireless (RF or optical) works across highways and may be cheaper than construction for fiber.



March 2020

Troubleshooting Links
Q:
I have a run of 12 Strand single mode fiber from a remote closet back to my main equipment room.  I unpluged it this morning to check another cable and when i plugged it back i have lost communication with the remote closet.  Can you help me with some trouble shooting ideas.  I have already tried a new cable from the termination point back to the switch but still no communication.
A: The first guess is that the fibers are not connected correctly - transmitter to receiver. That’s the first thing to check. The second possibility is dirt on the connector or in the connector housing on the transmitter or receiver. Cleaning might be the solution. Third and worst possibility is the connector was damaged when being disconnected.

Q2: I ended up powering down the switch in the remote closet and plugging the fiber in then powering it back up and it picked up communication again.  Strange ??
A: Nope, makes sense. Many new networks shut down unless they have full duplex communications. If the link is broken, it shuts down until reset.

~~~~~~~~~~

Cable Installation Guidelines
Q:
I am trying to find information on the recommendations regarding fiber underground in conduit. I am looking for industry specific verbiage on the cumulative turn degrees before you need a handhole or manhole. I believe it is 180 degree cumulative but I can’t find it anywhere.
A: We’ve heard the 180 degree limit mentioned on some conduit but not for fiber optics. For any fiber optic cable pulling, the relevant issues are pulling tension and bend radius.
We know of no specific standards or guidelines on conduit bends for fiber optics. It has many factors, including conduit size and type - there are many types, length of the pull, radius of the bends, type of fiber optic cable and lubricants used, if any. For the cable, there are thousands of fiber optic cable designs that vary in diameter from ~3mm to ~30mm depending on the type of cable and number of fibers, the stiffness of the cable and the location and type of stiffer/strength members and the method of installation - pulling or blowing/jetting. And for locations as far North as you are, temperature can be an issue as cable gets stiffer when colder!
For any given installation, corners are generally accommodated by handholes/manholes and pulling done from handhole to handhole with figure-8ed cable pulling techniques to prevent cable damage by excessive tension or bending.
FOA has a section of our Guide on OSP construction: Outside Plant Fiber Optic Cable Plant Construction and in that is a section on OSP installation. For specific cables or conduit runs, we’d suggest talking to the application engineers at cable manufacturers who can give specific advice.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Minimum Link Length
Q:
I have a question regarding minimum fiber optic distances for horizontal runs. Is there a minimum distance for a horizontal fiber optic run? Any information regarding this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for you help!
A: The answer to your question is for the most part no, there is no minimum distance for a fiber optic link. For example, fiber is used in offices, data centers, etc. sometimes connecting equipment on a single rack. And there are many fiber optic links used on platforms - aircraft, helicopters, ships, etc. - and in command posts.
Most of the Ethernet standards are based on a 2m minimum, but also most are defined by a maximum length. For multimode systems, the max length is mainly a bandwidth issue, so shorter links are no problem.
For singlemode links, the bandwidth is not an issue, it’s the power budget, limited by the transmitter power and receiver sensitivity, translated into the loss of the cable plant. But for receivers, often they have not only a minimum input power limited by their baseline noise but also a maximum power they can have before saturating and causing high bit error rates. See “Power Budget” on this page in the FOA Guide. So if a singlemode link is short, the receiver can be overloaded so an attenuator is used at the receiver.
There is a secondary problem with singlemode systems, reflectance. Reflections from connections can cause problems with both transmitters and receivers, a topic covered in the link given above. The reflectance problem can be solved with APC connectors.
The FOA Guide has many pages on links, networks, reflectance, testing, etc. that you may find helpful.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PON Troubleshooting
Q:
I have question about DBM IN GPON system with splitter 1:64. I spliced 2 fiber from splitter to customer going through 4 splicing points and when I measured the loss at the end (customer) the #2 fiber was fine  but the #1 fiber was down 12 dB. I checked the fiber with OTDR without splitter and it looks fine. What you think is the problem?
A: You need to test the splitter itself to make sure all ports are good.


February 2020

Fiber Flexibility and Longevity
Q: When I think of glass, I think of a material that is not very flexible. If you try to bend most glass, it will break. So it is rather remarkable  that you can bend a fiber and not crack it, even though the strands are quite thin. Perhaps it's not a good idea to bend fiber too sharply? I was talking to the people who maintain the fiber network at the university here. They tell me they have a problem when fiber gets to be about 15 years old, it will start to become brittle. If you flex it, it will crack or break. Is this a common problem? How long can fiber be expected to last before it becomes brittle? Is fiber that is manufactured more recently have a longer life-span?
A: Fiber is quite flexible. One demo I did when I taught classes was to walk up to a large window and push on it, telling everyone to watch the reflections to see how the glass flexed. I can flex quite a lot. Like most materials, as it gets smaller, it can bend more easily because the stress is less across the cross sectional area. Consider a bar of steel 1” in diameter compared to a piano wire or banjo string. Most things break because either they are overstressed or there is some impurity in the material that focuses the stress and the crack propagates from there. Ever cut glass? You scratch it and stress it along the scratch line and its maps off - called cleaving - where the stress concentrates along the induced fault. Fiber is extremely low in impurities - a matter of how it’s made from raw materials, not melted sand like most glass - that’s part of what makes them have such low loss (efficient transmission) and high strength. A glass fiber is much stronger than steel of the same size. Corning explains it here.
 The brittleness of older fiber is due to the migration of moisture up the cable into the glass. The H2O becomes the OH radical which interacts with the glass to reduce its strength. Most cable companies say their cable today protects the fiber well enough that it should last 40 years, but where fiber is terminated or spliced and exposed to the air, it can get brittle and be hard to handle in 10 years or more. Older fiber had shorter lifetimes simply because we learned to make fiber coatings and cables better at sealing fiber from the ambient atmosphere.

Fiber Choice for LANs
Q:
Many manufacturers or suppliers worldwide emphasize the use of OM4 multimode optical fiber for the LAN. Does single-mode fiber not provide greater bandwidth than multimode? Do they imply that single mode optical fiber should only be used for long distance applications and not in LAN environments?
A: Multimode fiber is acceptable for LANs up to 10 gigabits/second and up to 550 meters depending on the type of fiber and Ethernet version. See this page for a complete list of network specifications.Higher versions of multimode fiber OM2-OM3-OM4 have higher bandwidth capability. OM5 is a version of MO4 that also supports wavelength division multiplexing with VCSEL sources in the extended wavelength 850-950nm range. OM1 is a earlier fiber with a different core size that has not been designed into new systems for almost 20 years. LANs can use singlemode fiber for all versions. Singlemode has longer distance capability (up to 40km) and virtually infinite bandwidth. See the singlemode specification in the link above. Singlemode is also used in passive optical LANs that can be much cheaper to build than conventional networks. See this page  for information on optical LANs (OLANs) including passive OLANs based on FTTH GPON technology.


Testing Pigtails
Q: A customer said he said he would test 100 foot pigtails with OTDR. I question that practice and think OLTS Tier 1 and microscope test for defects,
A: Pigtails do not have a connector on one end so that makes OTDR testing more justifiable. Clean connector, mate to connector on long reference cable, check connection and length. OLTS testing would require using bare fiber adapter or temporary splice and might not be very accurate.

What Is A Ring Network?
Q:
If according to the TIA or ISO structured cabling standards the fiber optic campus backbone must be star-hierarchical type, how should a fiber optic "ring" be built? to always ensure connectivity on a LAN?
A: A “ring” network consists of a series of links connecting equipment (nodes) in series until the last one connects back to the first. Since the links are communicate in both directions, the network can still operate if any one cabling link or equipment fails. Today, survivability is usually ensured by using a “mesh” network; the architecture of data centers, the Internet or phones. In addition to having a series connection of nodes, there are other interconnections that provide for multiple alternative paths. See Networks in the FOA Guide. https://foa.org/tech/ref/appln/networks.html


Testing Samples Not Everything
Q
: Instead of testing everything, how does one determine how many fibers or components to test for a reasonable statistical sampling?
A: The relevant term is AQL - acceptance quality limit - a term that is used for statistical sampling for testing. Here is a web page that explains it: https://qualityinspection.org/what-is-the-aql/. Let testing and inspection evolve. At first test thoroughly, but drop testing anything that never fails, it’s a waste of time. Qualify vendors and test trusted vendors less. 

Fiber Lifetime
Q:
I am often ask how long the fiber we are deploying today will last or be useable , I typically say something like it will last at least 20 years and that no one really knows how long it can be used.   What is the oldest fiber optic network or longish segment that is still in production that you know of?
A: Current cables are probably good for 40 years or so. Today there is some fiber being used by telcos from the late 1980s and lots form the late 1990s and early 2000s. Lots of OPGW (optical power ground wire) is in use up to 30 years old. Some of this old fiber is being used at 10Gb//s. But remember that fiber from 20 or 30 years ago may have limitations on bandwidth, since both chromatic and polarization mode dispersion has been reduced in newer fibers for higher speed networks. And spectral attenuation of older fibers may be higher and have the water peak at 1383nm that can affect wavelength-division multiplexing systems. But the weak point may not be the cable or fiber, but the splice and termination points where bare fibers may be exposed to the elements. It's not uncommon to find these fibers have become brittle and are hard to work with. What we always tell people is if it’s working, leave it alone. If you want to upgrade to higher bit rate systems, use fiber characterization to determine if the fibers are capable of use at higher speeds.

Crossed Connections
Q:
If a FO connector is crossed connected i.e Rx connected Rx and Tx to Tx at both end, will it works?
I know in theory it will not due to light circuits arrangement, but is there SFP in the market can tolerate that? 
A: We do not know how a SFP could sense and change polarity unless it had an optical switch inside the module. A transmitter is a laser or LED and a receiver has a photodetector. Unless one could have the devices change function, changing polarity would be impossible.

Construction Near Underground Fiber
Q:
What is the recommended distance for any new building construction to build near underground fiber duct channel?
A: We do not know of any standards or codes related to construction near fiber or other underground utilities. Common sense dictates that one stay far enough away to prevent accidental damage, so adding 5-6 meters(15-20ft) from the areas of construction makes sense.



FTTH GPON
Q:
Can you guide me some websites or pages where I can learn more about Gpon Technology please?
A: FOA Guide has a big section on FTTH and OLANs using GPON technology. Follow those links,


Splice Loss
Q: We are installing 216 fiber aerial cable for 12km with 2 splicing points. We use 3 different fusion machines and they report that all splices are 0.00db. But when we check using OTDR we get above 0.04db. The question is how can we get below 0.04db splicing loss?
A: The loss results from both fusion splicers and OTDRs are estimates, with considerable uncertainty. The splicing machines estimate based on the optical images of the fibers. The OTDR estimates loss based on fiber backscatter and may give significant differences depending on the direction of test. The differences you quote are within the uncertainty of the two instruments.



Cheating On Link Length
Q:
I have a fiber run for a camera starts at location A to location B it is 467 feet.  Location B jumpers through to location C which is 2060 ft at location C. Transceivers areSFPs ONLY GOOD UP TO 1800 ft, but this company only has a multimode system. Is there something i can do to make this work?
A: It might work as is, since electronics are usually quoted with conservative specs and will work farther than specified most of the time. If you have several SFPs, test the output power to see if it exceeds specs and choose the 2 ones with highest power. If that still doesn’t work, contact SFP manufacturers for higher power units.


Pulling Cable
Q
: I’m having trouble finding much information on the matter. What type of swivel should be used to pull fiber and what would be the correct way to pull armored fiber.
A: Start  on the FOA Guide here and go here for types of swivel pulling eyes. with https://foa.org/tech/ref/OSP_Construction/Underground_Installation.html and here are sources https://www.comstarsupply.com/cable-pulling/swivels.html It’s not common to “pull” armored cable since it’s designed for direct burial, but a kellums grip on the jacket will generally work.


Errors In A Data Link
Q
: What is the significance of bit error, and what is the acceptable rate for communications and submersible vehicles?
A: On any data link, there is an acceptable amount of error that can be tolerated. If it’s a digital voice link, a BER 10E-6 (1 error in 1million bits) is acceptable without affecting voice quality. If it’s a link to your bank, the typical standard is a million times higher (10E-12). Link protocols usually have ways to determine BER, like attaching a checksum to the end of a data packet and having it checked at the receiving end. If a error is suspected, the packet will be discarded and retransmitted. Here is a tutorial on BER and an explanation of errors in a a fiber optic link.

Math of Fiber Optics
Q:
Do you by any chance recommend any books as an introduction to understand the mathematics of fiber optics? Fiber optics confuses me,  particularly how so much data can travel over light without interfering with each other, 
A: If you are interested in information theory, that’s really covered by Claude Shannon at Bell Labs 70 years ago. That’s actually pretty simple. Shannon proved that digital data was best and how much data could be transmitted with a given amount of bandwidth (Read more). There are several levels of math associated with fiber optics. The real theoretical basis is probably in dozens of books but I like these:

Top Level: Gerd Keiser  
Middle Level: Jeff Hecht.

If you are interested in non-math explanations, the FOA website has that:
Fiber Optic Datalinks
Bandwidth: https://foa.org/tech/ref/OSP/fiber.html#dispersion
Wavelength-Division Multiplexing

For testing math (dB loss, metrology, etc.) these links or the FOA book on Testing
Metrology and Fiber Optics
The Math of Insertion Loss Testing - Reference Methods


APC Connectors
Q:
Why NOT make the use of APC connectors the new standard for all adds, moves and changes to any campus, MDU or similar application using single mode cable?
A: There is absolutely no reason not to use APC connectors other than the cost is higher and one must be careful if they are used in a cable plant that also has PCs or UPCs because they are incompatible. We recommend them all the time for short links like data centers, passive optical LANs and FTTH where runs of singlemode fiber are short. In fact they are very common in these networks today.

GPON
Q
What is normal Range for good power in an FTTH fiber?
A: The GPON specification for downstream power from the OLT is OLT transmitter power should be 0 to +6dBm and link attenuation in the range of 13 to 28dB, which says receiver power the ONT must be a maximum of 13 dB less than +6dBm or -7dBm and a minimum of 28 dB less than 0dBm or -28dBm, so -7 to -28dBm at the receiver.
Upstream, the similar calculation is ONT transmitter -4 to +2dBm  and the receive power at  theOLT is -11 to -32dBm.
See http://thefoa.org/tech/ref/appln/FTTH-PON.html for the full specifications for GPON.

T
esting Cable Before Installation
Q: Does the FOA publish a standard for assessing single-mode fiber optic cables, prior to use on a specific project?
A: The ANSI/NECA/FOA-301 fiber optic installation standard covers this in Section 4.1. It recommends visual inspection and testing if there is any suspicion of damage to the cable. Many contractors will test a couple of fibers with an OTDR before installing any cable, just for assurance. It requires an OTDR with a pigtail launch cable and a mechanical splice.


Cable Bend Radius
Q: We are working on project where we need to know difference between short term and long term bend radius for fiber optic cable?
A: The bend radius for cables is generally specified under two conditions - under stress, e. g. when being pulled, it is a radius 20 times the cable diameter. Relaxed, after installation, it is a radius 10 times the cable diameter. The relaxed specification, 10X, is considered a long term specification. Some of the new high fiber count cables have different specifications, sometimes 15X or 20X under either condition. Check with the manufacturer for their specific cable.

OTDR Resolution
Q: 
If testing a 40KM link with 1KM launch and receive cords should I be able to see the connector and cassette splice on each side? My OTDR setup is at 64KM, 300ns pulse and 10 second test at 1310/1550/1625. It shows as a single event so far but with the pulse width at 300ns won’t that combine the events into one event during analysis?
A: You will not be able to resolve a connector and splice close together, especially on a long link like that. 300ns is almost 60m pulse width! You will see an even of the splice and connector combined.


Transmission Wavelength Compatibility
Q:
We are looking at the specs for  two devices, A and B. The spec sheet of Device A lists it is capable of MM in 850nm wavelength. The spec sheet of Device B lists it can do MM at 1300nm. If I connect these devices via MM patch cord, what is the impact due to different wavelengths? Will the transmission suffer significant loss or since both are multimode, wavelength is irrelevant?
A: Fiber works at either wavelength, but transceivers do not. The attenuation rate for MM fiber is ~3dB/km at 850nm but only ~1dB/km at 1300nm. But  850nm receivers use silicon photodiodes while 1300 nm receivers use InGaAs. The 1300 detectors are not sensitive at 850nm and vice versa. So while the fiber works fine, the electronics do not. They should only be used with like devices.

 



Older questions are now available here on the FOA Guide.



RETURN TO INDEX


FOA "Quickstart Guides"

In our continuing quest to help people understand how to test fiber optic cable plants and communications systems, we've created two more "QuickStart Guides to Fiber Optic Testing." They are simple, step-by-step guides on how to test fiber optic cable plants, patchcords or single cables using insertion loss or OTDR techniques and optical power from transceivers. It's as straightforward as it can get - what equipment do you need, what are the procedures for testing, options in implementing the test, measurement errors and documenting the results.
It can't get much simpler.
Send anybody you know who needs to know about fiber optic testing here to learn how it's done in a few minutes.

Testing Fiber Optic Cable Plants And Patchcords  

Testing Fiber Optic Cable Plants With An OTDR  

Testing Optical Power In Communications Systems 





RETURN TO INDEX



FOA Tech Topics - 

A Fiber Optic Tester In Your Pocket?  (See the video on Corning on YouTube )
Yes! The camera in your old cell phone is sensitive to infrared light - lots more than your eye - and can detect light in an optical fiber or from a transmitter.  Chris Hillyer,CFOT/CFOS/I, Master Instructor, Northern California Sound & Communication JATC brought this to our attention.
IR Viewer 850 nm  IR Viewer 1300 nm

If you have an old cell phone, try it. Our experience is that older cell phone cameras have better sensitivity at IR wavelengths than newer phones, so you may want to toss that old flip phone into the toolbox.


RETURN TO INDEX


Product News


YOKOGAWA OTDR Has Extended range, High Resolution And Multitasking


Yokogawa OTDR

One OTDR manufacturer you don't hear as much about is YOKOGAWA (formerly ANDO) which is too bad - they make some of the best OTDRs, exemplified by this new model AQ7280. Need long range - how about 50dB. High resolution - 0.6m dead zone. Like touch screens, but for some functions want hard buttons, it's got that. Options for VFL, microscope, light source and power meter, etc. - it has that too.
But the unique aspect of the YOKOGAWA AQ7280 is it offers multitasking - you can let do a trace with long averages while you inspect connectors, make power readings, use the VFL or other functions.
More info on the YOKOGAWA AQ7280.

FOA thanks Yokogawa for a gift of an OTDR to use for R&D and teaching!



Have you read the FOA pages on cleaning?



 RETURN TO INDEX



 Digging Safely (Read the FOA Tech Topic)

There is a toll-free "call before you dig" number in the USA: 811

See www.call811.com for more information

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

Fiber Optic Asset Protection Summit by the "811" group.

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




RETURN TO INDEX


Employment/Job Listings

Send your job openings to info @foa.org and we'll run them in all our social media.


Where Are The Jobs In Fiber Optics?

Fiber Optic Installation Banner

The FOA was chartered to "promote professionalism in fiber optics through education, certification and standards." Our focus on creating a professional workforce to properly design, install, maintain and repair communications network infrastructure has led us to work with groups in many different areas of technology that use fiber optics, way beyond the basic telecom applications that most of us think of first. FOA has probably worked with most of the potential applications of fiber optics, but we're always learning about new ones!
In addition, we get lots of calls and emails from our members looking for information about where the jobs are and how to train for them. FOA has created three ways to help you find jobs, train for them and apply for them.

Where Are The Jobs In Fiber Optics?
FOA has created a 20 minute YouTube video that talks about all the applications for fiber optics, what jobs are involved and the qualifications for the workers in the field. Besides telecom and the Internet, we cover wireless, cable TV, energy, LANs, security, etc. etc. etc. It's a quick way to get an overview of the fiber optic marketplace and we give you an idea of where the opportunities are today.

Watch the new FOA YouTube Video: Where Are The Jobs In Fiber Optics?

What Training Is Needed For The Jobs In Fiber Optics?
As you will learn from the video described above, the jobs in fiber optics are quite diverse. FOA has investigated these jobs to understand the needs of workers for those jobs and, when necessary, create curriculum and certifications to properly train workers. For example, the FOA FTTx certification was developed at the request of Verizon who needed specialized installers for their FiOS program. Now we are working with the industry on the OLAN (Optical LAN) program (see below).
We have summarized the jobs and required training in a new web page that has two uses - 1) If you have FOA certifications, what jobs are you specifically qualified for? - 2) If you are working in a specialized field or want to get a job in that area, what training and certifications will qualify you for those jobs?
What Training And Certifications Are Needed For Jobs In Fiber Optics? 

How To Find And Apply For Jobs In Fiber Optics
We get many questions from CFOTs, students at FOA-Approved schools and others contemplating getting into the fiber optic business regarding jobs in fiber optics - and how to find them - so we’ve created a new web page to share some information we've gathered about jobs in our industry. The information is designed to help you understand what jobs are available in fiber optics, how to find them and apply for them.
If you are looking for a job in fiber optics, here is the FOA's guide to jobs. 

We hope you find this useful. FOA tries to find new to increase the professionalism in our industry and helping qualified people find jobs is our highest priority - read the article below to see why! If you have feedback on how we can help you and our industry, contact us at info@thefoa.org.

Join FOA on 
FOA on LinkedIn

A list of 10 ways to get your resume noticed, from Marketplace on NPR   




 Do listings in the FOA Newsletter and LinkedIn groups Work? Here's feedback:

"We did great!  We have over 15 interviews next week."

"Your newsletter generated a significant number of applicants and we have filled the position."





RETURN TO INDEX

 




 FOA Logo Merchandise

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

 RETURN TO INDEX


 

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.

To Contact The FOA:
 
The Fiber Optic Association Inc. (FOA) is the international professional association of fiber optics. FOA is chartered to promote fiber optics through education, certification and standards.


 
Contact Us
 
The Fiber Optic Association

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



Want to write for the FOA Newsletter? Send us articles, news, anything you think might be interesting to the rest of the membership!
info@thefoa.org



Return to The FOA Home Page

(C)1999-2020, The Fiber Optic Association, Inc.