|
When you see an orange or yellow fiber optic cable jacket, you recognize it as either multimode or single mode, respectively, for indoor backbone or horizontal applications. When high-speed VCSEL technology for 10 Gigabit Ethernet was developed along with an emerging generation of laser-optimized 50-micron multimode cable, the industry saw the need to delineate between the old and the new.
At that time, Lucent Technologies adopted a new aqua jacket color as a differentiator between legacy 50- and 62.5-micron multimode fiber, and the new laser-optimized 50-micron optical fiber cable for 10 Gb/s, making it easier for installers and end-users to distinguish between them. This color was adopted quickly by other cable manufacturers and eventually by the governing TIA standards. This transition has not been completed by all manufacturers, and in some cases, the aqua color is used for varying grades of 50-micron fiber that have performance characteristics and distance capabilities that differ from the standard. Today, regretfully, you cannot always determine the exact performance of the fiber by looking at the aqua jacket color. So, how can you tell what you have?
Read the attached article for a detailed answer to this question.
Don't Judge a Cable By Its Color
|
