Optical fiber (dielectric waveguides) has the highest bandwidth among all existing communication facilities. Fiber-optic cables are used to create fiber -optic communication lines - fiber-optic communication lines capable of providing the highest information transfer rate (depending on the type of active equipment used, the transfer rate can be tens of gigabytes or even terabytes per second).

Quartz glass, which is the carrier medium of FOCL, in addition to unique transmission characteristics, has another valuable property - low losses and insensitivity to electromagnetic fields. This compares favorably with conventional copper cabling systems.

This information transmission system, as a rule, is used in the construction of work facilities as external highways that unite disparate structures or buildings, as well as multi-storey buildings. It can also be used as an internal carrier of a structured cabling system (SCS), however, complete SCS entirely made of fiber are less common due to the high cost of building optical communication lines.

The use of fiber-optic communication lines allows locally combining workplaces, ensuring high speed Internet downloads simultaneously on all machines, high-quality telephone communication and television reception.

FOCL advantages

With the competent design of the future system (this stage implies the solution of architectural issues, as well as the choice of suitable equipment and methods for connecting carrier cables) and professional installation, the use of fiber-optic lines provides a number of significant advantages:

High bandwidth due to high carrier frequency. The potential of one optical fiber is several terabits of information in 1 second.
Fiber optic cable has a low noise level, which positively affects its bandwidth and the ability to transmit signals of various modulations.
Fire safety (fire resistance). Unlike other communication systems, FOCL can be used without any restrictions at high-risk enterprises, in particular in petrochemical industries, due to the absence of sparking.
Due to the low attenuation of the light signal, optical systems can combine working sections at significant distances (more than 100 km) without the use of additional repeaters (amplifiers).
FOCL advantages

Information Security. Fiber-optic communication provides reliable protection against unauthorized access and interception of confidential information. This ability of optics is explained by the absence of radiation in the radio range, as well as by its high sensitivity to vibrations. In case of eavesdropping attempts, the built-in monitoring system can disable the channel and warn of a suspected hacking. That is why FOCL is actively used by modern banks, research centers, law enforcement organizations and other structures that work with classified information.
High reliability and noise immunity of the system. Fiber, being a dielectric conductor, is not sensitive to electromagnetic radiation, is not afraid of oxidation and moisture.
Profitability. Despite the fact that the creation of optical systems due to their complexity is more expensive than traditional SCS, in general, their owner receives real economic benefits. Optical fiber, which is made from quartz, costs about 2 times cheaper than a copper cable; in addition, when building extensive systems, you can save on amplifiers. If, when using a copper pair, repeaters need to be installed every few kilometers, then in FOCL this distance is at least 100 km. At the same time, the speed, reliability and durability of traditional SCS are significantly inferior to optics.
Advantages of fiber-optic cable

The service life of fiber-optic lines is half a quarter of a century. After 25 years of continuous use, signal attenuation increases in the carrier system.
If we compare a copper and an optical cable, then with the same bandwidth, the second will weigh about 4 times less, and its volume, even with the use of protective sheaths, will be several times less than that of copper.
Perspectives. The use of fiber-optic communication lines makes it easy to increase the computing capabilities of local networks due to the installation of faster active equipment, and without replacing communications.
Scope of FOCL
As mentioned above, fiber optic cables (FOC) are used to carry signals around (between) buildings and within facilities. When building external communication highways, preference is given to optical cables, and inside buildings (internal subsystems), traditional twisted pair is used along with them. Thus, a distinction is made between outdoor cables and indoor cables.

Connecting cables belong to a separate type: indoors they are used as connecting cords and horizontal wiring communications - to equip individual workplaces, and outside - to connect buildings.

Installation of fiber optic cable is carried out using special tools and devices.

FOCL connection technologies
The length of FOCL communication lines can reach hundreds of kilometers (for example, when building communications between cities), while the standard length of optical fibers is several kilometers (also because working with too long lengths in some cases is very inconvenient). Thus, when constructing a route, it is necessary to solve the problem of splicing individual optical fibers.

There are two types of connections: detachable and one-piece. In the first case, optical connectors are used for connection (this is associated with additional financial costs, and, in addition, with a large number of intermediate connectors, optical losses increase).

For the permanent connection of local sections (installation of routes), mechanical connectors, adhesive splicing and fiber splicing are used. In the latter case, optical fiber splicers are used . Preference for one method or another is given taking into account the purpose and conditions of use of the optics.

The most common is the gluing technology, for which special equipment and tools are used and which includes several technological operations.

For more information about: splicing fiber optic cable