What Is the Difference Between 50 Micron & 62.5 Micron Fiber Optic Cable?

The numbers 50 and 62.5 indicate the diameter in microns of the cable's central core.

Telecommunications companies use fiber optic cables to transmit telephone, television and Internet signals. The numbers 50 microns and 62.5 microns describe the diameter of a cable's core. Core diameter influences fiber optic cable performance.

Structure

A fiber optic cable consists of a central core through which data-containing light signals travel, surrounded by cladding, a material that confines the light to the core. According to the National Institutes of Health, the average human hair has a diameter of 100 microns. Consequently, 50-micron and 62.5-micron fiber optic cables have cores smaller than the diameter of a strand of hair.

Performance

A 50-micron fiber optic cable is superior to a 62.5 micron cable in terms of bandwidth, distance and speed. According to Black Box Network Services, a 50-micron cable feature three times the bandwidth of a standard 62.5 micron cable, a quality that allows data to be transmitted at a faster rate over longer distances.

Expert Insight

As network expansion continues, so will the demand for increased bandwidth, distance and speed. Black Box Network Services recommends the use of 50-micron fiber optic cables, particularly for any new construction or installations.

References

• National Institutes of Health: How Small is a Hair Cell?
• Black Box Network Services: 50-Micron Multimode Duplex Fiber Optic Cable
• Linx Network Cabling: Fiber Optics: Multimode vs. Singlemode, Duplex vs. Simplex

Resources

• Net Optics: Multimode Fiber - 50 Microns Versus 62.5 Microns