What are the advantages and disadvantages of Fibre optic Cable?


Optical fibre is a hair-thin glass or plastic fibre with a frequent diameter of 125 micrometers (μm), which is known as the cladding, or outer reflecting layer. The core or inner transmitting route is generally as small as 10μm.

This channel enables the transmission of data as light pulses rather than electrical pulses. This process is referred to as total internal reflection, where light rays transmitted into the fibre travel and reflect inside the core for high distances with very little attenuation while supporting its intensity.

Advantages of Fibre Optic Cable

The advantages of fibre optic cable are as follows −

  • Speed − The bandwidth provided by a fibre optic cable is generally high compared to a copper twisted pair cable. No wire type in the world that supports the bandwidth as fibre optics do. This is generally because it uses light as a mode of transmission. Therefore, fibre optic cables can send a huge amount of data in a shorter period.

  • Longer Distances − Fibre optic cables are created to carry signals over much higher distances than traditional cabling as they provide low power loss.

  • High-Level Security − Fibre transmission provides a level of security that simply cannot be connected by other materials. As they don’t radiate electromagnetic energy, it is hugely complex to ‘listen’ in or tap. This creates it the most secure medium available for carrying sensitive information.

  • Signal degradation − The signal loss is less in fibre optic cables than in copper wires. There is no crosstalk impedance in optical fibre as there is in copper cables.

  • Flexibility − An optical fibre has more accurate strength than copper or steel fibres of equal diameter. It is flexible, bends simply, and continues the most serious components attacking copper cable.

Disadvantages of Fibre Optic Cable

The disadvantages of fibre optic cable are as follows −

  • Fragility − Optical fibre is more fragile and more accessible to destruction than copper wires. Care and consideration should be paid to the managing and development of optical fibre.

  • Splicing/Jointing − Optical fibres needed specialized trained faculty in the phase of optical fusion splicing and verify and calculation when jointing optical fibres together.

  • Equipment − For the functioning of fibre optics technology, it needed several elements besides cables. An independent transmitter and a receiver should be installed along with a repeater to increase the signal. In some instances where transmission distance tends to be high, an optical amplifier might be required to deepen the signal.

  • Internet − Fibre optic cables are broadly used in internet cables because of their ability to send large amounts of information at very high speeds.

  • Computer Networking − Networking between computers in an individual building is created in an easier and quicker manner with fibre optic cables. This facilitates the boost the productivity and effectiveness of a business as the time it takes to share files and data is reduced.

Updated on: 18-Nov-2021

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