Fibre optic cable.

The background
As today’s networks expand, the demand for more bandwidth and greater distances increases. Gigabit Ethernet and the emerging 10-Gigabit Ethernet are becoming the applications of choice for current and future networking needs.

Thus, there is a renewed interest in 50-micron fibre optic cable.

First used in 1976, 50-micron cable has not experienced the widespread use that 62.5-micron cable has.

The predominant fibre optic cable

To support campus backbones and horizontal runs over 10-Mbps Ethernet, 62.5-micron fibre, introduced in 1986, was and still is the predominant fibre optic cable because it offers high bandwidth and long distance.

One reason 50-micron cable did not gain widespread use was because of the light source. Both 62.5- and 50-micron fibre cable can use either LED or laser light sources. But in the 1980s and 1990s, LED light sources were common. Because 50-micron cable has a smaller aperture, the lower power of the LED light source caused a reduction in the power budget compared to 62.5-micron cable—thus, the migration to 62.5-micron cable. At that time, laser light sources were not highly developed and were rarely used with 50-micron cable—and, when they were, it was mostly in research and technological applications.

Common ground
The cables share many characteristics. Although 50-micron fibre cable features a smaller core (the light-carrying portion of the fibre), both 50- and 62.5-micron cable use the same cladding diameter of 125 microns. Because they have the same outer diameter, they’re equally strong and are handled in the same way. In addition, both types of cable are included in the TIA/EIA 568-B.3 standards for structured cabling and connectivity.

As with 62.5-micron cable, you can use 50-micron fibre in all types of applications: Ethernet, FDDI, 155-Mbps ATM, Token Ring, Fast Ethernet, and Gigabit Ethernet. It is recommended for all premise applications: backbone, horizontal, and intrabuilding connections. And it should be considered especially for any new construction and installations. IT managers looking at the possibility of 10-Gigabit Ethernet and future scalability will get what they need with 50-micron cable.

Gaining ground
The big difference between 50-micron and 62.5-micron cable is in bandwidth— 50-micron cable features three times the bandwidth of standard 62.5-micron cable. At 850 nm, 50-micron cable is rated at 500 MHz/km versus 160 MHz/km for 62.5-micron cable.

As we move toward Gigabit Ethernet, the 850-nm wavelength is gaining importance along with the development of improved laser technology. Today, a lower-cost 850-nm laser, the Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser (VCSEL), is becoming more available for networking. This is particularly important because Gigabit Ethernet specifies a laser light source.

Other differences between the two types of cable include distance and speed. The bandwidth an application needs depends on the data transmission rate. Usually, data rates are inversely proportional to distance. As the data rate (MHz) goes up, the distance that rate can be sustained goes down. So a higher fibre bandwidth enables you to transmit at a faster rate or for longer distances. In short, 50-micron cable provides longer link lengths and/or higher speeds in the 850-nm wavelength. For example, the proposed link length for 50-micron cable is 500 meters in contrast with 220 meters for 62.5-micron cable.

Migration
Standards now exist that cover the migration of 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps or 1000 Mbps (1-Gigabit Ethernet) at the 850-nm wavelength. The most logical solution for upgrades lies in the connectivity hardware. The easiest way to connect the two types of fibre in a network is through a switch or other networking ”box.” It is not recommended to connect the two types of fibre directly.

Although 50-µm and 62.5-µm fibre both feature a 125-µm cladding, the core sizes differ. The smaller, 50-µm core provides a higher 850-nm bandwidth, making it ideal for inter/intrabuilding connections.

Learn more:
OM3 - a very-high-bandwidth version of 50-/125 micron cable.