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Fibre Optic Cable Selector Guide

Easily select the right type of fibre-optic cable for your specific application

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Would you like some advice in choosing the right fibre cables for your application? Do you need individual cable length or connector configurations? Request a free call back from our technical experts.

Choose from our selection of Fibre Patch and Fibre Bulk Cables

In view of the increasing demand for bandwidth, low insertion loss, protection against twisting and crushing, better handling, flexibility and compactness, the interest for optical cable performance increases.

Black Box offers high-performance Fibre cables for all your needs. Use our Fibre Cable Selector Guide in order to help you select the right Fibre patch or bulk cable, providing you with a clear, concise overview information about fibre optic cables, so you can make an informed purchasing decision.

Use the drop down function (v) to narrow down your search

Fibre Patch Cable

Brand Fiber Type Simplex/Duplex Recommended speed Jacket Connectors Series
Premium OM1  Multimode 62.5 µm Duplex up to 1G LSZH orange LC/SC/ST/MTRJ/ EFE07
Premium OM2 Multimode 50 µm Duplex up to 1G LSZH orange LC/SC/ST/MTRJ/E2000 EFE05
Premium OM3 Multimode 50 µm laser-optimized Duplex up to 10G LSZH aqua or violet LC/SC/ST EFE350
Premium OM4 Multimode 50 µm laser-optimized Duplex Uniboot up to 100G OFNR aqua LC with Push/Pull tab,  reverse polarity EFNT410
Premium OM4 Multimode 50 µm laser-optimized Duplex up to 100G OFNR aqua LC/SC/ST EFE450
Premium OS2 Singlemode 9 µm Duplex up to 100G LSZH yellow LC/SC/ST/FC/E2000 EFE08
Connect Value Line OM1  Multimode 62.5 µm Duplex up to 1G LSZH orange LC/SC/ST FO625LSZH
Connect Value Line OM2 Multimode 50 µm Duplex up to 1G LSZH orange LC/SC/ST FO50LSZH
Connect Value Line OM3 Multimode 50 µm laser-optimized Duplex up to 10G LSZH aqua LC/SC/ST FO10GLSZH
Connect Value Line OM4 Multimode 50 µm laser-optimized Duplex up to 100G LSZH erika violet LC FOM4
Connect Value Line OS2 Singlemode 9 µm Duplex up to 100G LSZH yellow LC/SC/ST FOSMLSZH
Ruggedized OM1  Multimode 62.5 µm Duplex up to 1G Ruggedized LSZH orange LC/SC/ST EFE07-R
Ruggedized OM2 Multimode 50 µm Duplex up to 1G Ruggedized LSZH orange LC/SC/ST EFE05-R
Ruggedized OM3 Multimode 50 µm laser-optimized Duplex up to 10G Ruggedized LSZH aqua or violet LC/SC/ST EFE350-R2
Ruggedized OS2 Singlemode 9 µm Duplex up to 100G Ruggedized LSZH yellow LC/SC/ST/FC/E2000 EFE08-R
Colored OM1  Multimode 62.5 µm Duplex up to 1G LSZH in 12 colors LC/SC/ST FOLZH62
Colored OM2 Multimode 50 µm Duplex up to 1G LSZH in 12 colors LC/SC/ST FOLZH50
Colored OM3 Multimode 50 µm laser-optimized Duplex up to 10G OFNR (Riser) in 12 colors LC/SC/ST FOCMR10
Colored OM3 Multimode 50 µm laser-optimized Duplex up to 10G LSZH in 12 colors LC/SC/ST FOLZH10
Colored OM4 Multimode 50 µm laser-optimized Duplex up to 100G LSZH in 12 colors LC/SC/ST FOLZHM4
Colored OS2 Singlemode 9 µm Duplex up to 100G LSZH in 12 colors LC/SC/ST FOLZHSM

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Fibre Bulk Cable

Style Fiber Type Jacket Strands Series
Indoor/Outdoor Distribution (TB) OM1  Multimode 62.5 µm ULSZH Aramid UV-resistant black 4,8,12, or 24 EXE16
Indoor/Outdoor Distribution (TB) OM2 Multimode 50 µm ULSZH Aramid UV-resistant black 4,8,12, or 24 EXE150
Indoor/Outdoor Duct (LT) OM2 Multimode 50 µm ULSZH e-glass UV-resistant black 4,8,12, or 24 EXE50
Indoor/Outdoor Armoured (LT) OM2 Multimode 50 µm ULSZH Armoured UV-resistant black 12 or 24 EXE51
Indoor/Outdoor Distribution (TB) OM3 Multimode 50 µm laser-optimized ULSZH Aramid UV-resistant black 4,8,12, or 24 EXE153
Indoor/Outdoor Duct (LT) OM3 Multimode 50 µm laser-optimized ULSZH e-glass UV-resistant black 4,8,12, or 24 EXE53
Indoor/Outdoor Armoured (LT) OM3 Multimode 50 µm laser-optimized ULSZH Armoured UV-resistant black 24 EXE52
Indoor/Outdoor Distribution (TB) OM4 Multimode 50 µm laser-optimized ULSZH e-glass UV-resistant black 12 EXE154
Indoor/Outdoor Duct (LT) OS1/OS2 Singlemode 9 µm ULSZH e-glass UV-resistant black 4,8,12, or 24 EXE90
Indoor/Outdoor Distribution (TB) OS1/OS2 Singlemode 9 µm ULSZH Aramid UV-resistant black 4,8,12, or 24 EXE190
Indoor/Outdoor Steel Corogated (LT) OS1/OS2 Singlemode 9 µm LSZH STA UV-resistant black 8,12, or 24 EXE91

What you need to know about the optical fibre-types/fibre classification

The TIA designated a fibre classification based on the international standard ISO/IEC 11801. This nomenclature uses the prefix “OM” for optical multi-mode and a number for the different minimum modal bandwidth requirements. Optical Single-mode is indicated by the prefix “OS” and a number for indoor or outdoor usage.

The following table lists the classes with recommended maximum link lengths.

OF Type Core diameter Wavelength Attenuation limit Indicative Link Length per cable piece by speed Jacket Color Code
        100Mbps 1Gbps 10Gbps 40Gbps 100Gbps  
OM1 Multimode 62,5µm 850nm 4.0 dB/km 550m 275 33m not specified not specified orange
  1300nm 1.5 dB/km 2km 550m 300m not specified not specified
OM2 Multimode 50µm 850nm 3.5 dB/km 550m 550m 82m not specified not specified orange
  1300nm 1.5 dB/km 2km 550m 300m not specified not specified
OM3 Multimode 50µm 850nm 3.5 dB/km 550m 1km 300m 100m 100m aqua
  1300nm 1.5 dB/km 2km 550m 300m not specified not specified
OM4 Multimode 50µm 850nm 2.5 dB/km 550m 1.1km 400m 150m 150m aqua
  1300nm 0.8 dB/km 2km 550m 10km not specified not specified
OS1/OS2 Single-Mode 9µm 1310nm 1.0 dB/km 10km 5km 10km 10/30km 10/30km Yellow