This chapter includes sections covering: a brief history of fiber-optic communications, fiber-optic applications, the physics behind fiber optics, optical-cable construction, propagation modes, fiber-optic characteristics, fiber types, fiber-optic cable termination, splicing, physical-design considerations, fiber-optic communications system, and fiber span analysis.

Reproduced from the book Optical Network Design and Implementation. Copyright © 2005, Cisco Systems, Inc. Reproduced by permission of Pearson Education, Inc., 800 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240. Written permission from Pearson Education, Inc. is required for all other uses.