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New FOA Installation Standard
New Edition Of FOA Design Book
Seen On The Street - Photos Of Fibers
Resources For STEM Teachers
What's New And Popular On FOA Website
Middle East Active In Submarine Cables
The Crowded Skies Of Telecom
Chinese LEO Satellites
Starlink Direct To Cell
POF Conference
Minnesota Underground Installer Certification
Free VIAVI Testing Pocket Guide
OPGW Evolves To High Density Cables
Focus On Cleaning
Wipe-Cliip, Touchless Cleaning, V-Grooves
FTTH Book In Serbian
What Technical Advisors Are Telling US
Updated OTDR Trainer
Worth
Reading Lots of interesting
articles to read, watch or listen to.
Q&A
Interesting questions from our readers
Workforce Training/FiberU
Types Of Work Done By Fiber Techs
FOA-Approved School News
Fiber U Courses
Resources
New FOA Technical Resources
Safety
About the FOA
FOA Certified Techs:
Time
To Renew Your FOA Certifications?
Jobs
- See FOA Jobs
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Training/Certification to Find the Right Job
in Fiber Optics
Where
Are The Jobs In Fiber Optics?
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Fiber U® (the FOA online learning site) are
registered trademarks of the FOA.
Want to know more about fiber optics?
Looking for specific information? Here's the largest
technical reference on the web: The
FOA Online Fiber Optic Reference Guide.
Free online self-study programs
on many fiber optics and cabling topics are
available at Fiber U,
FOA's online web-based training website.
FOA
Reference Books
Available Printed or Kindle eBooks
Some books are available in translations
  
  
  
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the books to learn more.
- Fiber
Optic Safety Poster to download and
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Current Issue of FOA
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Introducing A New FOA Installation Standard
Back in the late 1990s when fiber optics was really taking off
commercially to support the new and fast-growing Internet, FOA was
involved in creating a standard for the installation of fiber optics.
ANSI/NECA/FOA 301 Installing and Testing Fiber optic Cables was
published in 2000 and has been revised several times, with the last
publication date of 2016.
Since standards are expected to be updated every 5 years, the next
revision fell in the middle of the pandemic. We worked with some of the
FOA technical advisors to create an update. Revisions of ANSI standards
must be submitted for public comments and require consensus before
publication. What we learned from the comments was that fiber optics had
changed so much in 25 years that it would be difficult to create a
simple standard to cover all the different applications of fiber optics
around the world.
After the comments period, it was decided to withdraw the 301 Standard
and rethink the concept of a fiber optic installation standard. It was
time to step back and reconsider what such a standard should be.
FOA decided to use the expertise of our worldwide network of technical
advisors, many of whom are also FOA instructors, whose knowledge and
experience is unmatched. Many of them have contributed to the FOA
knowledge base - textbooks, web pages, videos and Newsletter articles.
The FOA knowledge base provided a basis for development of the standard
and our advisors contributed much more. Drafts were circulated until we
felt we had covered most of the applications.
Now it's ready: The FOA Standard For Installing Fiber Optic Cable Plants.
This is not your usual standard.
- It recognizes that every fiber optic project is different. OSP or premises. Underground or Aerial. Backbone or FTTX.LAN or DC.
- It provides guidelines for various installations, relying on the
user to interpret these guidelines for their actual installation.
- It covers most installation types except submarine cables.
- It includes an Annex of references to FOA technical material.
- It's open source. Users are free to choose the sections that apply
to their project, modify those sections to fit their project and
incorporate that into their SOW (Scope of Work) or other project
paperwork.
- It will be updated to reflect fiber optic technology and applications in real time.
- It's extensive, 61 pages long.
- And it's free! FOA does not charge for its technical materials and
standards, it is our charter to provide assistance to the industry!
- More information and a Table of Contents.
Using the FOA Installation Standard
Download a copy of the FOA Installation Standard and compare its
content to the your project. Determine the relevant sections and add
them to your documentation to define how to install your fiber optic
cable plant in "a neat and workmanlike manner." Provide copies to your
planners, designers, contractors, installers and suppliers. In the end,
reference "The FOA Standard For Installing Fiber Optic Cable Plants" as the source of that material.
More information and a Table of Contents.
Download your copy of The FOA Standard For Installing Fiber Optic Cable Plants. (PDF 1.6MB)
Project Management Added To New Edition Of FOA Design Book
 FOA
has just published a new edition of its textbook on fiber optic network
design, an expanded version with new material covering project
management. Fiber optic network design and network management are
closely related topics, both highly important in the success of a fiber
project.
The previous edition was created a decade ago as a reference book for fiber optic network designers and a textbook for FOA CFOS/D certification
courses training fiber optic techs to design fiber optic networks. The
topics are linked to material also available online in the FOA Guide.
The book has always covered some aspects of project management. Adding
project planning and management adds more information about the
beginning of a project, from concept through planning and including
things a manager needs to know to get a project off the ground. It also
expands on the project manager role in planning and overseeing the
installation of the cable plant.
The new book is available as a paperback or Kindle book. You can buy it from Amazon or local booksellers worldwide. (ISBN: 9798262274611)
Coming Soon - FOA CFOS/D Certification Curriculum And Fiber U Course Update
Along with the update of the FOA textbook, there will be an update of
the FOA CFOS/D certification to add project management to the
curriculum. That will involve an update of the CFOS/D curriculum used by
our schools and the certification exam. We will also be updating the Fiber U Design self study program. This should all be updated for 2026.
Seen On The Street - This Month's Photos
We're back in Santa Monica again, in an upscale neighborhood. That's
about 1,000 feet (~300m) of cable which we assume is waiting for the
installation to be continued.
Just a few miles away, on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, we have
this new pole. This area was devastated by the Palisades fire on January
7 of this year; all the homes on this stretch of coastal highway were
destroyed, along with the entire aerial cable plants. This appears to be
a new pole, new electric wire at the top and 5 fiber optic cables. Four
of the fiber cables are "strand and lash" with new messenger wires. The
top cable appears to be ADSS. Interesting choices were made.
Jump to News
Classroom
Resources For STEM Teachers In K-12 And Technical Schools
 Here is the POF kit sent to teachers for demonstration.
Teachers in all grades can introduce their students to fiber
optic technology with some simple demonstrations. FOA has
created a page for STEM or STEAM (science, technology,
engineering, arts
and math) teachers with materials appropriate to their
classes. Fiber
Optic Resources For STEM Teachers.
FOA
also has a YouTube
Video on "Careers
in Fiber Optics" and a "Careers
In Fiber Optics" Website.
What Is An FOA Credential?
FOA has certified over 100,000th CFOT® Certified Fiber Optic Technicians,
introduced the "FOA Badge In Fiber Optics" for others working in the
field and adds new courses at Fiber U which offer a "Certificate of
Completion," it's a good time to explain the differences between them. FOA has created a page to explain the differences in certifications, certificates and badges.
All FOA
Certification Credentials Are Now Online
All FOA Certified Fiber Optic Technicians now have their certification
credentials online.
if your FOA certification has not expired you should have been notified you have an
online credential. If you did not get notification it may be because
FOA did not have a valid email for you. Contact FOA to inquire about your certification credential.
And now, introducing a new FOA credential: The "FOA Badge In Fiber Optics"
An industry-wide credential for professionals working in fiber optics
Now available in Spanish - Ahora también disponible en español
 
FOA is best known as the certifying body for over 100,000 FOA-certified fiber optic technicians
who build worldwide networks. FOA has been asked many times about credentials for other
professionals in fiber optics.
Besides the technicians that design,
build and operate the fiber optic networks the world uses for
communications, there are many other professionals that are essential
for the success of the fiber optic and cabling industries. These
professionals manufacture, sell and distribute fiber optic components or
plan and manage the projects that include fiber optics.
For everyone working in the fiber optic field. FOA offers the new FOA Badge in Fiber Optics.
Go here for more information on the FOA Badge in Fiber Optics
or watch the YouTube video.
New Fiber U Course: Fiber
Optic Safety Covers Construction And Installation
This
new Fiber U course focuses on safety in fiber optic installation. There are two lessons in this course,
fiber optic construction and fiber optic installation. The dividing
line between the two courses is the installation of the fiber optic
cables. Construction leads up to and/or is completed when the cables are
installed. Installation begins when the fiber tech installs the cable,
then completes the splicing, termination testing and documentation. The
overlap between the two is the installation of the cables where both
construction personnel and fiber optic techs are involved.
Here is the new Fiber U "Fiber Optic Safety" self-study program. Take the course and get your certificate of completion.
Enhance your safety with the FOA Safety Vest.
 
We bought one ourselves - it's well made and distinctive.
New Edition of FOA's Basic Fiber Optics Textbook
 It has been 5 years since we have updated the FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optics,
so it is certainly time for an update. The latest version is different
enough we call it a new edition. Many of the updates are for new
technologies which are reshaping the fiber optic industry like coherent
transmission, BI fibers, etc. We've also added a section on the fiber
optic workforce which has much relevance because this book is used to
train those entering the workforce. We've also worked on making the book
more readable, adding formatting that eases reading and a new
comprehensive index.
Inflation was an issue, but the price only goes up $2 to $29.95 for the paperback and $12.95 for the Kindle version.
The new edition of the FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optics is available from Amazon and booksellers worldwide.
New/Updated Web Pages
Index Of Articles On Fiber Broadband Networks From The Fiber Optic Association - dozens of articles on fiber broadband over the last 4 years.
FOA Credentials: the differences in certifications, certificates and badges.
Satellite Communications
OSP Aerial Construction Workmanship
Splices And Connections Of Regular to BI Singlemode FIbers.
Fiber Optic Safety - Installation and Construction.
Fiber Optic Network Troubleshooting.
Books
FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optics, Second Edition, second edition of the basic fiber textbook.
The Fiber Optic Association Guide To Fiber Broadband Is A Hit With Broadband Planners Paperback ($12.95) and Kindle ($9.95) versions available from Amazon or most booksellers. Kindle version is in color!
New In The FOA Guide - Introduction To Broadband and Guidelines For Fiber Optic Project Planners
FOA Guide To The Fiber Optic Workforce
- what we've learned in developing the fiber optic workforce over 30 years and more than 100,000 certified techs.
Cross Reference Guide to Textbooks, Online Guide and Fiber U FOA Videos Guide.
FOA has a web page with resources on fiber broadband and the IIJA/BEAD funding programs.
FOA Newsletter
Sections
News
Technical
Worth
Reading Q&A
Training/FiberU
Resoures
Safety About
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News
Lots more news
in Worth Reading below
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Middle East Active In Submarine Cable Construction (Telegeography map from Middle East Eye)
The Middle East has become a high activity area for submarine cable
construction, much of which seems related to the development of local
data centers. Ooredoo, the teleocm company based in Qatar, has opened a
combined data center and submarine cable landing station in Salalah,
Oman, the first such facility in southern Oman. The site has space for
125 server racks and is designed to expand to 500, supporting enterprise
IT, cloud and edge computing services.
Salalah is on major subsea routes linking Asia, Africa, and Europe. Oman
has become a strategic hub for undersea cables, with six submarine
cable landing stations already in operation. The addition of Salalah as
number seven should strengthen the country’s role by providing a
geographically distinct gateway from the more established landing points
near Muscat. (Read more in Mobile Europe)
There’s been a flurry of submarine cable deals in Iraq recently,
including two contracts announced this week, one with Batelco and the
other involving a company called Breeze Investments. In the latest
announcement, Iraq’s Minister of Communications Hiyam Al-Yasiri has
reportedly signed a contract to land a new submarine cable (Iraq's
sixth) in the Southern Al-Faw Peninsula with Bahraini telecoms company
Batelco by Beyon.
It was also reported that the same ministry had signed a contract with
UAE-based Breeze Investments to land Iraq's fifth submarine cable at
Al-Faw. The project, a cooperation with the State Company for
Communications and Informatics, is described as a strategic step to
strengthen Iraq's position as a regional and global hub for data and
international communications traffic, linking through Iraq and Turkey to
Europe. (Read more in Developing Telecoms)
NaiTel, service provider in Jordan and the telecom arm of Aqaba Digital
Hub (ADH – Jordan's largest carrier-neutral data centre), and telecom
services provider Telecom Egypt, have announced the completion of the
laying of the 15-kilometer subsea cable Coral Bridge connecting Egypt
and Jordan, the first direct subsea cable between the two countries in
over 25 years.
From a landing in Taba, Egypt, the cable was laid across the Gulf of
Aqaba to Aqaba, Jordan. Coral Bridge is also the first telecommunication
subsea system to land at Telecom Egypt's new cable landing point in
Taba – part of the company's broader, recently established international
digital infrastructure in the Sinai Peninsula. In Jordan, the cable
landed at ADH's Tier III carrier-neutral facility in Aqaba, supporting
redundancy and recovery strategies for businesses, including enterprises
and hyperscalers hosted in the data center.
By leveraging both countries' strategic locations and Telecom Egypt's
extensive subsea ecosystem, Coral Bridge provides seamless onward
connectivity across Asia, Africa and Europe. (Read more in Developing Telecoms)
The Crowded Skies Of Telecommunications
Two major news stories this month have potentially major impacts on telecom and space.
China's Market Set for Rapid Expansion Amid Mega-Constellation Plans
ABI Research's China's Space Market and NTN Frontier: Company Profiles & Market Insights report
says that China's plans for their own LEO (low Earth orbit) satellite
systems will cause a major expansion of the already crowded skies
(space) for LEO satellites. Active satellites in orbit are expected to
increase from over 17,000 in 2025 to over 48,000 by 2032, representing a
Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 17.6%. Over 35% of these
satellites (~17,000) are anticipated to come from the "big three"
Chinese Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) networks.
"What we're seeing are opportunities in China's space sector across a
wide range of areas, including domestic commercial expansion in private
and state-backed constellations, business opportunities in downstream
applications, multi-application communication networks, and partnerships
in adjacent technology areas," explains Rachel Kong, Research Analyst
at ABI Research. "These opportunities are strongly supported by
government policies, which are a key driver in ramping up investments
and funding for national initiatives."
With support from national space networks anticipated in the future, China's direct-to-cellular (smartphone) and direct-to-device (IoT) opportunities lie in its large existing base of smartphone users and proliferation of IoT devices.
Reported in ISE Magazine.
SpaceX buys wireless spectrum from EchoStar in $17 billion deal
SpaceX said Monday it will buy wireless spectrum
licenses from EchoStar (SATS.O) for its Starlink satellite network for
about $17 billion, a major deal crucial to expanding Starlink's nascent 5G connectivity business.
The companies also agreed to a deal that will enable EchoStar's Boost
Mobile subscribers to access Starlink direct-to-cell service to extend
satellite service to areas without service.
The spectrum purchase allows SpaceX to start building and deploying
upgraded, laser-connected satellites that the company said will expand
the cell network's capacity by "more than 100 times." The deal with
EchoStar will allow SpaceX to operate Starlink direct-to-cell services
on frequencies it owns, rather than relying solely on those leased from
mobile carriers like T-Mobile.
Gwynne Shotwell, president and COO, SpaceX, said the deal will help the
company "end mobile dead zones around the world... With exclusive
spectrum, SpaceX will develop next-generation Starlink Direct
to Cell satellites, which will have a step change in performance and
enable us to enhance coverage for customers wherever they are in the
world."
SpaceX has launched more than 8,000 Starlink satellites since 2020,
building a distributed network in low-Earth orbit which has seen demand
from militaries, transportation firms and consumers in rural areas.
Roughly 600 of those satellites - which SpaceX calls "cell towers in
space" - have been launched since January 2024 for the company's
direct-to-cell network, orbiting closer to Earth than the rest of the
constellation.
Read more from Reuters.
What Does This Mean?
- T-Mobile and Starlink are already testing/offering satellite to cellular device service.
- Will terrestrial cell phone networks become obsolete?
- Most cell traffic (maybe 80%) is already carried on WiFi not cell networks.
- Will LTE/5G/6G move to satellite service instead of terrestrial networks, first in rural areas then everywhere?
- Will satellite service change from selling you an antenna to just connecting to your cellular device?
Only time will tell....
The 33rd International Conference on Plastic Optical
Fibers (POF 2025) will be held from October 29–31 at Boston University
Photonics Center in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The conference is
co-organized by the International Cooperative of Plastic Optical Fibers
(ICPOF) and Information Gatekeepers. It is the only technical conference
that addresses the latest advances in POF technology, applications and
industry progress each year.
In addition to the technical program, an
accompanying exhibit will allow companies to showcase their latest POF
products and technologies. We also invite you to show off your company's
technologies and products at the exhibition booths.
More information is available at https://pof2025.org
Quote Of The Month/Year (maybe Century!) (this is worth repeating)
Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia +
Technology Conference, AT&T’s CEO John Stankey said, “There’s a
fallacy to say there’s fixed networks and wireless networks. There are
only fiber networks with different access technologies on the end of
them. That’s where this is all going.”
|
Technical
Fiber optic
technology, standards, equipment, installation,
etc.
The FOA
Update Page covers the new technology
and applications we covered in this newsletter
recently. Now you can review all that new tech at
once.
Cross Reference To FOA Technical Reference Materials
The FOA has almost 1,000 pages of technical information on the FOA Guide,
100+ videos and two dozen online courses at Fiber U, all this can make
it difficult to find the right information.
Cross Reference To FOA Tech Materials
To help this, we have created a cross reference guide to the textbooks,
Online Guide and Fiber U courses, all the FOA technical information.
Besides the textbooks, online Guide and Fiber U, each section of the
Guide also includes links to the 100+ FOA videos available.
Cross Reference Guide to Textbooks, Online Guide and Fiber U
FOA Videos
We have also rearranged the 100+ FOA videos in similar categories on the
Contents Page of the Online Guide, making the videos, especially the
lectures, much it much easier to find a video on a particular
topic.
FOA Videos Guide.
Want to know more about fiber optics? Study
for FOA certifications? Free
Self-Study Programs are on Fiber
U®
|
New VIAVI Fiber Testing Pocket Guide – Built for Techs in the Field
Designed with field techs in mind, this compact guide
from VIAVI is packed with essential fiber testing tips, quick-reference
checklists, and step-by-step insights that cover every stage of the
network lifecycle. It’s built to fit right in your pocket or tool bag,
so the info you need is always within reach.
Request your free VIAVI Fiber Testing guide now.
OPGW Evolves Into High Density Cables
IT may be hard to believe, but some of the oldest
fiber optic cables still in use are OPGW - optical fiber ground wire -
installed in the transmission and distribution lines of the electric
grid. OPGW was introduced by AFL around 40 years ago and gained
immediate acceptance. Utilities installed fibers in their ground wires
for their own communications and grid management, plus many leased
fibers to telecom service providers.
In a recent AFL article in the magazine of UTC,
the Utility Telecom Council, AFL discussed the advantages of fiber and
OPGW, and also included the drawing below showing new developments in
OPGW.
Just like microcables and high fiber count cables, 200 micron coated
bend-insensitive fibers are allowing AFL to make smaller OPGW as well as
- and more importantly in today's world - OPGW with higher fiber
counts.
Read the AFL article from the UTC Journal here.
Focus on Cleaning
WOWA Wipe Clip: An Innovative Solution for Fiber Cleaning
Waldemar Manko and Vladimir Grozdanovic
Proper cleaning of optical fibers and connectors plays a crucial role in
achieving high network performance. During the fusion splicing
procedure, after stripping the primary buffer coating from optical
fibers, it is necessary to clean the fiber using wipes and cleaning
solution. A characteristic “squeaking” sound can often be heard during
this process.
Fiber cleaning is a constant part of the splicing process. Waldemar
Manko addressed this problem and developed an innovative solution to
clean fibers without touching the fibers or cleaning liquids. How did Manko come up with the idea for the Wipe Clip?
“The inspiration came from practical experience: I am a fiber optic
technician myself and took the initiative to optimize my work processes.
In the fiber optic industry, every tool has its purpose. Without the
right tools, we would not be able to do our work at today's speed.
However, there was no suitable tool for cleaning the fiber optic ends.
That was the crucial problem, because wipes sometimes got lost during
the splicing process. Fiber optic splinters stick into the skin, are
difficult to remove, and may become infected. Cleaning agents may be
harmful to breathe, irritate the skin and can trigger allergies.
Therefore, the goal was to enable safe, comfortable, resource-saving,
and fast cleaning with the usual cleaning media.”
And that's how I came up with the idea for a wipe holder - the Wipe Clip."
Watch the video to learn more about the Wipe Clip.
Touchless Cleaning Of Fiber Optic Connectors
 
The Sticklers™ Pro360°™ Touchless Cleaner to quickly
cleans oils and dust across the entire end face of both male and female
connector ends. A hand-held connector cleaner handset delivers a
micro-dose of atomized cleaning fluid within a narrow column of
pressurized air onto a fiber optic connector endface. Unlike
click-to-clean tools, the Sticklers™ Pro360°™ Touchless Cleaner makes no
physical contact, thus eliminating scratching, static charge or pitting
potential.
This tool thoroughly cleans the end-face of the connector all the way to
the ferrule edge. The connector is left perfectly clean and dry, with
no contamination to migrate into the contact zone and block the optical
signal.
Sticklers has done extensive testing that shows this touchless cleaning
method is much more effective than other cleaning methods. You can read their research report here.
Go here for more product information.
Cleaning V-Grooves in Splicers
Dust, dirt, and fiber coating debris will eventually find their way to
the surface of the fusion spicer v-groove and this contamination will
offset the fibers and degrade performance. To solve these cleaning
needs, Optix offers the specialized v-groove cleaning pen that
will keep your V grooves free of contaminents for optimal splicing
performance.
The Splicer V-Groove Cleaning Kit includes tools to clean contamination on fusion splicer v-grooves that impede splice quality
- The V-Groove Cleaning Pen (p/n SVGC-PEN) offers
bristles that can be extended to the optimal length and hardness simply
by twisting the cap.
- The 30X LED Magnifier will enable you to see micron particles on the v-grooves for easy cleaning
- The V-Groove Cleaning Swabs and V-Groove
Cleaning Needle are specifically designed to fit deep into the v-groove
to clean any debris or contaminants
Product information from Optix.
New Book On FTTH Construction in Serbian Language
FOA contributor Vladimir Grozdanovic has written a new book on Construction of FTTH Networks in his native language of Serbian.
 CONSTRUCTION OF FTTH PON NETWORKS
For the successful construction and implementation of FTTH PON networks,
it is not enough to have only theoretical knowledge, but also an
understanding of everyday challenges in the field, best practices, as
well as the consequences of poorly executed work.
This book provides a detailed overview of all stages in the construction
of FTTH PON networks. It covers the transport and storage of cables and
equipment, various trenching methods and cable laying, cable
preparation and fusion splicing, as well as the installation and
configuration of active equipment. Special attention is given to common
construction mistakes, innovative solutions, and workplace safety.
Written in a straightforward style, with maximum focus on practical work
and richly illustrated, this book is essential for everyone who wants
to gain a deeper understanding of construction procedures and acquire
the practical skills necessary for the successful implementation of FTTH
PON networks.
Tech Notes And Articles From FOA's Worldwide Network Of Advisors
FOA has a worldwide network of technical advisors who
help us develop our knowledge base. This month we have contributions
fro several regular contributors, Eric Pearson, a founder of FOA, and
Vladimir Grozdanovic in Serbia. We provide an abstract here and a link
to read the entire article which will be added to the FOA Online Guide.
Ensuring
Reliability By Proper Fiber Optic
Installation
The goals of a fiber
optic installation should not be solely based on achieving the lowest
initial cost. Should lowest cost result in reduced reliability, lowest
initial cost may result in significantly increased lifecycle cost.
Eric Pearson does it all, educator, writer,
consultant, with a resume' going back to the beginning of fiber optics.
Here's advice from Eric on the way to ensure the long term reliability
of a fiber optic cable plant by proper installation.
Ensuring
Reliability By Proper Fiber Optic
Installation
Testing that Demonstrates, or Not, High Reliability
Interpreting Test Results (Coming soon)
3D Inspection and Precision Cleaning
Field Service and Production Line Considerations When Precision Cleaning and Inspecting Fiber Optic Surfaces by Ed Forrest. Ed has decades of experience in developing cleaning solutions for fiber optic connectors.
What FOA's Instructors And Technical Advisors Are Telling Us
In the October 2024 FOA Newsletter we ran a long illustrated feature article offering
guidelines for aerial cable plant installation, illustrated by some
"excellent" bad examples. That article elicited quite a few comments,
especially from the instructors at some of our FOA schools around the
world, and led to some discussions with others in our field, including
manufacturers. Several topics seem to warrant further discussion, so we
thought it would be interesting to share some of our notes and encourage
more inputs before we cover the topics in detail in future issues of the
newsletter.
Here are some of the topics of the comments published in the November 2024 Newsletter. Some, we promise, are controversial! Feel free to comment.
Aerial Cable Plant Workmanship
Read the recently updated FOA Guide sections Aerial Cable Installation and Aerial Cable Plant Workmanship. and see FOA Guidelines for Aerial Cable Installation.
Is It Just The OTDR Or Is Singlemode Loss Really Directional?
Read the explanation of OTDR directional differences in the FOA Guide page on OTDRs.
A Quiet But Important Change In The Fiber Optic Cable You Buy
With so many cable designs today,
like microcables or high fiber count cables, requiring bend-insensitive
fibers, would it make sense to make all or most singlemode fibers as
bend insensitive fiber?
Two manufacturers (Corning and OFS) told FOA the industry is moving towards a G.657.A specification
in fiber, because the industry is moving towards smaller denser cables
in the network & the bend resilience is a requirement for the cable
design. So singlemode fiber is moving to being BI fiber, exactly what happened
with 50/125 laser optimized fibers a decade ago. With most new fiber,
compatibility is not an issue. But it is recommended to check with the
cable manufacturer if you are not sure what fiber is being used in the
cable you are purchasing.
Read the entire FOA report on compatibility of G.652 and G.657 singlemode fiber that includes this summary.
Jump to Worth
Reading
Updated FOA OTDR Trainer
FOA has rewritten the FOA OTDR Trainer around Fiberizer. The Fiberizer PC
software was the version we used for creating the Trainer, but the basic
techniques apply to all versions of Fiberizer. FOA provides a folder of
sample traces in 3 categories - Parameter Traces, Sample Traces and PON
Traces - around which we build the trainer. If you set up Fiberizer,
you can complete the FOA OTDR Trainer lessons and then use the same
software to analyze other traces you may have, even from other brands of
OTDRs, as long as they are .sor files.
The FOA OTDR Trainer is ready to help you learn about OTDRs. Go to the OTDR Trainer page,
tech/ref/testing/OTDR/OTDRsimulator.html, choose your version of Fiberizer, download the FOA Traces and you are ready to go.
FOA wishes to thank VeEX
for permission to use their Fiberizer® software in our OTDR trainer.
And our compliments to them for making the ap available on multiple
platforms that ensure anybody can use it.
FTTH Technical Papers
FOA contributor Vladimir Grozdanovic has created these technical papers based on his field experiences.
Splicing Optical Power Ground Wire OPGW
Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD)
Construction Methods For Microtrenching
Fiber Optic Ducts And Microducts
Fiber Optic Tools
Optical Distribution Frames (ODFs) And Patch Panels
Using Fiber Identifiers
Testing The FTTH PON Network (new)
Troubleshooting PON Installations.
Installation of FTTH Active Equipment in the FOA Guide.
Optical Splitters in the FOA Guide.
Examples of poor installation of FTTH in the aerial outside plant and in the customer premises.
Learning Important Information From A Found Cable Scrap
While walking down the street near the FOA office, we found this cable
laying in the gutter. What a find! A short length of Corning Rocket
Ribbon 864 fiber cable left over from an installation by a contractor.
We brought the cable back to our office with the intention of opening it
up and creating a video about the construction of this modern high
fiber count cable, but something got our attention first. The cable had a
very
long line of printing on it with lots of interesting and useful
information. So before we started deconstructing it, we decided to
photograph the printed information and interpret it. That turned out to
be an important part of the information we learned from the cable. Then,
as you will see below, we dissected the cable and learned even more.
Red more about what this cable marking tells you and what the cable looks like when you open it up to prepare for splicing.
Help On Color Codes (Including Copper Cabling And Fiber Optics)Here are the links to download your own FOA Guides to Fiber Optic Color Codes
FOA Guide to Fiber Optic Color Codes (print your own version) PDF
FOA Guide to Fiber Optic Color Codes (electronic version for your smartphone, tablet or PC) PDF
And Color Codes For UTP Cabling
FOA Guide to UTP Cabling Color Codes (print your own version) PDF
FOA Guide to UTP Copper Cabling Color Codes (electronic version) PDF
Warning For Techs Doing OSP Restoration
 FOA received an inquiry about whether techs
working on restoring OSP links should be concerned about eye safety if
the link used fiber amplifiers. To answer this question, we had to do some research on fiber amplifiers.
The short answer is YES, you should be concerned. The long answer is
more technical and includes details that every OSP tech needs to know.
See "Fiber Amps And Restoration" in the FOA Newsletter Archives..
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Worth Reading
Each month we read
hundreds of newsletters and online articles. These
are the ones we think you will find "worth
reading."
FOA has a web page with resources on fiber broadband networks and the IIJA/BEAD funding programs.
Index Of Articles Fiber Broadband Networks From The Fiber Optic Association - dozens of articles on fiber broadband over the last 4 years.
Cross Reference Guide to FOA Textbooks, Online Guide and Fiber U
 AT&T PR photo from the mid 1970s
The FOA's History
Stories From The Past FOA Newsletters
Recent articles from The FOA Newsletter
Fake OTDR Traces Submitted For Testing Documentation January 2023 Tech
Using OTDRs To Test Transoceanic Cables And PONs February 2023
POF - the Other Fiber March 2023
What Do Employers Expect From A Fiber Optic Tech? April 2023
Are Standards Ignoring The OSP? May 2023
FOA Has Proven Results In Fiber Optic Workforce Development June 2023
BEAD Funding For States Announced And Analyzed July 2023
Wisdom From The Street (Analyzing the printing on a fiber optic cable) July 2023
Focus On Disasters August 2023
FOA's Role In Education and Work Done By Fiber Techs September 2023
The Workforce: New US DoL Bureau of Labor Statistics Telecom Tech Category October 2023
How Many Telecom Techs Do We Need and How Big Is The Fiber Optic Market November 2023
Guidelines For Fiber Optic Project Planners December 2023
2023 Year In Review. Kentucky Shows The Value Of Fiber January 2024.
What is Broadband? History of the Cable Modem February 2024
It's Just Economics. Things you need to know. March 2024.
Fiber To The Shore - Undersea cables along the coast April, 2024.
The Future Of The Fiber Tech May 2024.
|
Worth Reading (And
Watching Or Listening)
Ciena shutters broadband PON plans to focus on cloud and data center network opportunities - Lightwave. The vendor will emphasize optical opportunities that will help data center and traditional providers respond to AI growth.
The inventor of the web says we can recapture its magic. Is he right? Washington Post. Tim Berners-Lee writes about the early days of the internet and how we might restore its more democratic roots.
Blair Levin on what's next for bargain BEAD - Light Reading. As
Levin points out, the agency (NTIA) has already pulled off "one neat
trick" by determining that locations currently served with satellite
services don't count as "served" for the purposes of BEAD, yet still
deeming satellite providers as eligible for BEAD funding.
Reliable subsea infrastructure needs to be ‘safe when it fails’ - Fierce Network
Secret Service disrupts telecom threat near UN General Assembly - BBC. Telecom threat could send 30M disruptive texts per minute, overwhelming service providers.
Artificial intelligence ushers in a golden age of hacking, experts say
- Washington Post. Hackers are using AI’s immense capabilities to find
ways into more networks -- and turn their victims’ AI against them.
And Your Monthly Dose Of AI:
Dennis The Menace Cartoon - King Features Syndicate
A.I. Isn’t Magic. Lots of People Are Acting Like It Is. NYTimes
The real (economic) AI apocalypse is nigh (27 Sep 2025) – Pluralistic: Cory Doctorow
One force is propping up the economy. Fears are growing it won’t last.- Washington Post
Artificial intelligence may be Silicon Valley’s latest speculative bubble — with major risks for the rest of the economy.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on the “Access” podcast this month likened
recent AI investment to the massive spending that built out American
railroads in the 1800s and internet fiber networks in the 1990s. Both
proved to be hugely valuable — but only after initial investment bubbles
burst and shuttered many companies.
“I’m getting more and more skeptical and more and more concerned with
what’s happening” with artificial intelligence, said Andrew Odlyzko, an
economic historian and University of Minnesota emeritus professor who
has studied financial bubbles closely, including the telecom bubble that
collapsed in 2001 as part of the dot-com crash.
Useful Articles And Links
Pre-Excavation Safety Checklist (PDF) - Excavation Safety Alliance - essential steps before breaking ground for underground construction.
CABL® (cabl.com) serves
the business needs of the Broadband industry (including traditional
cable TV, fiber, telecom and satellite providers) with employment
listings, classified ads, discussion forums, and more. A contractor told us it's where they find lots of opportunities for subcontracting.
ESRI has created an ebook on GIS location technology for telecom. Use the link to download the book.
Google Video On Their Undersea Cables YouTube Slick but interesting video on how undersea cables are designed, built and used.
Worth Reading - Magazines, Websites and Newsletters
CABL® (cabl.com) serves
the business needs of the Broadband industry (including traditional
cable TV, fiber, telecom and satellite providers) with employment
listings, classified ads, discussion forums, and more. A contractor told us it's where they find lots of opportunities for subcontracting.
The Institute for Local
Self-Reliance weekly newsletter has
lots of interesting articles and links.
Next Century Cities Newsletter
- News from cities around the US
including Detroit and New York plus small
Structured Cabling News
- a website and weekly newsletter about cabling
RTI Telecom Magazine from Brazil, in Portuguese. A revista RTI do mês de abril já está disponível online e recomendo a leitura de alguns artigos:
Worth Reading - History & Technical
FOA was founded in 1995 - FOA's History
As
part of celebrating 3 decades serving the fiber
optic industry as its primary source of technical
information and independent certifying body, FOA
thought it appropriate to create a short history of
the organization and how it has developed to
help the fiber optic industry. We also wanted to
recognize the contributions many people have made to
the organization over the years that made FOA what
it is today.
The FOA history is on the FOA
website where you can read it or link to
it.
1983
Video of AT&T's First Test Of A Submarine
Cable System From the AT&T Tech
Channel archives (worth exploring!)
Richard
Epworth's Optical Fiber History from his work
at STL from 1966 with Charles Kao.
50th Anniversary of The
Development of Low Loss Fibers A history
of the development of low loss fiber, a fascinating
story by Jeff Hecht on the OSA (Optical Society of
America) website.
The First Transcontinental Telephone Line
began operation on July 29th in 1915 - 3400 miles between New
York and San Francisco - required over 100,000 telephone poles! Wonders
of World Engineering
"Who Lost Lucent?: The
Decline of America's Telecom Equipment Industry"
This is a MUST READ for managers in telecom or any
industry!
Communications Systems Grounding
Rules: Article 800 provides specific
requirements by
Michael
Johnston, NECA Executive Director of
Standards and Safety in EC Magazine
How
To Build Rural Broadband, Learning From History
In the August 2021
FOA Newsletter, we published a lengthy article on
rural broadband and compared it to rural
electrification in America in the last century.
Much of the comparison was based on an article
written in 1940 by a USDA economist, Robert Beall,
called "Rural Electrification." If
you are interested in or involved in rural
broadband, we recommend you read the article "How
To Build Rural Broadband, Learning From History"
in the August 2021 FOA Newsletter and
read the Beall article also.
Recycling Fiber Optic
Cable - Contact:
Steve Maginnis
LD4Recycle/ CommuniCom Recycling
(Visit
website)
sm@LD4Recycle.com
803.371.5436
Sumitomo's Ribbon
Splicing Guide - download from
one of the leaders in splicing.
OFS also has an excellent
website and blog of tech articles worth browsing.
IEC 60050 - International
Electrotechnical Vocabulary - An
extensive dictionary for fiber optics in English and
French. Highly technical - this is one definition:
"mode - one solution of Maxwell's equations,
representing an electromagnetic field in a certain
space domain and belonging to a family of
independent solutions defined by specified boundary
conditions"
Restoration: If you are interested in restoration -
aren't we all? - you should also read this
article in dpPro magazine by FOA President Jim
Hayes: Damage Protection Requires
Looking Overhead As Well As Underground
- dpPRO Magazine - about the problems with
aerial cables. His previous article for the
magazine was New Techniques for Fiber
Optic Installation.
DIRT
Report On Damage To Utilities Common Ground
Alliance (CGA) annual DIRT report provides a
summary and analysis of the events submitted into
CGA’s Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) for
the year 2018. The complete report is available
for download here. In addition,
there is an interactive dashboard that
allows users to filter the data more by
factors contributing to damages.
Fiber Trivia From
Corning.
VIAVI Books On
Fiber Optic Testing (2 volumes)
 
Besides
the FOA reference materials, two JDSU/VIAVI
textbooks, Reference Guide to Fiber Optic Testing,
Volumes 1 and 2, were used as references for
some of the FOA courses and are recommended for
instructors and students. The books are available
from VIAVI as eBooks and the everyone should
download them and recommend them to others.Download
yours now. Volume 1. Volume 2. Viavi Books
Ciena's Submarine Cable
Handbooks (4 to download)
How OFS Makes Fiber
Interesting YouTube video on how fiber is made.
Perhaps a little too much "show biz" but
fascinating. If you have ever seen fiber
manufacture, look at this video. You will be amazed
at how big preforms have become!
The True Cost of Telco Damages
(what backhoe fade or target practice can
cost)
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Q&A
When readers ask us questions, we genrally refer them to FOA
resources where they can find the answer to their question and many
more. We first send them to the FOA Guide
which is the table of contents for the FOA technical resources. There
they can find pages indexed by topic and a search engine for the FOA
website. It also links them to FOA videos and courses on our free online learning site Fiber U.
The FOA
Fiber FAQs Page (FAQs = frequently asked
questions) gathers up questions readers have
asked us (which first ran in this newsletter)
and adds tech topics of general interest.
|
Good Question!
Tech
Questions/Comments From FOA Newsletter Readers
Gloves for Splicing?
Q: What’s the FOA’s (or your personal) stance on wearing gloves whilst splicing?
A: Wearing gloves may recommended for
preparing metallic armored cables becasue of the danger of cuts. FOr
regular cables, gloves may be recommended for those who use knives to
open cables, a practice still used. Howevre for splicing fibers where
some recommend them to prevent sticking yourself with fibers, it hamprs
fiber handling and slows the work down. We do not recommend gloves
except for prepping certain types of cables.
Are Splices Too Close Together A Problem?
Q: When installing fiber in an plant. Is there a minimum distance that two splices should be apart? ;
A: The recommendation in the past was to bot have splices close
together since slight reflectances at the splices could cause an
interference problem with laser systems. The recommendation was to keep
splices 30-100m apart. IT was especially noted if you had to splice in a
section of cable to repair a cable break. However we have not heard
this in recent history, perhaps because fusion splices are so good. We
asked a number of FOA's technical advisors for their opinions. Their
feedback is the problem of reflectance causing problems at closely
spaced splices seems to have disappeared. It’s a matter of better
splicing machines and more consistent fibers, and also a matter of
lasers being engineered to work better in links.
Copper Tech Wants To Learn Fiber Optics
Q: I am originally from copper installations and faults
finding. I would like to get involved in Optic fibre faults and
finding, how do I go if there is a possible training it will be highly
appreciated,
A: Just learn about fiber, especially fiber testing and troubleshooting. Fiber U has courses you can take for free.
OSP Installation Standards
Q: I'm looking for standards for fiber optic OSP installation.
A: The whole issue of OSP standards has been one FOA been
trying to get standards bodies interested in for years with little
success, probably because it is an enormous project. Right now there are
two documents that address OSP cable plant:
ITU-T Technical Report, TR-OFCS Optical fibres, cables and systems, (3 July 2015)
As you can see, the ITU document is almost 10 years old and a lot has changed in that time.
The Other is the Telcordia Blue Book - Expensive but thorough
Telcordia Blue Book - Manual of Construction Procedures
Document Number SR-1421, Issue Number 07, Issue Date Jan 2023
Is The FOA CFOT® A License?
Q: Can you use a CFOT certification to install fiber and charge for it? Or do you need other licenses as well? ;
A: FOA Certification is considered evidence of competence and
accepted worldwide by many companies, groups, etc. Licenses are a legal
credential required by local authorities to conduct business for
anything from a barber to a truck triver to contractors doing fiber or
other work. Most locales require a license as a contractor which may
require a fiber specialty. You need to investigate this with your local
authorities.
Updating FOA Courses And Reference Materials
Q: How often are FOA courses updated? And when they get updated, what happens to those who would have done a previous version?
A: The FOA certifications are updated as needed to stay current with
technology and applications. Updates are incremental and we do not
require current certification holders to retake courses or exams.
Past questions can be found on the FAQs page.
Fiber Optic Color Codes Reference Chart
Q: Has anyone made a fiber optic pocket reference chart that has cable
color orders, frequencies, or other commonly used info on it?
A: The FOA has a page on its Online Guide that covers color codes
(https://foa.org/tech/ColCodes.htm). It is the most popular page in the
FOA Guide! It works great with a smartphone.
The
word on the "Dig Once" program is getting out - FOA
is getting calls from cities asking us for
information and advice. Here are some links:
The DoT page on the administration’s Executive
Order: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/otps/exeorder.cfm
And the
one to download and hand out:
A “How To” Guide from The Global Connect Initiative:
https://share.america.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/6.-GCI-Dig-Once.pdf
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Training / FiberU
News and resources to help you learn more and stay
updated.
Learn about the fiber optic/ broadband workforce
Find a
listing of all the FOA-Approved schools here.
Free online
self-study programs on many fiber optics and
cabling topics are available at Fiber U, FOA's
online web-based training website.
Free online training at
Fiber U
The FOA has >100
videos on |
What Is An FOA Credential?
As FOA celebrates our 100,000th CFOT® certified technician,
introduces the "FOA Badge In Fiber Optics" for others working in the
field and adds new courses at Fiber U which offer a "Certificate of
Completion," it's a good time to explain the differences between them. FOA has created a page to explain the differences in certifications, certificates and badges.
All FOA
Certification Credentials Are Now Online
All FOA Certified Fiber Optic Technicians now have their certification
credentials online.
if your FOA certification has not expired you should have been notified you have an
online credential. If you did not get notification it may be because
FOA did not have a valid email for you. Contact FOA to inquire about your certification credential.
More about FOA's network of approved training organizations.
The Types of Work Done By Fiber Techs And How It Affects Training
What is a fiber optic technician? What kinds of work
do they do? Those topics were the center of FOA discussions with the US
Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics that led to the new job
category of "Telecommunications Technician" on the BLS
website. The focus of this job category is primarily the
installation and operation of the fiber optic cable plant, but one
should not forget the cable plant must be designed also as part of a
more extensive communications network.
In our discussion with the BLS analysts, we pointed out the various
stages of a fiber optic communications network project and how techs
with various knowledge and skill sets are needed and involved in every
step. This web page on the fiber optic workforce describes how FOA defines these stages of a project and the skills
of the techs needed. This is not unique to FOA; it's what has been traditional
at telecom companies forever.
FOA Schools
FOA's roster of approved schools continues to grow as more organizations
recognize our expertise in workforce development and our comprehensive
support for getting new schools started. FOA has over 25 years
experience and over 100,000 certified fiber techs (with ~140,000
certifications). As a non-profit organization founded by the industry
specifically to develop a competent workforce, FOA provides the
consultation, curriculum and contacts to get schools started as a free
service to new schools.
Need A Fiber Optic Course Onsite? Invite an FOA School To Come To You
Complete listing of FOA Approved Training Organizations
Fiber U offers dozens of free online self-study programs.
Fiber U "Basic Fiber
Optics" Online Self-Study Course Now In Spanish
Curso Básico de Fibra Óptica
de Fibra U en español.
Here is the new Fiber U "Fiber Optic Safety" self-study program. Take the course and get your certificate of completion.
Fiber U MiniCourses: Got An Hour Or Less?
Learn Something New About Fiber Optics.
All these free courses and many more
are available at Fiber U.
What Fiber Techs
Don't Know -
What We Learn From
FOA Certification Tests
As
FOA moves more testing over to our digital online
testing system at ClassMarker, we have access to
more data about our testing, including what
questions and topics on the tests are answered
incorrectly most often. Having this data gives us an
opportunity to evaluate the questions and how they
are stated, but more importantly it allow us to help
our instructors teach the subjects and us to change
our curriculum and online courses to emphasize these
particular topics. These are some of the topics that
we have noticed are answered incorrectly more often
in FOA and Fiber U tests.
Most of the questions missed are on testing.
1. OTDRs - particularly what information is in the
OTDR trace.
2. The difference between dB and dBm
3. Loss budgets - both the concepts and doing the
math
4. Insertion loss testing - single-ended or double
ended for testing patchcords or cable plants, how to
set 0dB references
5. Units of measure - fiber is measured in microns,
wavelengths in nanometers, etc.
At FOA, we're working to add Fiber
U MiniCourses on these topics and working with
our schools to emphasize these topics in their
classes.
If you are going to be taking a FOA certification
course or test in the near future, these topics
should be on your final exam study list.
What We Learn From Hands On Labs
We learn about students performance in hands-on labs
from the feedback of our instructors and our own
experiences too. One big problem is the use of hand
tools. Growing up today, you learn how to use
keyboards, mouses and touch screens, but decades
ago, you also learned how to use basic hand tools.
This is big enough of a problem that we're
considering adding some video lessons on basic hand
tools to prepare students for cable prep,
termination and splicing that require the use of
hand tools.
FOA offers free online self-study programs at Fiber U.
Many users are preparing for FOA certification
programs - taking courses at our schools or using
the Direct Certification program. Some of our
schools are requiring Fiber U programs as
prerequisites for their classroom courses so they
can spend more time on hands-on activities.
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Publications /
Resources
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Cross Reference To FOA Tech Materials
FOA has so much technical reference material, we created a cross reference guide to the textbooks,
Online Guide and Fiber U courses, all the FOA technical information.
Besides the textbooks, online Guide and Fiber U, each section of the
Guide also includes links to the 100+ FOA videos available.
Cross Reference Guide to Textbooks, Online Guide and Fiber U
FOA Guide To Fiber Optic Workforce Development
To help those new to fiber optic workforce development, FOA has created a web page we call "Fiber Optic Workforce Development."
In this page, we share what we have learned about the fiber optic
workforce, who they are and how they learn their trade. We discuss what
defines a fiber optic tech and how they should be certified.
Read the FOA Guide To Fiber Optic Workforce Development online.
New Edition of FOA's Basic Fiber Optics Textbook
It has been 5 years since we have updated the FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optics,
so it is certainly time for an update. The latest version is different
enough we call it a new edition. Many of the updates are for new
technologies which are reshaping the fiber optic industry like coherent
transmission, BI fibers, etc. We've also added a section on the fiber
optic workforce which has much relevance because this book is used to
train those entering the workforce.
We've also worked on making the book more readable, adding formatting that eases reading and a new comprehensive index.
The new edition of the FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optics is available from Amazon and booksellers worldwide.
Best Seller: Fiber Broadband (Paperback and Kindle)
This book is not the typical FOA technical textbook - it is written for
anyone who wants to understand fiber broadband or fiber optics or the
Internet. It's also aimed at STEM teachers who want to include
communications technology in their classes. This book will try to
explain not only how fiber broadband works, but how
it was developed. It is intended to be an introduction to
communications technology
appropriate for a communications course at almost any level (junior
high, high school or
college,) for managers involved with broadband projects, or for anyone
who just wonders how all this stuff works.
The Fiber Optic Association Guide To Fiber Broadband
Paperback ($12.95) and Kindle ($9.95) versions available from Amazon or most booksellers. Kindle version is in color!
New In Spanish - Nuevo en español
FOA Spanish Textbook And Online Guide Updated
The FOA Spanish textbook and Online Guide on basic fiber optics has just
been updated. The new version includes all the latest updates and is
intended for use with FOA CFOT certification classes presented in
Spanish. Both paperback and Kindle versions are available. The textbook and the updated CFOT class
curriculum are available now.
Libro de texto en español y guía en línea de FOA actualizados
Se acaba de actualizar el libro de texto en español y la Guía Online de FOA
sobre fibra óptica básica. La nueva versión incluye las últimas
actualizaciones y está diseñada para usarse con las clases de
certificación FOA CFOT presentadas en español. Están disponibles
versiones de bolsillo y Kindle. El libro de texto y el plan de estudios
actualizado de la clase CFOT ya están disponibles.
FOA Adds Fiber Optic Network Design in Spanish
The FOA Design textbook and course curriculum are available in Spanish also. The FOA CFOS/D curriculum in Spanish includes the necessary materials
for an instructor to present the course in Spanish and give thCFOS/D
certification exam in Spanish. The material is available to any
FOA-approved school. For more infirmation on becoming a FOA approved
school, go here.
El libro de texto de FOA Design y el plan de estudios
del curso también están disponibles en español. El plan de estudios de
FOA CFOS/D en español incluye los materiales necesarios para que un
instructor presente el curso en español y dé el examen de certificación
CFOS/D en español. El material está disponible para cualquier escuela
aprobada por la FOA. Para obtener más confirmación sobre cómo
convertirse en una escuela aprobada por la FOA, vaya aquí.
Translations of FOA Textbooks
 FOA is a very international organization and it works hard to
accommodate the language needs of everyone. We have been translating our
books and website into the languages most requested, and this month, we
add two more textbook translations. We also want to thank Jerry Morla,
FOA CFOS/I instructor and Director who has been doing the recent
translations into Spanish, his native language.
Here is a listing of all the FOA textbook Translations
Spanish Editions:
Guía de Referencia de la Asociación de Fibra Óptica (FOA) Sobre Fibra
Óptica: Guía de estudio para la certificación de la FOA Amazon
La Referencia de Cableado para Predios de la FOA: Guía para Certificación de la FOA Amazon
La Asociación de Fibra Óptica Manual de Fibra Hasta el Hogar : Para
Planificadores, Gestores, Diseñadores, Instaladores y Operadores De
FTTH Amazon
Guía de Referencia de la FOA sobre Diseño de la red de fibra óptica: Guía de Estudio para la Certificación de la FOA Amazon
And the FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optics:
French Edition: Le
Guide de référence de la FOA pour la fibre optique et et
guide d'étude pour la certification FOA: Guide d'étude pour
la certification FOA Amazon
Portuguese Edition: Guia de Referência sobre Fibra Óptica da FOA : Guia de Estudo para a Certificação da FOA Amazon
The subject matter of these books is also translated in the FOA Guide online.
FOA Video
Lectures On YouTube
Did
you know YouTube will close caption videos in many
languages?
Sign in with Google to get translations for closed
captioning. Click on the settings icon (red arrow.)
Choose "Subtitles". English is the default
language. Click on the arrow after "English
(auto-generated) >". In the new window click on
"Auto-translate" and choose the language you
want.
FOA Loss Budget
Calculator On A Web Page 5/2020
FOA
has written many articles about loss budgets,
something everyone involved in fiber optics needs to
know and needs to know how to calculate. We recently
discovered how to get a spreadsheet ported to a Web
page, so we created this web page that calculates
loss budgets. We have an iOS loss budget app, but
with this web page, you can calculate loss budgets
from any device, smart phone, tablet, laptop, or
desktop computer that has web browsing capability.
Bookmark this page (especially on your
smartphone): FOA Loss Budget Calculator
Online
We are continually updating the Online Reference
Guide to keep up with changes in the industry and
adding lots of new pages of technical information.
When you go to the FOA
Guide Table of Contents to see the latest
updates - look for  .
FOA Books
Fiber Optics (4 languages), Premises Cabling, OSP
fiber and construction, Network Design, Testing,
FTTH Handbook and our latest - FIber Broadband
The FOA has it's own
reference books for everyone working in fiber
optics - contractors, installers and end users as
well as for use as textbooks in classes at
educational institutions. They are available as
printed books or Kindle at much lower prices than
most textbooks since we self-publish and sell
online, cutting out the middlemen. Click on the
book images for more information. The Reference
Guide To Fiber Optics is also available in
Spanish, French and Portuguese. The Design book is available in English
and Spanish.
Click on any book for more information
about it.
FOA
has reprinted
"Lennie Lightwave's Guide"
on its 25th anniversary in a special print
edition.
Lennie
and Uncle Ted's
Guides are online.
Click on any of
the books to learn more.
- Fiber
Optic Safety Poster to download and
print
Resources For
Teachers In K-12 And Technical Schools
Teachers in all grades can introduce their
students to fiber optic technology with some
simple demonstrations. FOA has created a page for
STEM or STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts
and math) teachers with materials appropriate to
their classes. Fiber Optic Resources For
Teachers.
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Safety
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On Safety
New Fiber U Course: Fiber
Optic Safety
Safety
must be the first concern of everyone involved in a fiber optic
project, including those planning, designing, managing or supervising
and of course those doing the installation.
FOA is often asked about safety for fiber optics. Some
inquiries ask where it's covered in the FOA Online Guide or textbooks or
if we have a course on safety at Fiber U. Almost all Fiber
U Courses have lessons covering safety, because
safety is important in every aspect of a fiber optic project.
This
new Fiber U course will focus on safety alone. There are two lessons in this course,
fiber optic construction and fiber optic installation. The dividing
line between the two courses is the installation of the fiber optic
cables. Construction leads up to and/or is completed when the cables are
installed. Installation begins when the fiber tech installs the cable,
then completes the splicing, termination testing and documentation. The
overlap between the two is the installation of the cables where both
construction personnel and fiber optic techs are involved.
Here is the new Fiber U "Fiber Optic Safety" self-study program. Take the course and get your certificate of completion.
Enhance your safety with the FOA Safety Vest.
The FOA is concerned about safety!
FOA
considers safety an integral part of all our
programs, curriculum materials and technical
materials. We start all our textbooks and their
online versions with a section on safety in the
first chapter, like this: Before
we get started - Safety First!
There are pages on the FOA Guide on Safety
procedures Including Eye Safety and. Digging
Safely
And a YouTube lecture: FOA Lecture 2: Safety When Working
With Fiber Optics
In our OSP Construction Section, these pages cover
many safety issues including those related to the
construction of the cable plant: Project Preparation And Guidelines,
Underground Cable Construction,
Underground Cable Installation
and Aerial Cable Installation.
There is even a safety poster for the fiber
activities: PDF Safety Rules For Fiber Optics
Other Safety Resources:
There is a toll-free
"call before you dig" number in the USA: Dial 811. See www.call811.com
for more information in the US. Here is their map of resources by states.
In Canada, it's "Click Before You Dig.com" They also have a page of resources by US states and Canadian provinces.
The Common Ground
Alliance has an excellent "Best Practices Guide"
online
- The US Department
of Transportation has a website called "National
Pipeline Mapping System" that allows one
to search for buried pipelines.
Why We Warn You To
Be Careful About Fiber Shards
Photo courtesy Brian Brandstetter,
Mississauga Training Consultantcy
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About The FOA
About The FOA
- Contact
Us: http://www.foa.org
or email <info@foa.org>
FOA has a company page
and four LinkedIn Groups
FOA
- official company page on LinkedIn
FOA
- covers FOA, technology and jobs in the fiber optic
marketplace
FOA
Fiber Optic Training - open to all, covers
fiber optic technology and training topics
Grupo de La Asociación de
Fibra Óptica FOA (Español)
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What is The FOA?
The FOA is a, international non-profit
educational association chartered to promote
professionalism in fiber optics through education,
certification and standards.
Founded in 1995 by a dozen prominent fiber optics
trainers and leaders from education, industry and government as a professional society for fiber
optics and a source of independent certification,
the FOA has grown to now being involved in numerous
activities to educate the world about fiber optics
and certify the workers who design, build and
operate the world's fiber optic networks.
Read More
FOA History
FOA Timeline of Fiber Optics
Contact
Us
The Fiber Optic Association Inc.
https://www.foa.org or email
<info@foa.org>
Use the Contact
Form
Want to know more about fiber optics? Study
for FOA certifications? Free
Self-Study Programs are on "Fiber U®."
Looking for specific information? Here's the largest
technical reference on the web: The
FOA Online Fiber Optic Reference Guide.
Free online self-study programs
on many fiber optics and cabling topics are
available at Fiber U,
FOA's online web-based training website.
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-
Contact Us
The Fiber Optic Association Inc.
The FOA Home Page
Fiber Optic Timeline
(C)1999-2025, The Fiber Optic Association, Inc.
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FOA Logo
Merchandise
New FOA Swag! Shirts,
Caps, Stickers, Cups, etc.
The
FOA has created a store on Zazzle.com offering lots
of new logo merchandise. It has lots of versions of
shirts and other merchandise with "FOA," "Fiber U,"
"Lennie Lightwave" designs and more so you should
find something just for you! See FOA on Zazzle.
-
Privacy Policy (for
the EU GDPR): The FOA does not
use cookies or any other web tricks to gather
information on visitors to our website, nor do
we allow commercial advertising. Our website
hosts may gather traffic statistics for the
visitors to our website and our online testing
service, ClassMarker, maintains statistics of
test results. We do not release or misuse any
information on any of our members except we will
confirm FOA certifications and Fiber U
certificates of completion when requested by
appropriate persons such as employers or
personnel services.
Read
the complete FOA Privacy Policy here.
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