June 2024

Links To Sections

FOA Certified Techs: 

2024 At FOA - Heading For 100,000 

See FOA Jobs Web Page and FOA on 

The FOA Jobs

Using your FOA Training/Certification to Find the Right Job in Fiber Optics

 

Fiber Optic Safety Poster to download and print

FOA Videos on

The Archives: Past Issues.

Use these links to read past issues or use FOA's  Custom Search to look for specific topics on our website.

1/24, 2/24, 3/24, 4/24.5/24, 6/24,   

Time To Renew Your FOA Certifications?

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Fiber Optic Training - What Is The Role Of Manufacturers?

In the early/mid 1990s when the FOA was being started, manufacturers were a major source for training for fiber optics. The manufacturers of fiber optic components like cable and connectors knew that few contractors and installers knew anything about fiber optics, so training was important to protect the company's own interests. Unless the installers were properly trained and performed installation tasks properly, it was likely the manufacturer who would get blamed. Many manufacturers, large and small, had their own training programs and certified installers specifically for the installation of their products. Many also offered warranties on their products but only if the installation was done by one of their certified installers.

The FOA was founded by many of these companies to offer an industry recognized certification that covered all fiber optic installation including installation of their particular products. the original CFOT KSAs (knowledge, skills and abilities) were written with the collaboration of companies like Siecor(Corning), 3M, Panduit, Automatic Tool & Connector, Fotec and others in the industry.

Dan Silver (R) of 3M teaching students about splice cases at Fiber U in 1994

Manufacturers' training suffered a deadly blow in the bursting of the Internet/fiber optic bubble in 2001 and has never fully recovered. For some companies it morphed into online training about the products, riding on the technical development of streaming video, primarily on YouTube.

In some ways, streaming video instruction has been great. It widens the availability of training to anyone with an Internet connection. What's it's missing is the hands-on practice that comes from an in-person class.

During the pandemic, FOA tried expanding on this concept with the Fiber U Basic Skills Lab. Lessons were created based on the learner having access to the proper equipment like splicers or test equipment, in soe cases, even buying inexpensive tools and components online. We learned that it is not easy to teach hands-on skills online without proper equipment and a nearby instructor to ask for help.

In some areas around the world, manufacturers are more involved in training. In a recent article on workforce retraining in the NYTimes, job retraining by manufacturers in Germany was used as an example. "Germany prides itself on its vocational training, offered through a dual-track system that combines school coursework with hands-on work experience.  Around 330 occupations require a trade certification, and anyone without one is largely out of luck — regardless of the skills that he or she may have acquired on the job."

In most countries, training and certification are not required. Techs always learn on the job (OJT), but many also elect to get proper training and certification like that from FOA approved training organizations. They know that training makes them more productive and certification makes them more employable.

FOA has manufacturers in our network of approved schools like Clearfield which uses our certification program for both employees and customers. FOA welcomes more manufacturers to join us; the industry needs your help training the fiber optic workforce. FOA can provide the basic training program and you need only add in your products to make it yours.

Online Credentials For FOA Schools And Certified Instructors

Updated OTDR Trainer

Fiber optic testing is complicated. It's the subject of most of the technical questions we get at FOA and, according to the results of our certification exams, the hardest subject in fiber optics. FOA has worked hard to explain testing; even creating a complete textbook on the subject, The FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optic Testing. We also have multiple pages on testing in the FOA Guide and several self-study courses at Fiber U.

In testing, OTDRs get the most questions and cause the most confusion. Questions like "When should I use an OTDR?"or "Is OTDR testing OK for acceptance testing on a newly installed cable plant?" are common, but emailing FOA a trace and asking questions about what it means is the most common by far.

For many years, FOA has had an OTDR trainer, created from PC software that allows analyzing OTDR traces offline. I read the OTDR standard ".sor" files and allowed analyzing the trace on the computer. We added a set of traces that showed how the user-set test parameters like distance, wavelength, test pulse width, fiber index of refraction and number of averages affect the measurements  made by the OTDR and taught the user how to choose the proper settings for any test conditions.

Like all software, this Windows software became obsolete. We looked for a more modern version that everyone could use and found Fiberizer® from instrument maker VeEX. Most OTDR makers offer PC software for offline trace analysis, but Fiberizer offers multiple options, Fiberizer Cloud online, Fiberizer Mobile apps for both iOS and Android, and Fiberizer for Windows. And Fiberizer is publicly available, not just for their test equipment customers.

Now we have rewritten the FOA OTDR Trainer around Fiberizer. The 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 Tech Business Is Complicated (And Driven By Hype)

FOA Programs Support STEM Education

FOA Newsletter Sections

News

Lots more news in Worth Reading below

Quote of the month: “Middle mile is like the middle child that keeps getting ignored. If we continue ignoring it, at one point in time, we will not be able to connect all of these new last mile connections that we are planning on building in the next four years.” Sachin Gupta, Director of Government Business & Economic Development at Centranet.

The Key Trends Shaping Long-Haul Capacity And Demand (Including AI)

Last Month It Was "Fiber to the Yacht" and "Fiber to the Shack." This Month It's "Fiber To The Sugar Mills" In Brazil

BBG Telecom brings optical fiber to 130 mills in Pernambuco, Brazil BBG Telecom, founded 15 years ago in Camaragibe, metropolitan region of Recife, PE, is bringing optical fiber to around 130 sugar mills in the interior of Pernambuco, through its subsidiary CampusNet, based in Palmares. “This operation ensures high-speed connectivity to remote areas of the state, where not even cell phones reach”, says Gilmar Amaral, the company's commercial and marketing director. Sugar mills are a fundamental part of the history and culture of Pernambuco. The old production units, which transformed sugar cane into wealth, left a remarkable legacy in the region. Installed in rural areas, the mills face the challenge of difficult access and low population density. Known in the region as “arruados”, the communities bring together houses spread out and far apart. “For example, in one place there is a group of 20 houses and just 1.5 km later there are five more”, says the director. Even so, CampusNet brings FTTH connectivity – fiber to the home. “We have several strategic points of presence, we installed CTOs and we use 100% legal posting. We often need to negotiate with the farms to be able to pass the fiber through the properties”, he says.

BBG Telecom leva fibra óptica a 130 engenhos de Pernambuco, Brazil A BBG Telecom, fundada há 15 anos em Camaragibe, região metropolitana de Recife, PE, está levando fibra óptica a cerca de 130 engenhos de açúcar do interior de Pernambuco, por meio de sua subsidiária CampusNet, sediada em Palmares. “Essa operação assegura conectividade de alta velocidade a áreas remotas do estado, onde nem mesmo o telefone celular chega”, diz Gilmar Amaral, diretor comercial e de marketing da empresa. Os engenhos de açúcar são parte fundamental da história e cultura de Pernambuco. As antigas unidades produtivas, que transformavam a cana-de-açúcar em riqueza, deixaram um legado marcante na região. Instalados em áreas rurais, os engenhos têm o desafio do difícil acesso e baixa densidade populacional. Conhecidas na região pelo nome de “arruados”, as comunidades reúnem moradias espalhadas e distantes entre si. “Por exemplo, em um local há um grupo de 20 casas e somente 1,5 km depois há mais cinco”, afirma o diretor. Mesmo assim, a CampusNet leva a conectividade FTTH – fiber to the home. “Temos vários pontos de presença estratégicos, instalamos as CTOs e usamos posteamento 100% legalizado. Muitas vezes precisamos negociar com as fazendas para poder passar com a fibra pelas propriedades”, conta.

Read More at RTI.

“Perfect storm:” Wildfires knock out services in the Yukon

The wildfires damaged communication infrastructure on May 10, disrupting access to emergency services.

Ongoing wildfires in Canada’s Yukon territory severed critical fiber lines, leaving customers in parts of the Yukon, British Columbia, and the Northwestern Territories leaving customers unable to communicate or access emergency services. Two separate fires damaged cables operated by local telco Northwestel simultaneously, leaving customers without access to mobile, internet, or telephony services.

“This really was a bit of a perfect storm,” said Northwestel’s vice-president of customer experience Tammy April to Global News. “We had two fires that really went from no fire to incredible blaze within a matter of hours of each other. So we had our east-west (fiber) route fail late afternoon on Friday, and it was within about five hours that we had our north-south route fail.”

To make matters worse, satellite phones – usually a reliable backup to terrestrial networks fail – were also experiencing disruption. April ascribed this disruption to electromagnetic interference resulting from the recent solar storm.

Repairs to the infrastructure have been underway since the weekend, with services already restored in most affected regions.

Read more in Broadband Communities. 

Longest Quantum Network Tested On Existing Fiber Optics In Boston

New Technical Book On FTTx In Serbian

The rapid expansion of the Internet, followed by the introduction of a greater number of various services, has led to the increased user demands, which resulted in continuous development of access networks.

Over the past decade, the demand for high bandwidth, high bit rates in both directions, low latency, and more reliable services have significantly pushed out old traditional telephone and cable networks and contributed to the development and widespread popularity of optical fixed access networks - particularly FTTH (Fiber To The Home).

This book will introduce you to modern FTTx optical networks and provide a range of practical tips on designing, building, and maintaining them.
 
The first part of the book covers the basics of optical communication systems, types and structure of optical fibres and cables, followed by fibre and cable labeling conventions, attenuation and dispersion calculations, and finally measurements performed on optical networks. The second part is dedicated to FTTx optical networks - various FTTx scenarios, principles of design and construction, FTTx testing, and troubleshooting typical problems on FTTx networks.

The book can be ordered through the publisher Infoelektronika website  https://www.infoelektronika.net/.  Delivery is available to all countries worldwide via standard mail or international express mail EMS.

Quote Of The Month Year:

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.

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

The Curious Compatibility Issues Of Bend Insensitive FIber

Bend insensitive (BI) fiber (also referred to as reduced bend sensitive - RBS - fiber) has been around for more than a decade now, but it is still not well understood and there are some technical controversies associated with it. When first introduced, it was mainly for multimode fiber which can get a lot of bending stress in premises applications, especially around patch panels. It took little time before practically all MM fiber was BI.

That created the first controversies. There was much concern at the time over the testing of MM fiber with its dependence on modal distribution when testing loss. For many years, standards for testing called for using reference test cables with non-BI fiber. The problem was finding non-BI MM fiber cables. Eventually most standards changed to say use either fiber for reference test cables.

Singlemode fiber only recently joined this controversy. BI fiber (ITU-T G.657) was an essential component in making cables more densely packed with fibers. Not only did cables start using BI fibers to make cables more fiber dense, but they began using coatings of less than 200 microns on the fiber instead of 250 micron coatings to increase density even more. Many of today's cables, especially the high fiber count cables and those with flexible ribbons rely on BI fibers in their designs.

Then this month, FOA gets this inquiry: "I've currently got quite a few G652 launch boxes of various lengths but we are testing more and more G657 A1 fibre. My question is, are my G652 launch boxes compatible for testing G657A1 cable."

An ITU online publication says "ITU-T G.657.A1 and ITU-T G.657.A2 fibres are fully compliant with ITU-T G.652.D fibres."

FOA asked our technical advisor Joe Botha of Triple Play Fiber Optics about this compatibility. Joe has done studies on this issue for clients in Africa.
Here is what Joe tells us.

"To start with, they are perfectly compatible, with a marginal difference in MFDs i.e. only a slight gainer and additional loss is visible. With latest Corning fibers, the two MFDs are identical.
 
Years back, I was asked to do research on exactly this for a few FNO’s . Based on findings, the following recommendations are made:
Not too many are aware that the ~27m long fiber in a OTDR, is in fact G.652D - which is a good reason to use a G.652D launch patch cord and pigtail in your patch panel.
Where a fiber terminates in a patch panel, whether it’s a G.655, G.656, G.657, or G.652, etc, you should splice-on G.652D pigtails. The reasons for this are:
Your patch cords will in all likelihood be G.652D. And remember, the fiber in the OTDR is G.652D.
With different fiber types, one cannot obtain a perfect enough core alignment, like you would with a fusion spice, through a connector/mating adapter type connection."

From the trace below taken at 1310 nm, the splice loss of the joint between two ~25km fibers, one G.652 and the other G.657, is low and has minor directional differences. At 1550, the loss of the splice was too low in both directions for the OTDR to detect it.


So the answer to the original question is "Yes, you can use your G.652 launch cables with G.657 fibers. The bigger question of compatibility of the two fibers is "Yes, they are compatible."

Sponsored Content OptConn is a value-add re-seller of optical connectivity products, services and solutions. With over 30 years of experience in the fiber optics industry we are here to serve your requirements from fiber optic training with FOA certification to products, materials and supplies. We have partnerships with industry leading manufacturers to support your installation, splicing and testing needs. Our goal is to guide, support and recognized our client’s requirements. Learn more about OptConn

New Concept In Testing From One End Of A Cable

While it might look a lot like a standard fiber optic power meter, the AFL FlowScout SE100 and its special accessory, a dedicated wavelength optical reflector, is a different kind of tester. The instrument is an OCWR - optical continuous wave reflectometer - a complicated name for an instrument that sends out a steady signal and looks for a reflected signal on the same fibre. Remember the OTDR sends out a pulse and times the return pulse for distance information and looks at backscatter for loss information. The OCWR just measures the return power.

The unique feature of the AFL SE100 is the tuned relfector. It uses an optical device called a bragg grating to reflect light around 1430nm but transmit light at other wavelengths. By having its internal source at 1430nm, it measures the reflected light at 1430nm and computes the loss of the fiber from one end.

Since the relfector passes light at other wavelengths, it can be inserted at the end of the cable, for example at a customer ONT in a FTTH system for testing the link to the ONT, then left in place during the PON network operation. Any time testing is required, it can be done by a single tech from a remote location.

The concept is also a good one for difficult testing situations like fiber to the antenna (FTTA) at a cell site. Once the reflector is inserted, testing can be done from the ground.

Follow these links for more information on the AFL FlowScout SE100 and it's reflector.

How Good Are Your OTDR Launch/Receive Cables?

Introduction to GIS and Fiber Management Systems

NECA/FOA 301 fiber optic installation standard withdrawn

FTTH Technical Papers

FOA contributor Vladimir Grozdanovic has created another technical paper on testing FTTH PON based on his field experiences.

Testing The FTTH PON Network (new) 

Recycling Fiber Optic Cables?  Contact LD4 Recycle  

Learning Important Information From A Found Cable Scrap

Managing Fiber Optic Projects - The Gantt Chart

(With An Excel File To Make Your Own)

The most common way to track projects is the Gantt Chart, a chart of activities that tracks the progress of projects along a timeline. each activity is represented by a bar and the position and length of the bar represents the starting date and duration of the activity. This allows you to see what activities are needed for the project, when the activities start and end so it can be used to track the progress of the project visually. Here is what a Gantt Chart for a fiber project might look like:

Help On Color Codes (Including Copper Cabling And Fiber Optics)

The FOA has created a print-your-own pocket guide to fiber optic color codes. It has color codes for fibers and buffer tubes, connectors and premises cables inside and on the back, QR codes to take you directly to the FOA Guide and Fiber U. The FOA Guide page on Fiber Optic Color Codes is one of the most read pages on the FOA website and the Fiber Optic Color Codes minicourse on Fiber U very popular also.

Warning For Techs Doing OSP Restoration

Try The FOA's Online Loss Budget Calculator

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.

Cross Reference Guide to FOA Textbooks, Online Guide and Fiber U

FOA Timeline of Fiber Optic History  and the new FOA video "The History Of Fiber Optics"

• Last Gasp For Multimode Fiber?  
• Who Lost Lucent? The Decline of America's Telecom Industry.
  
• How Many Fibers? Optimal cable Size. 
• Women Installers In Alaska. . 
• Building Rural FTTH - Learning From The History Of Rural Electrification. 
• Warning For Techs Doing Restoration (Fiber Amplification).
  
• The Future Of Work Is Skills - So Stop Worrying About Degrees - The reality is the future of work is about skills, not just degrees. (FOA Newsletter Feb 2020)

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): 

Corning opens new Hickory, NC, optical cable manufacturing campus - Lightwave

How a simple fix could double the size of the U.S. electricity grid - Washington Post -
Rewiring miles of power lines could make space for data centers, AI and a boom in renewables.

April 2024

The March/April Digital Edition of ISE Magazine - Interesting interviews and an article on preparing for disasters.

Copper decommissions spread across the US, albeit quietly - Some smaller US telecom providers are toying with the notion of shutting down their copper networks, following years of pioneering efforts by bigger network operators like AT&T and Verizon.

Scientists ride new fiber wavelengths for terabit speed - A team of researchers got to terabit speeds using E- and S-band spectrum over a single optical fiber

Internet data centers are fueling drive to old power source: Coal - Antiquated coal-powered electricity plants that had been scheduled to go offline will need to keep running to fuel the increasing need for more power at data centers, undermining clean energy goals.

Recent Articles

Can Our Industry Develop Fiber Talent? ISE Magazine. Learn how states, schools and training organizations must work together to develop fiber field talent.

Landlines are dying out. But to some, they’re a lifeline. Washington Post Providers want to scale back landline service, but people with poor cell reception still rely on it for emergencies.

Pre-Excavation Safety Checklist (PDF) - Excavation Safety Alliance - essential steps before breaking ground for underground construction.

Developing a Fiber Workforce Really Does Take A Village - ISE magazine looks at the role of manufacturers' training in developing the fiber workforce.

How Many More Fiber Techs Do We Really Need?  - ISE Magazine

You can also buy copies - Telegeography




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.

Do You Believe In Magic? Sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.  ISE Magazine.

Fiber Optics Installed By The Lowest Bidder  - ISE Magazine

Building Broadband During Component and Worker Shortages - Broadband Communities - Completing broadband builds requires competent fiber optic techs, but training them requires understanding how they learn.

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

FOA was founded in 1995 - FOA's History

Worth Reading - History & Technical

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.

Universal access to broadband is a cornerstone to a strong economy, Achieving universal access will require community partnerships. by Alfreda B. Norman, Sr. VP,  Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas

FIBER TO THE FARM: The co-ops that electrified Depression-era farms are now building rural internet. Be sure to check out the high-tech equine installation equipment.

Infrastructure Get Some Respect, NY TImes "On Tech"   "The magic of the internet requires a lot of very boring stuff behind the scenes. "

VIAVI Books On Fiber Optic Testing (2 volumes) - They're back!

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 

More Q&A in the FOA FAQs Page  

Grounding Armored Jumper Cables
Q: Do you need to bond/ground FTTH drop "jumpers" that ise an armored cable?
A: Yes, just like any other cable that has conductive elements.  A manufacturer of the cables Tinifiber seems to agree:  https://tinifiber.com/bonding-and-grounding-armored-fiber-cable/
I do not know of any fiber optic connectors that address this, unlike the RJ-45/modular 8-pin connectors for UTP copper.

Disoposal Of Fiber Optic Cables
Q: How does an organization dispose of unwanted fiber optic cables in an environmentally safe manner?
A: We recommend that users save some reels leftover from an installation for possible use in restoration. If a cable break occurs, getting cable quickly can be a problem. We also have a contact who says he can recycle fiber optic cable:
Contact: Steve Maginnis, LD4Recycle/ CommuniCom Recycling, (Visit website https://ld4recycle.com), sm@LD4Recycle.com, 803.371.5436
Otherwise, it is basically landfill.
 
Finding Buried Fiber Optic Cables
Q: We have a client that needs their private fiber located.  We have been on site and confirmed the lines were installed with no tracer wire or conductive conduit/sheathing.  Want to know if you had any suggestions on how to locate or if there was specialized equipment that I am aware of.
A: Interesting question on an important topic. The answer is a qualified maybe. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) can sometimes spor fiber optic cable, maybe more easily if it is in duct or conduit. It requires someone with a lot of experince in GPR. There are companies around the US with this capability. Then there is a new proposal using the sensing capability of fiber with above ground vibrators. Nothing commercial is available here as far as I know.
https://www.winlab.rutgers.edu/~hansiiii/papers/OECC_2020_Liu.pdf

Fiber Optics For Alarm Systems
Q: Can you please help me with having information about if do you know if someone did use fiber for complete fire alarm systems, sensor, smoke detectors, panels etc.
A: FOA checked with my technical contact at the IBEW, Jim Simpson, for this topic. Here is his answer:
NFPA does indeed have requirements for fiber in fire alarm systems. Keep in mind, the requirements may vary depending on which edition of NFPA 72 the jurisdiction has adopted. The info below is based on the 2022 NFPA 72.

• Chapter 12 covers Circuits and Pathways
• Section 27.4 covers Communications Methods
• Section 27.7 covers Public Cable Plant

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. Udates are incremental and we do not require current certification holders to retake courses or exams. Some of our updates are almost humorous. For example, over the last 20 years the definitions of “hybrid” and “composite” cables have flipped twice in several international standards. At the last time, we changed all references to these cable types in all our materials to note the confusion it creates, then purged all questions from our exams that covered this confusing topic.


Older questions can be found on the FAQs page.

More Q&A in the FOA FAQs Page  

The Types of Work Done By Fiber Techs And How It Affects Training

New In Spanish - Nuevo en español

FOA Spanish Textbook And Online Guide Updated

Libro de texto en español y guía en línea de FOA actualizados

FOA Adds Fiber Optic Network Design in Spanish

FOA School News

Need A Fiber Optic Course Onsite? Invite an FOA School To Come To You

Fiber U On-The-Job Training (OJT) Program

Like other FOA programs, the OJT-To-Cert program is free. If you and/or your company is interested in the FOA OJT-To-Cert program, contact FOA.

To explain how OJT works and FOA's OJT-To-Cert program, FOA created a short video: Lecture 62: On The Job Training For Fiber Optics Using Fiber U     

FOA Direct Certification Program For Experienced Fiber Optic Techs

Experience Plus Online Study At Fiber U = FOA Certification

Fiber U "Basic Fiber Optics" Online Self-Study Course Now In Spanish

El curso de autoaprendizaje en línea "Fibra óptica básica" de Fiber U ahora en español

El sitio de aprendizaje en línea de FOA, Fiber U, tiene más de dos docenas de cursos de autoaprendizaje gratuitos sobre fibra óptica y cableado de instalaciones. Como era de esperar, el tema más popular es el curso "Fibra óptica básica", que se utiliza para iniciarse en la fibra óptica y como curso de preparación para realizar el examen de certificación FOA CFOT.

Ahora el curso básico de fibra óptica está disponible en español, utilizando el libro de texto FOA en español, la sección de la Guía en línea en español y la capacidad de YouTube para traducir subtítulos de video al español. El curso funciona exactamente como la versión en inglés con 10 lecciones, cada una con cuestionarios y una opción para tomar un examen de Certificado de finalización.

Para presentar el nuevo curso de español Fiber U, el examen Certificate of Completion es gratuito, así que dígaselo a sus contactos.

Curso Básico de Fibra Óptica de Fibra U en español.

New Fiber U Course: Fiber Characterization 
FOA has added a new course at Fiber U on Fiber Characterization. Fiber characterization is the process for testing long fiber cable plants for its ability for carrying high speed communications. With so many networks now operating at 100, 200, 400 or even 800 Gb/s, fiber characterization is important, especially on older fiber optic cable plants.The free Fiber U Fiber Characterization course is available in two forms, as a standalone Fiber U fiber Characterization Course with its own Fiber U Certificate of Completion and as a separate Lesson in the Fiber U Fiber Optic Testing course. This course is recommended for those studying for the FOA CFOS/FC Fiber Characterization certification.

Fiber U MiniCourses: Got An Hour Or Less? Learn Something New About Fiber Optics.

What Fiber Techs Don't Know -

What We Learn From FOA Certification Tests

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.

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.

Latest FOA Book: Fiber Broadband (Paperback and Kindle)

More 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.

Planning A Fiber Optic Project?

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 .

 
 
 

 

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.

  

Fiber Optic Safety Poster to download and print

On Safety

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

Contact Us:  http://www.foa.org or email <info@foa.org>

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 FOA Logo Merchandise

New FOA Swag! Shirts, Caps, Stickers, Cups, etc.

Your Name, CFOT® - It pays to advertise!

The FOA encourages CFOTs to use the logo on their business cards, letterhead, truck or van, etc. and provides logo files for that purpose. But we are also asked about how to use the CFOT or CFOS certifications. Easy, you can refer to yourself as "Your Name, CFOT" or "Your Name, CFOS/T" for example.

Feel free to use the logo and designations to promote your achievements and professionalism!

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.