October 2020

Sections

In This Issue

Note we have changed the format to place articles in sections on one topic and all articles are dated so you know if we repeat one - whcih we often do when we think it's very important!

Features

Newsletter Sections

FOA Certifications: 

See FOA Jobs Web Page and FOA on 

The FOA Jobs Web Page has been updated and a new page added on 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.

Time To Renew Your FOA Certifications?

You can now renew with PayPal or a credit card

 

   

 

FOA Newsletter - Features

3 More New Fiber U MiniCourses

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

2 More New FOA Video Lectures On YouTube

FOA Lecture 56 Fiber Optic Cable - Bend Radius    

FOA Lecture 57 Fiber Optic Connector Inspection and Cleaning   

FOA "Work-To-Cert" Program

Experience Plus Online Study At Fiber U = FOA Certification

GREAT IDEAS!

MetroFibre DUDC - Dry Underground Distribution Chamber

FOA Instructor Joe Botha in South Africa told us about this DUDC - Dry Underground Distribution Center - underground distribution rack developed by MetroFibre in SA for their own use and not available commercially. MetroFibre's Johan Booysen, Optical Assurance Manager, provided this description:

"Metrofibre currently utilize these in instances where the municipality don’t allow SDC’s (single door distribution cabinets) and where the risk of damage could be high. You will see that the pictures I took are relevant to my training center and pre-populated already. Don’t mind the different high density patch panels, I populated it this way relevant to what we could utilize in the field."



Front view in the MetroFibre lab above and rear view below.



But the movie below shows the really neat part of the idea, it has a "elevator" feature that allows it to be raised and lowered into the special sealed handhole.

U-TECK Street Savers - Microtrench Protectors

Note how the flexible joint allows them to follow curves.

Go here for more information on U-TECK Street Savers.

And we also suggest you look at U-TECK's RayDius Fiber Quadrant Block for pulling fiber optic cable without damage caused by violating the cable minimum bend radius.



If you don't know what this is used for, you need to take the Fiber U MiniCourse on Bend Radius or watch the new Bend Radius video on YouTube.

History - From Those Who Lived It

By Peter Morcombe, FOA Master Instructor, Retired

Yesterday I “Skyped” my friend Frances who lives in Canberra, Australia and we spent fifteen minutes swapping information about our children.  The quality of the video was amazing but even more remarkable, the call was free of charge!   So how is it that intercontinental video calls are “Too Cheap to Meter”?

In 2018, Telefónica, a Spanish company, opened a submarine cable called MAREA from Virginia Beach to Sopelana in northern Spain.  The capacity was 160 Tera-bits per second, equivalent to 2.5 billion simultaneous digital phone calls!


Dr. Charles KAO at STL in 1965

This amazing cable rests on an invention that led to Charles Kao being awarded the 2009 Nobel prize in physics.  His invention affects the lives of every one of us every single day yet you have never heard his name.  Charlie invented the high performance optical fiber that makes those free video calls possible.  Yet the first inter-continental optical cable was installed only 32 years ago.  It is scary to realize how profoundly scientists can affect our lives for good or for ill.

The first intercontinental fiber optic cable was called TAT-8 (TransAtlantic Telecommunications, cable #8) with only 40,000 telephone channels. It cost $335 million when it entered service in 1988.  Even though optical fibers have very low loss the cable was over 3,000 miles long so more than 60 signal regenerators were needed.  The regenerators were built by AT&T.  The cable itself was manufactured by Standard Telephones & Cables a subsidiary of the ITT corporation.

The prototype of that cable was installed in Loch Fyne near Glascow, Scotland ten years earlier.  That cable was built by at STL (Standard Telecommunications Laboratories) in Harlow which is roughly 20 miles north of London.   The same year (1978), STC built a fiber optic factory in Harlow since the demand for fiber had grown beyond what Charlie’s team of researchers could produce.

Charlie’s team at STL installed the first high speed fiber optic data system in 1975 for the Dorset Police.  Two years later a fiber optic link was installed from Hitchin to Stevenage, a distance of roughly 10 km.  The system had two regenerators and it is probably the only high performance system to use multimode optical fiber.  The fiber was unusual since it had a core diameter of 40 microns and a cladding of 100 microns.  The link remained in service with British Telecom for many years with a capacity of 1,920 telephone channels or two 70 Mbit/second digital TV channels.

In 1968 Charles Kao and M.W. Jones published a paper describing optical fiber with a loss of 4 decibels per kilometer and that was considered an outstanding achievement considering that most coaxial copper cables have five times higher loss while offering only a tiny fraction of the bandwidth of optical fiber.
So how do I know all this?  I worked with Charles Kao to build and manage that 1978 optical fiber factory.



Peter Morcombe joined BDI Datalynk as an FOA instructor in 2007 after a long career in lasers and fiber optics including working in the UK with fiber pioneers Charles Kao and David Payne and projects like TAT-8, the first fiber optic transatlantic fiber optic cable. He retired recently. 

1995-2020 - FOA's 25th Anniversary!

In Case You Missed The Last FOA Newsletter

FOA Newsletter Sections

News

Headlines That Got Our Attention: (October 2020 FOA Newsletter)

COPPER IS DEAD! AT&T No Longer Will Sell DSL Services

2nd Opinion

Verizon Goes To The Movies To Promote 5G (October 2020)

Less than two weeks later, the Sunday NYTimes Magazine ran 6 full page advertisements by Verizon promoting 5G and inviting you to watch a "documentary" they made on 5G on Netflix called "Speed of Thought." (Details from Verizon and the movie website,) 

In case you missed it last month....

"The 5G lie: The network of the future is still slow" (September 2020)

Back in 2019, FOA ran several articles on 5G "hype."

Starlink Sattellites Severely Limited - 12,000 satellites for less than 1/2 million users. (Light Reading)  (October 2020)

AT&T CEO John Stankey Lays Out the Company’s 4 Priorities (September 2020)

(This article prompted lots of questions - see below)

Tight Fit: 6912 Fiber Cable Pulled in 1.25 inch Conduit (September 2020)

Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. (FEC) conducted an experiment in its Mie, Japan facility to demonstrate the installation of a 6912-fiber optic cable with an outer diameter of 1.14 inches (29 mm) in a 696 foot (200m) long conduit with three 90 degree curves and an inner diameter of 32mm. The conduit used was a standard product installed in conventional data center campuses. Engineers confirmed a maximum pulling tension of 84 pounds (372N), well below the maximum pulling tension of 600 pounds (2700N) specified for the cable.

 

The cable was installed in a 1.25 inch (32mm) conduit with a maximum length of 1,411 feet (430m) in a North American data center campus in 2020 to support live traffic. The high fill ratio in this application is not typically recommended for Outside Plant (OSP) cable installation. However, in this application, the end-user was willing to accept the installation risk in return for maximum fiber density. The installation demonstrated that FEC’s 6912 fiber optic cable can be successfully installed into 1.25 inch (32mm) conduit using appropriate tools, work procedures, and optimum installation conditions.

“The FEC 6912 fiber optic cable at least doubled the fiber count possible in a 1.25 inch conduit, compared to competing available designs,” said Ichiro Kobayashi, General Manager of optical fiber & cable engineering department, FEC.

New Study Shows State Barriers to Community Networks Decrease Broadband Availability - Community Networks. (September 2020)

Technical

On fiber optic technology, standards, equipment, installation, etc.

Try The FOA's New Online Loss Budget Calculator

How Fiber Works - Total Internal Reflection - For Math Lovers  (August 2020)

FOA has always had information on how fiber works using total internal reflection, but we've recently updated our web page on the subject to include a more complete explanation using Snell's Law and the math that allows you to calculate the parameters of the fiber including NA - numerical Aperture.

dB or not dB, that is the question (8/2020)

dBm - Evidence 8/2020 -

We wanted to show a power meter that reads in both watts and dB so you can see the correllation, so we found a 20+ year old meter that still had a scale reading in watts.

Here is an example of a power meter measuring in dBm and microwatts (a microwatt is 0.001 or 1/1000th of a milliwatt.)

Splice-On Connector Manufacturers and Tradenames   7/2020

Worth Reading

Each month we read hundreds of newsletters and online articles. These are the ones we think you will find "worth reading."

Worth Reading: 10/20

Verizon forced to pull ad that claimed firefighters need Verizon 5G Ars Technica  

Progress on 25G PONs (Passive Optical Netowrks) (Lightwave)

Read a comprehensive explanation of dB here in the FOA Guide.

Rattled Louisiana Gulf Coast slammed by Hurricane Delta - See how well aerial cables survive hurricanes - watch the video aorund the halfway point.

Local Broadband in America from Next Century Cities

Single Pair Ethernet - explained by suppliers in Cabling Installation & Maintnenace. 

Installing Prefab Cables for FTTH - Corning FlexNAP™ System Installation in Pizzoferrato, Italy

Good Video On Coiling Cable For Storage Loops In Handholes or Manholes - AFL. (More topics on page too) 

Why Wilson, N.C., Became Its Own Internet Provider - NPR

How much fiber optic cable is manufactured each year? CRU Reports - unsurprisingly China is by far the largest market today

9/2020

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 Requies Looking Overheas 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.

Damage Protection Requies Looking Overheas As Well As Underground - dpPRO Magazine - FOA President Jim Hayes writes about the problems with aerial cables.

APOLAN claims passive optical LAN trims costs 56% over traditional enterprise networks - CI&M

Rural Telecom Funding Model Must Change ISE Magazine

Three Applications Guides from Siemon: DAS, WiFi and AV

8/2020

Worth Reading - News Summary - Past Links Worth Repeating

Cooperatives Essential to Bringing High-Quality Fiber Internet Access to Rural America Read the ILSR report on coops here: Cooperatives Fiberize Rural America: A Trusted Model For The Internet Era. Look at the ILSR Newsletter too - it covers rural broadband projects well.

Next Generation PoE (Nexans) The New Power over Ethernet Standards Deliver More Power, Speed, and Efficiency

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

Demystifying 5G (Corning):  Do you know 5G’s 3 major benefits, 8 technical goals that deliver those benefits, and 4 technology building blocks that meet the technical goals?

Pentagon official: FCC decision on 5G threatens GPS, national security

Internet Statistics and Facts, 2020: Interesting, easy to get lost here!

Understanding The True State Of Connectivity In America - 65% of US counties receive broadband speeds below industry reports.

Why Businesses Need Fiber Connectivity, from Spectrum CATV. Yes, it's a sales pitch, but they make good points and it indicates they are serious.

Want a White-Collar Career Without College Debt? Become an Apprentice (NYTimes)
Apprenticeships probably began with the first jobs, where young people work under experienced craftspeople to learn a trade. In the last century, they became more organized under labor unions like the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, one of the FOA's oldest and biggest approved school systems. Today, apprenticeships are expanding as young people look at viable alternatives to loading themselves with debt while attending college.

The job market is hot. So why are half of U.S. grads missing out?  

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

Another Source Of Articles On Fiber

Q&A

Tech Questions/Comments From FOA Newsletter Readers Worth Repeating

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!

The FOA Fiber FAQs Page (FAQ s = frequently asked questions) gathers up questions readers have asked us and adds tech topics of general interest.

Installation of a 6912 fiber cable

Q: For this post, "Tight Fit: 6912 Fiber Cable Pulled in 1.25 inch Conduit”, he asks if they can see one end completely terminated?
A: It takes about 2 full racks of patch panels or one rack of splice trays. Sumitomo shows the splicing rack here https://global-sei.com/data-center-solutions/splicing-rack.html. Most systems using these cables will buy fully populated patch panel racks with a splice rack for the cable to splice to 6912 fibers terminated in the rack.

Q: And a second question:: How long does it take to terminate? And over how many panels?
A: A very experienced tech can splice one of these cables in ~75-100 hours using ribbon splicing.

Q: I assume that's smaller fiber like 80 micron cladding
A: All the fibers in the high fiber count cables are made with regular singlemode fiber - 9/125micron. TO make the cables smaller, the buffer coating diameter is reduced to ~200microns to make the fibers smaller.

Q: How was it prepared with the splice tray and ODF? It might require a dedicated panel and splice tray.
A: It takes about 2 full racks of patch panels or one rack of splice trays. Most systems using these cables will buy fully populated patch panel racks with a splice rack for the cable to splice to 6912 fibers terminated in the rack.

Q: Is this an actual photo or was the cable installed in a different type conduit.
A: We were told that is the actual size of the cable and conduit although not of the actual installation discussed.

Q: What is the minimum bend radius of that cable? What procedures did they use to maintain that bend radius through those 90 degree curves?
A: The minimum bend radius is 15X the cable diameter for that cable (diameter 1.14” or 29mm), about  17” or 435mm. The conduit bends had to be controlled to be larger than that radius.

Jobs In The Movie Industry
Q: Does anyone know if there are job positions in the film industry that involve fiber optics? I started out working in film with audio work with some camera as well. I eventually transitioned into fiber optics installation and testing. I've been trying to find out if there's a way to find work that combines the two.
A: There are certainly jobs for fiber techs at the film studios. We worked with a group 20 years ago to find dark fiber in LA to connect studios to sound stages and other facilities. Every studio now has fiber connections everywhere, like this one at Paramount (below). I don’t know where to look for jobs, but I’d guess it would be through the unions - who represents the techs for the cameras, monitors, etc.?



Preparing Cable For Splicing
Q: Is there any standard on the preparation length of strip jacket upto the splice tray. Ideally its better to have a loop of buffer before getting into the tray if ever the closure has enough space for slack.. its also nice to put some hose to the buffer to add on protection. So far, i don't see any standard and can't support the remarks on what to follow. The practice was to take note on macrobend and have enough length of fiber to reach the machine.
A: There is a lot of variation in the size, shape and design of splice closures, so the length varies according to the closure and trays. For loose tube cable, the length of buffer tube from the entrance to the splice tray and the length of fiber needed in the tray are given in the directions for that splice tray. Similarly for ribbon cable, but the variations in ribbon cable designs often requires special handling and sleeving for the ribbons. Most manufacturers have specs available online.

Fusion Splice-On Connectors (SOCs) (From an FOA Instructor)
Q: A question came up from one of our students regarding splice on connectors.  Is there a TIA or other standards body that addresses this issue? We are used to the 0.75 dB loss for a mated pair, however, when this mated pair has two fusion splices that terminate the connector, is there a recommendation? 
One could make the argument that it does not make any difference as the other alternative is splicing a pigtail for termination of a cable.  This pigtail splice is normally included in the link loss budget calculation.   So similarly, with a splice on connector it is the same as splicing on a pigtail.
A: There are no specific TIA or IEC specs that address these splice-on connectors or pigtails. If you used TIA numbers and included the splice and connector it would be 1.05dB - 0.75dB for the connection and 0.3dB for the splice, that’s mated to a factory adhesive/polish connector.   Or if it were two similar connectors, 1.35dB. 
Everybody, including the people in TIA standards groups, know those numbers are too high for most single ferrule connectors. They keep them at 0.75dB for prepolished/splice connectors (w/ mechanical splices) and array connectors (MPOs) which have somewhat unpredictable performance. Internationally, IEC has created grades of connectors from ~0.3 to over 1dB. The newer mechanical splice connector kits now use the Chinese copied cleavers which are super - at least the few we have tested - and the connectors are now much lower loss and consistent.
SOCs (fusion splice-on connectors) are spec’ed as the total termination and are generally just as good as the typical adhesive polish connector - 0.5dB is plenty of margin for a those mated to a factory adhesive/polish connector.
Spliced on pigtails are generally considered a termination and the splice is not broken out - like a long SOC. But I cannot guarantee everybody thinks that way. But a fusion splice is typically <0.1dB anyway.
 

ANSI/NECA/FOA-301 is available free from FOA.



Download your free copy of

New Approach To Fiber Optic Labs - Sharing Test Equipment

, a FOA approved school, has taken a new approach in how we provide lab training. Fifteen years ago, we developed a hybrid training model had the participants complete online (remote) lessons with face to face labs. Over the past 12 years trade organizations, colleges, vocational, vendor training, and trade apprenticeships have adopted this model. At the beginning of the pandemic we spent a lot of time, energy, and money developing remote labs. We have incorporated lessons learned from that process to restart safe face to face labs.

First, we provide disposable materials and PPE’s for all learning. Every student has their own work space with 8-9 feet of separation and their own set of hand tools only used by the student. All of the classroom information is accessed online or with USB drives. Our biggest challenge was how to safely share testing equipment so every student could have the practical hands on experience.

We believe we have found that solution with the help of “ezremote”.  The ezremote allows a multitude of students to have practical exposure and experience with using a video microscope, OLTS and OTDR testers. Every student can access the remote via their own iPad or their smart phone, see below picture and movie.


The VeEX OTDR set up for remote access in class

Recently, we contacted PCS, Inc. which is a premiere manufacturer’s representative firm serving the Southeastern US since 1974.  Headquartered in Roswell, GA, Marc Wright  a sales representative spent a lot of time and energy helping Techtricians to purchase the VeEX  FX150+ device.  It is a full featured Mini OTDR with high resolution sampling and intelligent link mapping for Metro, Access and FTTx networks remote application. The compact, lightweight platform incorporates built in WiFi, power meter, light source, fiber inspection probe and VFL test options which add exceptional versatility to the unit.

 
The remote OTDR displayed on an iPad (L) and on 4 smartphones and 2 laptops

In September we completed our first trial in a face to face lab session in Lake Mary, Florida. The OTDR unit uses a WIFI connection. The students went to the VeEX website with their iPad or their smart phone and connected the to the base unit. The lab module used one OTDR setup for the entire class for testing the cable plant.


The instructor's laptop is connected to the OTDR and projecting the display for everyone to see

The students when logged-in had control over the OTDR. Each student saw the same screen which made the various events much easier to explain. The module is very safe as the OTDR is not touched by any student. The feedback we received from the students was very positive. They provided suggestions for future training modules. Even after the pandemic is over, we will continue to use this new training method. Our best teachers are our students and our hats are off to all of our students.

For more information, contact Tom or Donna Collins at Techtricians.

New Fiber U MiniCourses (September 2020)

FOA Schools

Welcome To A New International School

University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, FOA Approved School #772

Baseband U, Corona, CA - FOA Approved School #384

FOA School BDI Datalynk is offering classroom training with Covidd precasutions and also remote classes over most of the US.

FOA Master Instructor Eric Pearson of Pearson Technologiesis now offering classroom training with Covid precautions - 9/2020

Contact Eric for details on his classes.

Classroom Training Is Adapting To The Pandemic 8/2020

Training Is Back - Made Safer (6/2020)

FOA schools are starting to offer classes at their facilities again to provide the personal interaction with an instructor and hands-on labs, but some things have changed to provide social distancing. Serge Rodrigue at Fibre Zone in Quebec, Canada sent photos of his new lab setup that includes individual lab stations with plexiglass barriers.



Students are following safe working protocols - masks and gloves - to make classes safe and meet local government requirements for social distancing.



Contact

 for more information on their classes.

FiberNext in New Hampshire has also rearranged classrooms for safer classes and has begun training in their facilities in Concord, NH.



Contact FiberNext in Concord, NH, USA

Fiber Optic Training Online - Simulations and Do-It-Yourself Hands-On Training (6/20)

Simulating Optical Loss Testing
FOA has been experimenting with simulations, especially for testing since test equipment is generally not inexpensive and requires a selection of cables for reference test cables and cables to test. We have had an OTDR Simulator based on the software for an OTDR and a selection of traces for analysis. Now we've created an optical loss simulator that uses some web programming to allow stepping through the process of setting up and testing a cable with a light source and power meter.



The simulation provides virtual meter and source, inspection microscope, cleaners and a selection of cables needed for testing. In the animation above you can see one of the user interactions - the student must use the proper button to set the "0dB" reference.

The loss simulator also requires the student use the FOA Loss Budget Calculator to calculate the expected loss of a cable under test, compare it to the measured loss and make a Go/NoGo decision.

We even provide two versions of the simulator - singlemode and multimode. The singlemode version tests an OSP cable and then has the student compare OTDR traces to troubleshoot problems. The multimode version shows the effects of modal conditioning on multimode measurements.

At the end, we've even added a wrap-up of the techniques of loss testing and a quiz.

We added the loss simulator in the new Fiber U DIY Basic Skills Lab for a virtual hands-on testing lab.

Check out the FOA Insertion Loss Simulator here.

If you do not have tools or equipment and want to purchase them, there is a new Fiber U DIY Basic Skills Lab lesson with directions on how to purchase inexpensive tools online and use them to learn basic fiber optic skills. Those tools and components are what we describe here.

For example, you need a fiber cleaver for splices and prepolished/splice connectors. A good cleave is essential for a good splice or termination with a splice-type connection. Good cleavers are now available online at prices in the US starting at $20US. 

 

FOA Guide "Basics Of Fiber Optics" Now Available in Portuguese (6/2020)

Here is the FOA Guide in Portuguese, Spanish and French translations.

Time To Learn - Online - (Update 4/5/6/8 2020)

And Fiber U has the new Fiber U DIY Basic Skills Lab lesson with directions on how to purchase inexpensive tools online and use them to learn basic fiber optic skills. Videoconferencing allows the instructor to remotely monitor their work and provide help as needed. Contact the FOA for more information.


FOA Zoom Exam Proctoring

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 "Work-to-Cert" 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.

New FOA Approved School: Central Electrical Training Center, FOA School #656.

FOA School Offers Toolkit With Online Training

Slayton Solutions (FOA Approved School #156) is offering a simple fiber optic tool kit that includes a 29-piece set of fiber optic tools and a power meter along with training videos and online instruction for only $499. 29 Piece Kit includes all tools and devices a technician needs to install fiber optic connectors and test optical power.  Information on the kit is available on YouTube. You can contact them for more information at  slaytonsolutions@sbcglobal.net or https://www.fiberopticsinstitute.com

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 .

Recent updates:

 

  

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

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

Safety Leader Magazine

Safety Leader, a new quarterly magazine, informs and educates electrical contractors on safety from various angles—electrical, workplace, PPE, regulations, leadership, line work, NFPA 70E, and more. Safety Leader is bundled with ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR in February, May, August and November. To receive Safety Leader subscribe to ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR magazine here or subscribe to the ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR newsletter here.

2021 Global Excavation Safety Conference VIRTUAL, taking place April 6-8, 2021
More information in an article in the dp-PRO announcing the Global Locate Masters:
Website:   www.GlobalLocateMasters.com


 


The magazine, dp-Pro, sponsor of the conference, has also published it's latest issue with an article by FOA on "New Construction Techniques in Fiber Optics" and a overview of the FOA. You can read the magazine here.

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

FOA is 25 years old this July - read about FOA's history in this newsletter above.

Learn More About FOA's History.

Contact Us
The Fiber Optic Association Inc.
http://www.foa.org or email <info@foa.org>

       

 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.