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January 2022


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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 - which we often do when we think it's very important!

Features

The Year In Review
The Year At FOA
FOA Creates Timeline Of Fiber Optic History
More Free Fiber U Programs
Anza Electrical Coop FTTH Update
Build Your Own Duplex Link Or PON Demo
Warning For Techs About Fiber Amplifiers
New FOA Training & Certification Guidelines
Fiber U Basics Course Now In Spanish
Building Rural Broadband
Fiber U FTTH Program
CFOT Renewal Requirements

Newsletter Sections

Click on any link to jump to that section

News  
Billions For Broadband (Maybe)
Space X Satellite Has Close Call
California Starts 18 Middle Mile Projects

Technical 
Directional Boring Can Cause Hidden Damage
Warning For Techs About Fiber Amplifiers
Loss Budget Calculator

Worth Reading  Lots of interesting articles

Q&A    Questions from our readers

Training/FiberU   New FOA-Approved Schools, Fiber U MiniCourses, making training classroom safe, onine training, materials, more
 
Resources New FOA YouTube Videos.  Safety  

About





FOA Certifications: 

CFOT Total


Time To Renew Your FOA Certifications?
Special offer - 1/3 Off Renewal

Jobs
See FOA Jobs Web Page and FOA on FOA on LinkedIn
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

Where Are The Jobs In Fiber Optics? FOA talks about all the applications for fiber optics, what jobs involve and the qualifications for the workers in the field in this YouTube video.

Join The FOA eMail Newsletter List
Want to be notified when the FOA Newsletter is updated? Sign up for the FOA eMail Newsletter. You can also sign up from your cell phone: text "FOA" to 22828 (usual text message charges apply)


Trademarks: The FOA CFOT® (Certified Fiber Optic Technician) and Fiber U® (the FOA online self-study program) are registered trademarks of the FOA.
FOA Guide
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.

fiberu.org

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 eBooks
The fiber book is available in Spanish and French

FOA Reference
                          Guide to Fiber Optics book FOA
                          Reference Guide to Premises Cablng book FOA
                          Reference Guide to OSP Fiber Optics book FOA
                          Reference Guide to Fiber Optics book
FOA Reference
                          Guide to Fiber Optic Network Design book FOA Book
                        on Fiber Optic Testing FOA
                            Outside Plant Fiber Optics Construction
                            Guide  Lennie Lightwave

Lennie and Uncle Ted's Guides are now also available as free iBooks on iTunes.
Lennie
                        Lightwave's Guide To Fiber Optics   Uncle
                        Ted's Guide to Premises Cablling
Click on any of the books to learn more.
Fiber Optic Safety Poster to download and print


FOA Videos on videos

FOA is a member of:

TIA Online
ANSI Logo
APOLAN
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IMSA
FTTH Council

The FOA Newsletter is edited by Jim Hayes - send your stories, leads, ideas, comments to <jim @ foa.org>
Jim Hayes


Search the FOA Website With DuckDuckGo




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.
1/22
1/21, 2/21. 3/21, 4/21, 5/21, 6/21, 7/21, 8/21, 9/21, 10/21, 11-12/21,      
1/20, 2/20, 3/20. 4/205/20, 6/20, 7/20, 8/20, 9/2010/20, 11/20, 12/20
1/19, 2/19, 3/19, 4/19, 5/19, 6/19, 7/19, 8/19, 9/19, 10/19, 11/1912/19
1/18, 2/18, 3/18, 4/18, 5/18, 6/18, 7/18, 8/18, 9/18, 10/18, 12/18
1/17, 2/17, 3/17, 4/17, 5/17, 6/17, 7/17, 8/17, 9/17, 10/17, 11/17, 12/17 
1/16, 2/16, 3/16,  4/16, 5/166/167-8/16, 9/16, 10/16, 11/16, 12/16     
1/15, 2/15, 3/15, 4/15, 5/15, 6/15, 7/15, 8/15, 9/15 , 10/1511/15 , 12/15
1/14, 2/14, 3/14, 4/14, 5/14, 6/14, 7/14, 8/14, 9/14, 10/14, 11/14, 12/14 
1/132/13, 3/13, 4/13, 5/13, 6/13, 7/13, 8/13, 9/13, 10/13, 11/1312/13 
1/12 , 2/12, 3/12, 4/12, 6/12, 7/12, 8/12, 9/12, 10/12, 11/12, 12/12   
1/11 ,  2/11,  3/11,  4/11,  6/11, 7/11, 8/11,  9/11, 10/11, 11/11,  12/11,  
1/10 ,  2/10, 3/10,  4/10,   05/10,  07/10, 08/10,  09/10,  10/10, 11/10 
1/09 ,  2/09,  3/09, 04/09,  05/09,  07/09, 08/09, 09/09, 10/09, 11/09,  12/09
1/08 , 2/08, 3/08, 4/08, 5/08,  6/08, 7/08, 8/08, 09/0810/08, 11/08,  12/08 
12/07 , 11/07, 10/07, 09/07, 08/07, 07/07, 06/07, 05/07, 04/07, 03/07, 2/07, 1/07
12/06 , 11/06, 10/06, 09/06, 8/06, 7/06, 6/06, 5/06, 4/06, 3/06, 2/06, 1/06,
12/05 ,11/05, 10/05, 09/05, 08/05, 07/05, 6/05, 5/05, 4/05, 2/05, 01/05,
12/04 , 10/04, 9/04, 8/04, 7/04, 6/04, 5/04, 4/04, 3/04, 1/04,
12/03 , 11/03 10/03 9/03, 8/03, 7/03, 6/03, 3/03, 10/02 , 8/02, 5/02

Current Issue of FOA Newsletter


Time To Renew Your FOA Certifications?

To keep your FOA certifications active, you need to renew them when they expire. Now we have a new more convenient way to renew - an online store at Paypal - where you can quickly and conveniently use your PayPal account or your credit card to renew your certifications.

You can now renew with PayPal or a credit card
 
PayPal is available worldwide



Join FOA On  Social Media




FOA on LinkedIn


FOA has four LinkedIn Groups

FOA - official 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)




FOA Newsletter - Features


Best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year from FOA!

We want to thank all our readers and associates for your work - you are the people that build the infrastructure that makes the Internet, telecom, mobile phones, data centers, smart electrical grids, intelligent traffic systems, and practically everything else that the world relies on for communications and commerce today possible. FOA is proud to contribute to the professionalism of these workers through our educational programs.


The Year In Review (Whew, another one of THOSE years!)

Communications And Fiber Optic Industry
In the first year of the pandemic, we learned how important broadband Internet was to business, medicine, education and practically everything else. In the last year, we learned that getting it is the responsibility of the local people, as the large incumbent service providers were distracted by 5G or Wall Street and/or their own business economics.

The hype of 5G calmed down and urban areas began seeing coverage, just not the millimeter wave version. Instead carriers began shutting down older 3G systems and harvesting the wavelengths for 5G. People we know were surprised to find 5G phones sent from carriers just before their old 3G versions were orphaned. But 5G is being built and lots more fiber in being installed to handle the proliferation of small cells that are needed for 5G.

There is strong interest in FTTH worldwide. Mid-year when we published our FOA FTTH Handbook and featured FTTH in two FOA Newsletters, we also made the FOA's Fiber U FTTH Course free, including the certificate. In the last six months, hundreds of readers have taken the course and Fiber U Certificate of completion. The majority of those taking the course are involved with FTTH projects, with projects all around the world - US/Canada, Middle East, Africa, South America, Far east - everywhere! We'll continue to make the Fiber U FTTH Course free to promote FTTH worldwide.

Much of the activity we see in FTTH for broadband is coming from local groups, small carriers and co-ops, homeowners' associations, real estate developers and others who have decided if they are going to get FTTH, they are going to have to do it themselves. But some states have created their own agencies to promote and manage fiber backbones and broadband.

Technology continues to move ahead, with new products like the mini OLTs for GPON and more prefab cabling components helping solve the cost problems of rural systems.

In the US, the government has allocated a lot of money for broadband, but it won't solve any problems quickly. We're still seeing money being spent that was allocated a decade ago. This new money first demands a revision of the broadband coverage maps which is expected to take a year. Then the funds will be allocated and managed at the state level. That gives consultants plenty of time to get their pitches ready; you know they will be ready to take a big chunk of that money themselves.

Like every year, we lament the lack of sufficient numbers of qualified personnel to build these networks. FOA's programs through our schools and online through Fiber U can help, but the contractors and installers must make the commitment to professional development to make it happen.


At The FOA

As the fiber optic industry continued to cope with a need for more fiber and more fiber techs, FOA saw a recovery in training at our ~200 FOA-approved schools around the world. In 2021, we also added a dozen new schools, expanding our network of approved schools in the US and worldwide.

The schools have adapted to training during the pandemic with masks, social distancing and vaccination. Many have moved to online classroom sessions and online testing using FOA resources. Several instructors have developed new teaching methods, including labs where students build operating fiber optic links and students can participate in testing exercises using their mobile phones or tablets.

FOA certifications continue at a strong level, representing students at our approved schools and direct "work to cert" and "OJT to cert" certifications.

FOA Certifications



Below is a summary of some of the FOA accomplishments from 2021:

Top Stories From 2021 FOA Newsletters
Last Gasp For Multimode Fiber?  
Who Lost Lucent? The Decline of America's Telecom Industry. 
Things To Learn From A Town That Voted Down Fiber
Can Tapping Fiber Reduce Cost? 
How Many Fibers? Optimal cable Size. 
Women Installers In Alaska. 
FOA OJT To Cert Program
FTTH Month - June FOA Newsletter.
Building Rural FTTH - Learning From The History Of Rural Electrification
New FOA Guidelines For Training And Certification
Warning For Techs Doing Restoration (Fiber Amplification).

Timeline Of Fiber Optics - History Of Fiber Optic Technology - See below

New Pages In The FOA Guide
Fiber Optic Sources For Transmitters
Midspan Access
Loss Budget Calculator - Online
FTTH Network Design. (plus updated pages in the FTTH section)


New Fiber U Courses
Fiber Characterization.
Basic Fiber Optics in Spanish
FTTH Update (Get the Certificate of Completion Free!)
Loss Budgets
How Fiber Works
Fiber Optic Color Codes
Reference Cables For Fiber Optic Testing
Basic Skills Labs - Link Demos


New FOA Publications
FOA FTTH Handbook.


New YouTube Lectures
FOA Lecture 61 Fiber Optic Color Codes    
FTTH Series
Lecture 63 FTTH Network Architectures  

FOA Creates Timeline of Fiber Optic History

Fiber or copper?
AT&T PR photo from the mid 1970s

A great way to begin a new year is reflect on the past, and one very interesting way to look at the past is by following a timeline. The FOA has been working on a timeline of fiber optics for over a year now, using our worldwide network of contacts who themselves go back to the time of the first field trails of fiber optics in the US and UK. We've added important fiber-related events too, like the development of telecom technologies, computer netwoks, the Internet, smartphones and 5G, all of which have been impacted by fiber optics and vice versa.

Here is the FOA Timeline of Fiber Optic History. If you have events you think should be added, contact FOA as a timeline is best kept as a living document.

fiberu.org

Fiber U Adds More Free Online Self-Study Programs

There are 3 new Fiber U Courses This month.

Fiber U Course On 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.

Fiber characterization involves testing for spectral attenuation to verify the fibers can support DWDM (dense wavelength division multiplexing) and chromatic dispersion and polarization mode dispersion for high speed transmission. The Fiber U course covers these topics to assist designers of networks and technicians testing them. Project managers should also be interested since it helps understand the requirements for the fiber optic cable plant to support long distance high speed communications.

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. It is recommended for those studying for the FOA CFOS/FC Fiber Characterization certification.


Fiber U MiniCourse On Reference Cables For Fiber Optic Testing

Choosing, using and caring for reference cables can be confusing. It's different for insertion loss and OTDR testing. Different with different types of fiber and connectors.

When testing a fiber optic cable plant, the test setup looks very similar to the way a fiber optic data link uses the cable plant, with the communications equipment replaced with fiber optic test equipment and the  patchcords connecting the communications equipment replaced by reference test cables.

This Fiber U MiniCourse Reference Cables For Fiber Optic Testing covers the uses, specifications and handling of reference cables for fiber optic testing.


Fiber U Now Offers Two DIY Fiber Optic Link Demos

Build Your Own Duplex Link Or FTTH PON Demos With Directions on Fiber U and YouTube

Last month we told you FOA had created a Fiber U DIY (do-it-yourself) hands-on exercise to demonstrate the principle of a PON (passive optical network) used in FTTH and optical LANs. This month we added a companion course and video on demonstrating how a duplex link on two optical fibers works. This duplex link is how most fiber optic links work, with the exception of bidirectional single fiber links and PONs work.Now you can use these FOA directions to create demos of all 3 types of fiber optic links.

Animated fiber optic link demo
Full duplex over 2 fiber link demo

We purchased all the components are available online at low cost, making this a reasonable project for almost anybody. It's especially good for schools for their labs and contractors involved in OJT with employees.

DIY Duplex Fiber Link: Go To Fiber U DIY Link Demo Course or the FOA YouTube DIY Duplex Link video

DIY PON: Go to
Fiber U DIY PON Demo course and a FOA YouTube PON Demo video that describes it.



Anza Electrical Coop FTTH Project Update

One of the DIY FTTH projects FOA has been involved with is Connect Anza, the FTTH program from the Anza Electrical Cooperative (AEC) in Anza, CA, a small town in the mountains North of the Mojave desert. We've written about the development of the network several times and feature it on our DIY FTTH page. We recently talked with Kevin Short, GM at Anza about the system.

AEC has a service area covering about 700 square miles with the offices at 4,000 feet altitude. They have almost 5,000 electrical subscribers. Since FOA began working with AEC in 2014, they have built out a large part of the FTTH PON network, now connecting about 2,900 subscribers including every business in their area. They also have gotten a RDOF grant that will allow expansion of the network toward other small towns nearby.

Besides the FTTH network, Anza has also made a significant commitment to renewable energy, adding two solar farms of 3.5 megawatts and 1 megawatts. In additin, they have 2 megawatts of batteries online and 2.5 megawatts coming to allow providing 24/7 electricity from the solar farms.

AEC

Satellite view of the 3.5 MW solar farm next to AEC offices under construction

AEC is a good example of how a small rural coop can successfully provide state-of-the-art communications and power together in an area that larger, for-profit companies would never consider possible.

FOA offers its congratulations to Kevin Short and AEC for their accomplishments.



Warning For Fiber Techs Doing OSP Restoration

Warning

FOA recently received an inquiry that was a new one; 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 technical section below.


Here Is An Excellent Reference On This Topic - Thanks To A Reader


I found your article “Warning For Techs About Fiber Amplifiers” surprising.

I wrote WAC 296-32-22576 (I am an author on the entire rule) about 5 years ago to address the hazard, and related hazards, that is noted in the  FOA article  “Warning For Fiber Techs Doing OSP Restoration”.  Not only have we been enforcing and educating, but we have presented the light hazard at multiple events in Washington State to the Telecom, High Voltage and Emergency Responders as all may be exposed due to hazardous levels of light.  A tech can easily start a fire with the unterminated fiber, depending on where in the network it is open.  Our rule, WAC 296-32 Telecommunications,  was written to be ahead of its time, and it still is today.  I also addressed fiber splicing hazards.


The rest of the country does not have a safety rule as up to date as Washington, however the famous pocket size “Red Book” can be ordered here for free.  However, the ANSI Z136.1 and .2 are a reference.


Thank you for your site and newsletter!  I hope you have an awesome day!

Regards,
 
Rod Julian
Telecom Safety Specialist
Washington State Dept. of Labor & Industries

The State of Washington has an excellent and comprehensive rule for optical communications systems using lasers: WAC 296-32-22576 You can also order a free copy of the Washington Rulebook on Safety Standards for Telecom.



New Guidelines For Fiber Optic Training And Certification

FOA believes that fiber optic technician training courses need to reflect the real world, and as technology and applications change, training must change also. Classroom and online lessons and hands-on labs should always focus on current technology to ensure competent techs.

FOA is creating new course guidelines for approved schools to follow to ensure their training fits current technician needs. These new guidelines will be ready for use in 2022.

Read more.


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.



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.


Offer Extended: Take the updated Fiber U FTTH course and the Certificate of Completion Test FREE

FTTH Updates In The FOA Guide And YouTube

FTTH has always been the most popular application for FOA's knowledge base. We've been working overtime to update FOA materials covering FTTH adding and updating information important for network owners and managers, designers, installers and operators to be familiar with, as they can help build FTTH networks that are better, cheaper and easier to design, build and operate.

Read more about the FOA's FTTH information updates

FTTH                    Handbook
The Fiber Optic Association Fiber To The Home Handbook is available from Amazon in print ($19.95) and Kindle ($9.95) editions.



FOA Newsletter Sections

News     Technical    Worth Reading    Q&A    Training/FiberU    Resoures    Safety   About




News


Lots more news in Worth Reading below



Quotes Of The Month:

Ed Skoudis, president of the SANS Technology Institute.

“Service interruptions are vast and impact thousands of companies and millions of users. We are putting more eggs into fewer and fewer baskets. More eggs get broken that way.”

“In the IT field, we sometimes joke about how we spend 15 years centralizing computing, followed by 15 years decentralizing, followed by another 15 years centralizing again,” he said. “Well, we have spent the past 10 years centralizing again, this time on [the] cloud.”

From the Washington Post article: Amazon Web Services’ third outage in a month exposes a weak point in the Internet’s backbone



SpaceX satellite narrowly missed Chinese lab LA Times. (we figured this venture would turn out badly....)

A pair of dangerously close space encounters are adding to tensions between the U.S. and China, while underscoring the potential peril to astronauts as satellite constellations and debris proliferate in orbit.

Two SpaceX satellites had near misses with China’s space station earlier this year — one of them within 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) — in the latest sign of dangerous overcrowding in low- Earth orbit.

In both instances, the orbiting lab made evasive maneuvers to avoid the Starlink satellites operated by Elon Musk’s space venture. The margin for a near miss in October could have been as little as a few hundred meters if the astronauts onboard the space station hadn’t shifted to a different altitude, according to data compiled by astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell.



California Announces 18 "Middle Mile" Projects To Bridge Digital Divide

Advancing California’s commitment to bridge the digital divide, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the state has identified 18 projects to begin work on an open-access middle-mile network that will provide missing infrastructure paths to bring broadband to all our communities.

As part of the historic $6 billion broadband investment advanced in partnership with legislative leaders earlier this year, the initial project locations are based on known unserved and underserved areas across the state. The projects will connect to the core of the global internet and interconnect to last-mile infrastructure, which is the final leg that provides internet service to a customer.

“California is committed to taking on the challenges laid bare by the pandemic, including the digital divide holding back too many communities across the state,” said Governor Newsom. “These projects are the first step to delivering on our historic investment that will ensure all Californians have access to high-quality broadband internet, while also creating new jobs to support our nation-leading economic recovery.”

The initial 18 projects represent a range of geographic locations and technical approaches. Note in the map below that #s 8, 15 and 16 are in highly populated areas in the San Francisco Bay area and Los Angeles, showing the need for infrastructure in urban areas that have been ignored by incumbent service providers because they represent low income areas. The remainder are in rural areas.

The projects will be managed by GOLDENSTATENET, a consortium of CA organizations set up by CENIC, the manager of the CA high speed backbone for research and education.

CA middle Mile Map

Link to the broadband map above.  

Link to the CA Governor's office announcement.



Billions For Broadband In The US (But Don't Hold Your Breath!)

By now everybody knows that the Biden administration in America has passed a $1 TRILLION (that's so much money that putting it in all caps seems appropriate) infrastructure bill that includes about $65 billion for broadband. Trade associations, lobbyists, vendors and incumbents are all expressing excitement over this bill while many potential recipients of the funds are simply confused or overwhelmed by the 2,702 pages of details.

That $1trillion bill includes about $500 billion in new projects, beyond current spending. It includes:
  • $110 billion for roads and bridges
  • $66 billion for railroads
  • $65 billion for electrical grids
  • $65 billion for broadband
  • $63 billion for water infrastructure, including addressing drought problems in the west
  • $50+ billion for protection of infrastructure, targeting cybersecurity and climate change
  • $39 billion for public transit
  • $25 billion for airports
  • $21 billion for the environment
  • $17 billion for ports
  • $15 billion for electric vehicle charging stations and electric school busses
  • $11 billion for highway and other safety projects

As you might guess, spending all this money is not as easy as it sounds. The largest share of the pie, $42+ billion, will be handled by NTIA, The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, part of the Department of Commerce responsible for advising the President on telecommunications and information policy issues and administering grant programs that further the deployment and use of broadband and other technologies in America. NTIA has about 47,000 employees but has been without a permanent leader since the new administration took over and the nominee is in limbo waiting for a confirmation hearing to be scheduled.

NTIA is tasked with providing the money to the states based on need - e.g. unserved or under-served areas. In order to determine the need of geographic areas, NTIA is to rely on data from the FCC (Federal Communications Commission); data which has been controversial for years because of its reliance on ISPs for coverage and speed data. The new bill will require gathering more data before money begins flowing, a process that can last for a year or more.

That will be a big delay in getting the program started, but does allow time for the states to get their programs in the pipeline. That is a big task itself - states must develop the infrastructure to develop and evaluate plans for using the grants, then distribute the grants and ensure they are properly implemented. In many states, there are also laws on the books that conflict with the program, banning municipal networks, which is specifically prohibited by the bill. 

The time needed for creating new broadband maps also provides plenty of time for lobbyists, consultants and others looking to get involved to get started. And giving money to the states can be problematic. Earlier programs like this provided direct grants to the programs and ran into problems. Adding another layer of political structure in the states provides even more opportunities for problems in getting funds to worthwhile projects. And politics - many states have a history of fighting any kind of federal programs, even those that offer big money for projects.



Footnote:

NTIA has $1billion allocated for a new middle-mile program to build high-speed backbones for communities, businesses, and anchor institutions. This may need a reality check because $ 1 billion for these networks won't go far - The state-funded Kentucky Wired program alone cost more than 1/3 of this allocation! California has allocated $6B for middle mile - see above.



Want Help Getting Your Share? Vendors like Calix have web sites to help you in applying.



Technical

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


The FOA Update Page covers all the new technology and applications we covered in this newsletter recently. Now you can review all that new tech at once.


FOA
                          Guide

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.




Directional Boring Can Cause Damage Without Being Noticed - Until Later

Recently we were told about "Cross Bores" by a Scott Landes, professional in the damage prevention industry and publisher of DP-Pro magazine. Cross Bores are when one utility is inadvertently installed through a pipeline. This typically happens to sewer laterals because many of them are not locatable and not marked, so the contractor has no easy way to know they are in their path.


When a gas service line goes through the sewer lateral nobody knows it happened. Fast forward to when the homeowner’s sewer is backed up and they call a plumber. If the plumber doesn’t run a camera down the line they are likely to think it is a tree root. They simply auger out what they think is a tree root, which causes a gas leak. The gas frequently finds its way up the sewer lateral leading to a house exploding.


Here is a great video on it. https://callbeforeyouclear.com/ 
and a website devoted to it https://www.crossboresafety.org/


Warning For Techs Doing OSP Restoration

Warning

Is it safe for fiber techs to splice OSP networks that use fiber amplifiers as repeaters?  FOA received an inquiry about this recently for which we had no ready answer, so we did some research on the topic of fiber amplifiers. The question was whether techs working on restoring OSP links should be concerned about eye safety if the link used fiber amplifiers.


The answer is not a simple yes/no!
The short answer is YES; the long answer is more technical and includes details that every OSP tech needs to know.

First a bit of tech.

Fiber amplifiers have been around for decades, replacing electronic repeaters that convert a signal from the optical domain back into the electrical domain, remove some noise and retransmit it as an optical signal. Fiber amps replaced them because they used too much power and were unreliable.

Fiber amplifiers are used in WDM systems where there can be power from a number of different wavelengths, increasing the total power, or in analog systems like CATV HFC systems where high power DFB lasers are used.

fiber amplifier

The most common fiber amp (EDFA - erbiun-doped fiber amplifier) uses some complex physics that allows light entering a special fiber (generally erbium-doped fiber) to be amplified by the light from a high power "pump laser" at a different wavelength (980 or 1480 nm). Pump lasers can be as powerful as 10 watts, +40 dBm! Fiber amplifiers have gains of around 20 dB, so a "0 dBm" laser (1 mw) input will be amplified to +20 dBm (100 mw). That is a LOT of optical power.

A second type of fiber amp (RAMAN) uses the transmission fiber to amplify the signal using high-power pump lasers, sometimes at both ends of the fiber, at particular wavelengths. These are less common.

The problem that field techs need to worry about is whether a fiber amp will shut down if the link is broken. Transmission equipment generally shuts down the transceiver if the receive sees no input and initiates an alarm. If there are fiber amps in the link, will they shut down if there is no input? The answer is maybe.

The problem seems to be a lack of standardization in fiber amp design. Some amps have sensors on the input that shuts down the pump laser when there is no input. Those should be safe. But most designs, it seems, do not have that feature. We talked to two manufacturers and two users and the consensus is that fiber amps will have the output of the pump laser on the output fiber even with no signal at the input.

One user tested a unit with an input sensor. With a range of inputs from -12 to -4 dBm, the output was a constant at around +20 dBm. Below, -12 dBm, the output was zero - no light at all - even though the EDFA was switched on. However, when the EDFA was switched off, the unit was simply a passive component and would transmit signals at 1490 nm but not at 1550 nm, probably due to a WDM component in the output.

We talked to a manufacturer who mentioned that some EDFAs are designed this way and some are just amps. For example, he told me their products will produce ~20 dB gain, so an input of 1 mw will yield ~100 mw output. But if you remove the input, the amp will amplify the noise and transmit the pump laser on the output which will be about 30 mw, with the bulk of the power in the pump laser wavelength. A WDM will filter out the pump laser, but if a tech looks at a broken fiber with this fiber amp as an input, he will still be looking at a 30 mw optical output.

Warning

It appears that the fiber tech doing restoration on broken OSP fibers needs to have assurance that either the network does not have any fiber amps in the link being repaired or the network has been completely powered down - including the amps.

Never look into a fiber end or get it near your eye since a broken fiber can emit light at an angle.

Before working on any fiber, test it with a power meter to see if power is present.

And the tech probably should wear special laser safety glasses, but we have not found any yet that cover the entire wavelength range needed.

The State of Washington has an excellent and comprehensive rule for optical communications systems using lasers: WAC 296-32-22576 You can order a free copy of the Washington Rulebook on Safety Standards for Telecom.


If anyone with experience working with fiber amps has an input, please contact FOA.


Prysmian 576 Fiber Microcable Can Be Blown Into 10mm Duct


576 fibers
Prysmian now offers a 576 fiber microcable using 180 micron buffer G.657 (bend insensitive) fiber that has a diameter of only 8.2 mm, small enough to blow into a 10mm microduct. Obviously this has a big advantage in areas with crowded ducts and being a much smaller cable, is easier to handle than some of the higher fiber count cables.

Read more in Lightwave. The product is so new it does not seem to be on the company web site yet.



Try The FOA's Online Loss Budget Calculator

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've created a online Loss Budget Calculator that does the work for you. Just input your cable plant data and it calculates the loss budget. It works on any device, especially smartphones and tablets for field use and even allows printing the results.
 

FOA
                        Loss Budget Calculator


Bookmark this page (especially on your smartphone): FOA Loss Budget Calculator Online

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 (And Watching):

January 2022

SpaceX satellite narrowly missed Chinese lab before complaint LA Times. (we figured this venture would turn out badly....)

Testing Ruggedized Cable Assemblies With Multi-pin Connectors, Optotest

A Tale of Two Cities in Maine: Municipal Broadband and Misinformation. ILSR

What You Need to Know to Choose a PoE Tester, Fluke,

Ripley/Miller Wireless Fiber Optic Test Kit (Did you know Miller now has test products?)



November/December 2021 

Almost half of worldwide hyperscale data center capacity is in the U.S.: Synergy Research (reported in Lightwave)

California Governor Newsom Announces Initial Broadband Projects to Help Bridge Digital Divide Goldenstatenet Update

Conexon Connect gets $435M in latest RDOF round to serve fiber through rural co-ops - to build and operate fiber networks in 264,717 locations across Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Missouri.

What’s in the infrastructure bill? - Protocol — The people, power and politics of tech, from Protocol

Satellite hopes meet internet reality - On Tech/NY Times

An Introduction to MoCA for Improved Home Network Performance - Belden/PPC (MoCA is a standard for Ethernet over CATV/Satellite coax used for in-home networks.)

The best practice guide to installing buried microduct - Belden/PPC

He predicted the dark side of the Internet 30 years ago. Why did no one listen? Washington Post (Philip Agre, a computer scientist turned humanities professor, was prescient about many of the ways technology would impact the world)

October 2021

Is OM5 Fiber a Good Solution for the Data Center? Six reasons why the answer is NO from Siemon.

Mapping Broadband Access With Garbage Trucks, and Other Innovative Municipal Initiatives in Shreveport, Louisiana - Episode 19 of Connect This! from Community Broadband Networks

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.


September 2021

How Much Does A Cable Installer Earn?   Salary.com

Communications Systems Grounding Rules: Article 800 provides specific requirements  by Michael Johnston,  NECA Executive Director of Standards and Safety in EC Magazine

Essential Technologies for Intelligent Transportation Systems, Black & Veatch (download PDF)

In 2021, the number of states preserving legal barriers to municipal broadband networks dropped from 19 states to 17 states, ILSR Community Networks


New Fiber Optic Magazine In Spanish

Todo Fibra Optica is a new digital magazine in Spanish for fiber optics in Latin America. Jose Enriquez, editor of  Todo Fibra Optic magazine has many years experience in the fiber optic industry so he knows the industry well. FOA will be working with him to share our extensive technical materials in Spanish.

magazine

Latest Issue November 2021.


Contact:
José Manuel Enriquez Mora, Editor
Todo Fibra Optica LLC
https://todofibraoptica.com/revista-ediciones/
+52 222 302 8224
jose.enriquez@todofibraoptica.com



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.

August 2021


US Broadband Coverage By Service Provider from the FCC

Ciena's Submarine Cable Handbooks (4 to download)



dpPRO
The latest Issue of dP-PRO, the "call before you dig" magazine, is online.

Webinars (On Demand)


Tellabs' RDOF and the Tellabs FlexSym OLT-mini webcast plus download the slides
The OLT-mini is a low line count, small form factor and environmentally hardened OLT designed to keep deployment costs down, which makes it ideal for RDOF projects. (Tellabs mimiOLT was covered in the June FOA Newsletter about rural FTTH.)

The African Submarine Networking Seascape: A New and Emerging Market  
TeleGeography/Ciena/MainOne
With this lightning-fast growth rate and eight new cables in the works, this is an emerging market with big network infrastructure projects to watch.


New Fiber Optic Magazine In Spanish

todo-fibra_optica

Todo Fibra Optica is a new digital magazine in Spanish for fiber optics in Latin America. Jose Enriquez, editor of 
Todo Fibra Optic magazine has many years experience in the fiber optic industry so he knows the industry well. FOA will be working with him to share our extensive technical materials in Spanish.

Latest Issue features FTTH
Todo Fibra Optica

Contact:
José Manuel Enriquez Mora, Editor
Todo Fibra Optica LLC
https://todofibraoptica.com/revista-ediciones/
+52 222 302 8224
jose.enriquez@todofibraoptica.com




Lightwave Magazine Is Back! 

Lightwave
                      Magazine is back!

Lightwave Magazine is back after many years as only a online newsletter. Lightwave was started in 1984 by Howard Rausch, a veteran newsman, a gentleman and a scholar! (JH) We reported on the demise of the printed version of Lightwave in the FOA Newsletter of March 2009. Lightwave is back as a digital magazine, perfect for the times, and still headed by Editorial Director Stephen Hardy, a veteran of the fiber optic community with great in-dept knowledge of the technology, companies and people who make fiber optics what it is today. Lightwave's comprehensive website continues too. All very worthwhile reading.

TeleGeography's New Submarine Cable Map

cable map

TeleGeography's new 2021 Submarine Cable Map is packed with new cables and stats. Not to mention the new graphics and FAQs! This edition is loaded with trivia on cable suppliers, content providers, deployments, fiber, and more.

The 2021 Submarine Cable Map depicts 464 cables and 1,245 landing stations; 428 cables are active and 36 are planned.
Of the planned cables, 19 were not depicted in our 2020 edition. (The combined length of those 19 new planned cables is 103,348 km!)



Statistics on US Labor In Telecom

Eric Pearson sent us some links to US Bureau of Labor Statistics data on the US Workforce. Granted it was updated in May 2019, but has lots of useful and interesting information on where the work is and what workers are paid.

stats

Read the reports here:

Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers   (Install and repair telecommunications cable, including fiber optics.

Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers  (Install,
set up, rearrange, or remove switching, distribution, routing, and dialing equipment used in central offices or headends. Service or repair telephone, cable television, Internet, and other communications equipment on customers’ property. May install communications equipment or communications wiring in buildings.



1995-2020 - FOA's 25th Anniversary!

As part of celebrating 25 years of 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 now archived on the FOA website where you can read it anytime or link to it.
  
Updated info - dB, total internal reflection and science projects,




Worth Reading - News Summary - Past Links Worth Repeating

Recycling Fiber Optic Cable - Contact:
Steve Maginnis
LD4Recycle/ CommuniCom Recycling
(Visit website)
sm@LD4Recycle.com
803.371.5436


Communications Systems Grounding Rules: NEC Article 800 provides specific requirements - Electrical Contractor Magazine

Sumitomo's Ribbon Splicing Guide - download from one of the leaders in splicing.

"Who Lost Lucent?: The Decline of America's Telecom Equipment Industry"
This is a MUST READ for managers in telecom or any industry!

This long and well-researched and annotated article in American Affairs Journal should be mandatory reading for every high level manager in a telecom company - or any other company for that matter. To summarize the article, today, America has no major telecom equipment company and fears the major suppliers of equipment who are all foreign, especially the Huawei from China. This article explains how America got into this deplorable state.

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"

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.

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

The Institute for Local Self-Reliance weekly newsletter has lots of interesting articles and links.

The Open Technology Institute at New America just published “The Cost of Connectivity 2020,”

US Ignite and Altman Solon issued “Broadband Models for Unserved and Underserved Communities

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.

Next Century Cities Newsletter - News from cities around the US including Detroit and New York plus small

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

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.

Structured Cabling News - a website and weekly newsletter about cabling.

The Internet Master Plan for New York City. The New York City Internet Master Plan is a comprehensive framework for the infrastructure and services that provide connectivity to New York City residents and businesses. This Master Plan will guide City actions and public-private partnerships to transform New Yorkers’ access to this essential infrastructure for generations to come.

Fiber Trivia From Corning.

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)

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!

books  book 2

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

Guidebook To MPO Testing
OptoTest offers this complete guide to MTP®/MPO testing. In this guide, you will learn all there is to know about the different test methods, equipment options, troubleshooting, and best maintenance practices to ensure that you have the best testing experience. Go here to download the book.

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.

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!

How Nexans Makes Copper Cables - compare the process to fiber - don't most of the machines look similar?

The True Cost of Telco Damages (what backhoe fade or target practice can cost)

Rural Electric Cooperatives: Pole Attachment Policies and Issues, June 2019.

Clearfield-FOA Certification Training Clearfield is now offering their customers an FOA CERTIFICATION course. This course provides a basic understanding of fiber optic technology, as well as Clearfield product knowledge and how Clearfield’s integrated product systems work together in a fiber network.

Substandard Contractors - Fiber Optic Knowledge Doesn't Always Trickle Down  (EC Mag)

Another Source Of Articles On Fiber

FOA President and editor of this newsletter Jim Hayes has also been writing a column in Electrical Contractor Magazine for almost 20 years now. Electrical contractors do lots of fiber work and this column has covered some topics they are interested in including installation processes, network design, fiber applications and a lengthy series on dark fiber - what it is, how's its used and how it benefits the growth of communication. A recent web site redesign makes it easier to browse all these articles - just go to http://www.ecmag.com/contributing-authors/jim-hayes and you can see all of them.


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.

Questions From FOA Newsletter Readers

November/December 2021

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.

Underground Utilities Location
Q: From an OSP engineer: Is there a resource for underground utilities that we could use on our engineering designs? I know some counties offer this info but is there a single resource for all?
A: If you are in the US, the Common Ground Alliance (https://commongroundalliance.com  , https://commongroundalliance.com/Tools-Resources/Resources-Library/Toolkits) is a resource for designers and contractors looking for information on underground utilities. Their “CGA Best Practices” (https://bestpractices.commongroundalliance.com) is the best reference for damage prevention.
Otherwise, the local authorities and utilities are the best source. The department that issues permits is usually the place to start.
Even with that information, it is recommended that the contractor do their own search using underground locating equipment before digging.
You may find this page in the FOA Guide on underground cable construction useful. ( https://www.foa.org/tech/ref/OSP_Construction/Underground_Construction.html )


Reflectance
Q: What is the importance of reflectance and all the other numbers in installing and trouble shooting a fiber circuit?
A: Reflectance has always been a secondary issue to connection loss but has some important issues that need consideration. There are two basic issues with reflectance, affecting with the output of laser transmitters and creating background “noise” in a fiber link.
Reflectance can interact with the laser chip itself, causing laser transmitters nonlinearities or random fluctuations in the output. The background noise is a secondary issue, but can be seen in ghosts in an OTDR trace. The light bouncing back and forth in the fiber that causes ghosts will be added to the signal at the receiver end, adding noise to the actual signal. Both these effects are more significant on shorter links, for example FTTH or LANs using PONs (passive optical networks). We always recommend using APC (angled physical contact) connectors on short SM links. And most short SM networks do use APC connectors.
FOA tries to stick to the definition that reflectance is the light reflected from a connection but some others call it “return loss.” Return loss has been defined generally as the combination of reflectance and backscatter from the fiber, and that’s how OTDRs measure return loss. Standards vary in the definition sometimes.
Here is a FOA Guide page on reflectance that gives the basics and explains how it is tested. https://foa.org/tech/ref/testing/test/reflectance.html


October 2021

Fusion Splicing Regular And Bend-Insensitive Singlemode Fiber
Q:
Would fusion splicing single mode bend insensitive to standard fiber with same core cause a numerical aperture mismatch? We are seeing loss but it’s hard to tell from what. Going from a drop to BI inside cabling. Any direction is appreciated!

A:
There is a lot of controversy in this area and has been for some time. The issue is mode field diameter(MFD)  differences between regular and bend-insensitive (BI) fiber caused by the low index trenches around the core that are used to limit bend insensitivity.

Some (maybe most) manufacturers make BI SMF to match MFD of their regular SMF, since a common use is splicing BI SMF pigtails onto regular SMF. With so much BI SMF fiber being used in microcables and high fiber count cables, the opposite situation could be an issue also.

Another factor at play here is the fusion splicing program. The different structures of the fiber may need special programming in the fusion splicer to get heat and feed right for the two different fibers.

FOA hopes to have some independent data on this topic soon. FOA Master Instructor Joe Botha has done tests before on splicing dissimilar fibers when BI fiber first became available (read the report here)  and has planned a more extensive set of tests to update that data for more recent fibers soon.


Connector Mating Adapter Loss
Q:
When looking in data sheets on duplex adapters, it’s telling me that it has a Insertion Loss of about 0,2dB. Is that common? Only thought it was the connector that had a loss.
A: Technically, a single connector or mating adapter does not have any loss. It’s not “connector loss” but “connection loss” defined as the insertion loss when two connectors are mated, and for most connectors that requires a 3rd component, a mating adapter to align the ferrules. (Some connectors like MPOs have their own alignment mechanism so the mating adapter merely holds the two connectors - one with pins and one with holes - together.)
The connector manufacturer’s specification for “Connector loss” is the loss of their connector mating to a reference connector with a mating adapter. Connectors are graded in ISO/IEC standards, but not TIA, and the best connectors are ~0.2dB loss when mated to another of the same grade.
If a mating adapter manufacturer is quoting loss, one assumes they mean their adapter with two of the best connectors will have a connection loss of 0.2dB.
Mating adapters for 2.5mm ferrule connectors - FC, SC and ST - have a split sleeve alignment bushing that is the critical element. They have been made with molded glass-filled plastic, phosphor bronze and ceramic. In our opinion/experience, the plastic ones are only good for multimode fiber and wear out in ~10 insertions, discoloring connector ferrules and leaving dust scraped off the plastic on the ferrule ends. The metal ones are good for SM or MM and hundreds of insertions, but they tend to wear and leave marks on the ceramic ferrules. The ceramic ones are recommended for SM and for testing as they work best and last practically forever.



August 2021

Height Of Aerial Fiber Optic Cables
Q:
Is there a code standard for how high from the ground a for a fiber optic cable running through a residential yard? if yes, please provide the standard or point me to the standard.
A: If we go by NEC 2020, the height is 8 feet,above roofs. with this qualifier. No driveways  just over grass. Art /section 770.44 B. Also 800.44 A 4 states 12 inches between electric service and Fiber optic cable. But service has to be 12 feet at house so I would say 11 feet above grass. If driveway is there, Residential 15 feet for service, electrical, so fiber at 14 feet.

Identifying Users On A PON Network
Q:
How or what testing tool or technique can I use to verify whether there is a live customer w/ONT working on any fiber i may select @ a splice enclosure prior to getting further down the cable and  to the MST service terminal. All our fibers have light on them leaving the CO so when we go into a splice enclosure to pick a fiber to connect a drop to, to service a home, they are usually all lit up in that enclosure.
A: The simple answer for a tool or technique that can tell you if a customer is connected on an output of a PON splitter is “documentation.” If you know where each fiber is connected going downstream. Then the IT person who programs users into the system can tell you if that fiber is connected to a customer. There is a possibility that there is a test solution. Have you ever heard of a “fiber identifier”? It’s a gadget that can tell if there is signal in a fiber and some can identify the direction it comes from. What I don’t know if the unit can somehow indicate bi-directional traffic. Nobody we contacted seems to know either.



 


Dig
                    Once

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
From the Council of State governments: http://www.csg.org/pubs/capitolideas/enews/cs41_1.aspx
From the city of San Francisco: http://sfgov.org/dt/dig-once
An article about Dakota County, MN: https://muninetworks.org/tags/tags/dig-once

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



Is There A Standard For Fiber Optic Installation?

Another question we get often is "Is there a standard for fiber optic installation." The answer is yes, but not from the usual standards groups you might expect. Over 20 years ago, the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) asked FOA to help create a standard for installation. That standard, ANSI/NECA/FOA-301 has been updated three times already and is about ready for another update.

Unlike most of those groups who charge you a fortune for standards, FOA covers the cost so
ANSI/NECA/FOA-301 is available free from FOA.

NECA/FOA
                        301 Fiber Optic Installation Standard

Download your free copy of
ANSI/NECA/FOA-301 here (PDF)


Older questions are now available here.




Training
/ FiberU

News and resources to help you learn more and stay updated.

Find a listing of all the FOA-Approved schools here.

fiberu.org

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 videos



FOA Network Of Approved Schools Continues To Grow

The need for more fiber optic networks to support broadband and wireless/5G networks has led to a strong demand for more trained and FOA-certified techs, and that has led to a demand for more training organizations. FOA has been adding new schools and certifying new instructors to meet the demand. Here are two new schools this month and more added recently.


New School - Arrow For Engineering #774, Amman, Jordan
 

Schools added recently:
School 398, Telecom Tech, Colorado
School 396 Optconn, Boston, MA
School 395 Fiber Wizards (Knowledge on Demand LLC)
School 393, Carolina's Solution Group
School 394, Tri-County Career Center, Nelsonville, Ohio
School 388:  Global Com of Sterling, Virginia, USA
School 389. CWA-JATC Telecom Training Center, San Jose, CA
School 390  Northern Allied Communications, Nespelem, WA
School 391  Lewis-Clark State College, Lewiston, ID
School 392  Wallace Community College, Dothan, AL

Complete listing of FOA Approved Training Organizations 



New Guidelines For Fiber Optic Training And Certification

When FOA was founded in 1995, fiber optics had already been in commercial use for about 15 years, long distance OSP networks were still being replaced by fiber optics, metro networks were just beginning to be converted to fiber optics and fiber-to-the-home was a distant dream. Premises applications were limited to a multimode LAN backbones where speeds or distances were too much for Cat 5 as well as some video links to remote security cameras.

BoD

FOA founders meet to create the CFOT certification, circa 1997

Over its first two years, a group of FOA advisors met to create the requirements for technician certification that became the CFOT, Certified Fiber Optic Technician. Those requirements became the KSAs, the knowledge, skills and abilities required to be a certified fiber optic technician. The KSAs in turn became the basis of developing curriculum for training and CFOT certification testing.

In 1995, a technician was expected to be able to work with both singlemode and multimode fiber. They needed to be familiar with loose tube and armored OSP cables as well as zipcord and distribution indoor cables. Splicing skills in both mechanical and fusion splicing were needed. Termination of singlemode fibers was done by splicing singlemode fibers to factory-made pigtails. Multimode termination was mostly done using adhesives and polishing, using heat-cured epoxy, anaerobic adhesives or the 3M Hot Melt connectors. Testing involved connector inspection and cleaning, power measurements and optical insertion loss with a light source and power meter. Long distance networks would also be tested with OTDRs.

At that time, some tools and instruments like visual fault locators, fusion splicers and OTDRs were less common and quite expensive, often too expensive to be included in a school’s training equipment inventory, so they were often described in class, maybe with a video, and demonstrated by the instructor or a salesperson.

Class
                      2021 Class
                      2021
Classroom training in 2021 with pandemic rules

Over the last 25 years much has changed in fiber optics. Network speed, driven by the growth in Internet traffic, has become thousands of times faster, wavelength-division multiplexing has become mainstream, FTTH (fiber-to-the-home) enabled by PON (passive optical network) technology has become one of top applications for fiber optics, along with connecting wireless cell sites. The expansion of wireless networks, traffic control systems, utility grid management, data centers, etc. has led to lots more fiber applications.

Virtually all this growth is in singlemode fiber. Ribbon cables, microcables and high-fiber count cables are being used extensively. Even data centers which utilize some of the fastest networks and have changed to singlemode to avoid replacing cables frequently when equipment speeds are upgraded. LANs are adopting PONs, joining DAS (cellular networks inside buildings) to convert many premises cabling systems to singlemode. Multimode fiber is not extinct, but certainly an endangered species.

SOC
A fusion splice-on connector

Installation techniques and components have changed too. Few techs terminate multimode with adhesive/polish connectors in the field anymore. First it was replaced by mechanical splice connectors in the field, what we called prepolished/splice connectors, but now it’s fusion SOCs – splice-on connectors – that are becoming the termination method of choice. They were first seen in data centers where it’s not unusual to have 100,000+ terminations in the cable plant. Now we have low-cost fusion splicers and SOCs that make it the logical – and often lowest cost – termination choice.

For testing, instruments like visual fault locators (VFLs) have become really cheap so everyone can have one for troubleshooting. Power meters are more automated and lower cost, as are laser test sources. Interestingly, multimode test sources with LEDs are in short supply as the 850 and 1300 nm LEDs they need are become harder to get because the market for them in fiber optics has disappeared; they have been replaced by VCSELs which are not good as test sources.

When FOA started, OTDRs were very expensive and primarily limited in use to long distance OSP networks. Now OTDRs are not only less expensive and capable of testing most networks, but they are highly automated. Manufacturers tout the ability of their OTDRs to use AI (artificial intelligence) to set up the instrument and interpret traces. That’s a logical approach, since the instruments are highly complex and hard to understand, therefore few techs ever learn how to properly use one.

remote OTDR
Remote automated OTDR classroom setup with student access by smartphones

FOA believes that fiber optic technician training courses need to reflect the real world, and as technology and applications change, training must change also. Today’s CFOT needs to be competent in working with singlemode fiber, fusion splicing, SOCs and the equipment used today for installation and testing. Hands-on labs should focus on this current technology to ensure competent techs.

FOA is creating new course guidelines for approved schools to follow to ensure their training fits current technician needs. These new guidelines will be ready for use in 2022.






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

The FOA Fiber U OJT program combines online study at Fiber U with OJT with mentoring by experienced co-workers and their supervisor to help new employees develop into FOA-certified technicians in only one year.  Upon completion of this program, the trainee will be prepared to take the exam for the FOA CFOT (Certified Fiber Optic Technician) and/or CPCT (Certified Premises Cabling Technician), the most widely recognized fiber optic and premises cabling certifications in the industry.

OJT

The FOA Fiber U “OJT-To-Cert” program  includes both fiber optics and premises cabling (copper, fiber & wireless), so it covers techs working in both outside plant and premises jobs. 

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 10 minute YouTube video that explains what OJT is, who uses it and how to use Fiber U to organize and enhance OJT for new employees and experienced workers too. Lecture 62: On The Job Training For Fiber Optics Using Fiber U     




FOA "Work-To-Cert" Program

Experience Plus Online Study At Fiber U = FOA Certification

More techs have become comfortable with online conferences, webinars and training. Many have discovered that they can become FOA Certified using their experience in fiber optics and study for the FOA certification exams online at Fiber U. Thousands of industry professionals have applied to the FOA directly for certification without the need for classroom training, based on their knowledge and skills developed working the field. Since FOA certifications are based on KSAs (knowledge, skills and abilities), current techs already show the skills and abilities required through their field experience. FOA provides free online self-study courses at Fiber U for the knowledge part to prepare you for FOA certification exams which you can also take online.

If you are an experienced field tech interested in certification, and FOA is the internationally recognized certifying body for fiber optics, you can find out more about the FOA "Work to Cert" program here.

If you are already a CFOT, FOA also offers many specialist certifications you can obtain based on your experience as a field tech. See what's available at
Fiber U.




FTTH Updates In The FOA Guide And YouTube

FTTH has always been the most popular application for FOA's knowledge base. The subject is a major topic in the FOA Guide and the Fiber U FTTH course has been very popular. Many of our FOA approved schools use the FOA curriculum and teach combination courses for CFOT/CFOS/H for techs and CFOS/D (design) and CFOS/H for designers.

As with all topics in the FOA knowledgebase, we try to keep up to date, incorporating the latest developments and trends to ensure our materials are most useful to the industry.


Here's what we've created and updated recently:

FOA Guide: Added a section on FTTH Network Design, updated sections on Architecture and PONs (including 10G)
FOA's YouTube Channel: Added 4 new FTTH videos on Network Architecture, PONs, Network Design and Installation/Test.


How Can These New Materials Benefit You?
  • Update your knowledge: Even if you already have your CFOS/H or have completed the FTTx self-study course on Fiber U, we recommend you go back to the Fiber U course on FTTH Network Design and take the architecture, PON and Design lesson again.
  • Getting Started in FTTH:  We recommend buying a copy of FOA's FTTH Handbook or going straight to the Fiber U FTTx self-study course which will get you started right most quickly.  
  • Learning More About Special Topics in FTTH: Read the new/updated pages on the FOA Guide and watch the new videos.
  • Designing FTTH Networks: If you are involved in the design of FTTH networks but new to fiber optics, start with the Fiber U Fiber Optic Network Design course then take the Fiber U FTTx self-study course.
  • Teaching FTTH Courses: If you are already an FOA-approved school, download the new updated curriculum. Not an FOA School? Contact FOA.
  • Employee OJT

What's Next?
Our next project is to use these new/updated training materials to help train more techs.
  • Training at FOA approved schools:  We will of course work through the FOA network of approved schools, many of which already teach FTTH courses.
  • OJT (On the job training): We will also be reaching out to network owners and managers and their contractors who can use all these free materials for OJT - on the job training - for their workers.

Fiber U MiniCourses

fiberu.org

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

FOA has introduced a new type of Fiber U course, the MiniCourse, a free online course you could take in a short time, perhaps as you ate lunch at your desk or took a coffee break. The topics of these courses should explain what they are about, and these are all very important topics to fiber optic techs.

Fiber Optics In Communications  

How Optical Fiber Works 

Fiber Optic Network Restoration 

Fiber Optic Connector Identification

Fiber U Color Codes 

The Mysterious dB of Fiber Optics
 

Fiber Optic Cable Bend Radius

Fiber Optic Link Loss And Power Budgets

Fiber Optic Connector Inspection And Cleaning

Fiber Optic Media Conversion  

Fiber Optic Cable Midspan Access  

Reading An OTDR Trace  

The courses have two components, video lectures and readings, that are complementary. As usual there is a self-test to allow you to check your comprehension. As with other Fiber U courses if you desire, you can take a short test for a Fiber U Certificate of Completion that costs
only $10.

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

FOA
                            Reference Guide to Fiber Optics book

FOA has now translated the Basics of Fiber Optics textbook in our Online Guide into Portuguese, joining Spanish and French translations. For those speaking Portuguese, we have the technical information and for schools we also have curriculum available.

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


Time To Learn - Online

Some schools have been closed during the pandemic, so FOA has been working with them to create new online learning experiences that can in some cases lead to certification online. FOA certifications are still based on the KSAs - knowledge from the classroom, skills from the labs and abilities judged by instructors or proven by actual experience.

ZOOMing
Much of what we're doing benefits from the capabilities of "Zoom." Others have created videoconferencing apps, but none work so well, especially with limited bandwidth. We've seen remote labs that have an instructor showing students how to use the tools they were sent then watching them duplicate their actions. We have worked out methods to use Zoom to proctor FOA's online certification exams.

Blended Learning
While most FOA schools have suspended in-person training during this period, some are offering a "blended learning" option. That means that students sign up for a FOA certification course, take the classroom sessions on Fiber U with the assistance of a FOA certified instructor. Now online instruction can include reviewing the labs using the
Fiber U Basic Skills Labs, then when it's possible to attend classes at the school, complete the hands-on labs and take the FOA certification exam.

Offline Fiber U
FOA has also created offline Fiber U modules to allow students with poor or limited Internet access to use the Fiber U Basic Fiber Optics and Premises Cabling programs without Internet access. Contact FOA for information on using this option.

Online Remote Labs
Alternatively, some schools are experimenting with "remote labs," where the students get sent tool kits and components and labs are conducted by videoconferencing. Before the labs, the students may watch demos by their instructor on videoconferencing and/or review the relevant "virtual hands-on" lessons in the Fiber U
Fiber Optics Basic Skills Labs  so they will already know the steps in the exercises.
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.

exam
FOA Zoom Exam Proctoring

Online Certification Testing
FOA has all its certification tests available online, both for use by our schools and by our direct "Work to Cert" applicants. All FOA certification tests require a proctor to oversee the applicant taking the exam. In this time of social distancing, getting a proctor can be difficult, so FOA now has procedures for online proctors administering the exam.
Contact the FOA for more information.
 
OJT - On-The-Job-Training
Many novices get a job and learn on the job. They usually have an experienced tech who helps them gain the knowledge and  learn the skills they need to perform their job. Thinking about this in relation to the 
FOA KSAs, the knowledge, skills and abilities needed by a fiber optic tech,  the tech will learn skills but not the basic knowledge that helps them understand the processes involved. FOA can offer help here with our
FOA's OJT-to-Cert Program, using our Fiber U online self-study programs. While the tech learns on the job, they become a Fiber U trainee, getting the knowledge they need, while working under their "mentor" at work. This is particularly good for contracting companies who need techs but do not have the usual training courses available. Interested in OJT programs? Click on the link below or contact FOA for more information.

FOA's OJT-to-Cert Program  
 

fiberu.org

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.


FOA School Offers Toolkit With Online Training

Slayton tool
                    kit

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




Publications
/ Resources

FOA
                        Guide




More New FOA Video Lectures On YouTube

Did you know YouTube will close caption videos in many languages? Here are directions.

FOA Lecture 68: Do It Yourself PON Demo (November 2021)
Build your own FTTH or OLAN PON demo with equipment purchased online.

FOA YouTube Video Describes On-The-Job Training (OJT) 

Lecture 62: On The Job Training For Fiber Optics Using Fiber U
To explain How OJT works and FOA's OJT-To-Cert program, FOA created a short 10 minute YouTube video that explains what OJT is, who uses it and how to use Fiber U to organize and enhance OJT for new employees and experienced workers too.

More New Videos Including FTTH Series
As part of developing the new Fiber U MiniCourses, we added several new YouTube videos:

Lecture 56 explains the issues of cable bend radius limitations, typical cable specifications and how to gage the proper radius or diameter when installing or storing cable. Lecture 57 covers problems with dirty connectors and how to inspect and clean them.

4 New Lectures on FTTH - #63-66 

New Lecture on Fiber Optics at Electrical Utilities - #67

FOA Lecture 51 Fiber Optic Restoration Part 1 - Causes of Damage To The Network  
FOA Lecture 52 Fiber Optic Restoration Part 2 - Planning For Restoration 
FOA Lecture 53 Fiber Optic Restoration Part 3 - Troubleshooting And Repair
FOA Lecture 54 Fiber Optic Connector Identification - New and old
FOA Lecture 55 The Mysterious dB of Fiber Optics. - Understanding dB 
FOA Lecture 56 Fiber Optic Cable - Bend Radius -  Important for Installers to Understand
FOA Lecture 57 Fiber Optic Connector Inspection and Cleaning -  Most Connection Problems Are Caused By Dirty Connectors
FOA Lecture 58 Fiber Optic Media Conversion  - Copper To Fiber Made Easy
FOA Lecture 59 Fiber Optic Cable Midspan Access   - How to drop fibers from a cable with minimal splicing
FOA Lecture 60 How Fiber Works   - Animated explanations of how fiber transmits light
FOA Lecture 61 Fiber Optic Color Codes    
FTTH Series

Like all our YouTube lectures, they are all short and easy to understand.



Did you know YouTube will close caption videos in many languages?

YouTube
                      translations
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.

FOA Loss Budget Calculator 

Bookmark this page (especially on your smartphone): FOA Loss Budget Calculator Online




FOA
                      Guide

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 New.

Recent updates:


FTTH Updates: Added a section on FTTH Network Design, updated Architecture and PONs (10G)
Color Codes For Fiber Optics  

Fiber Optic Projects - the FOA Guide to projects from concept to operation
 

Coherent Communications Systems in the FOA Guide.

Go to  The FOA Online Fiber Optic Reference Guide.


FOA Reference Books



FOA FTTH
                          Handbook

NEW: FOA's FTTH Handbook:
We've gathered all our information on FTTH from the FOA Guide and past issues of the FOA Newsletter and edited it into a 112 page "FTTH Handbook." We even added a section on planning and managing FTTH Projects.
The Fiber Optic Association Fiber To The Home Handbook is available from Amazon in print and Kindle editions.

FOA Reference Guide to Fiber Optics book FOA
                        text in Spanish FOA Text in French FOA Reference Guide to Premises Cablng
                          book  FOA Reference Guide to OSP Fiber Optics
                          book   FOA
                        Reference Guide to Fiber Optic OSP Construction
                        book  FOA
                        Reference Guide to Fiber Optics Design book FOA Reference Guide to Fiber Optics Testing
                        book  FOA
                        Reference Guide to Fiber Optic OSP Construction
                        book
Fiber Optics (4 languages), Premises Cabling, OSP fiber and construction, Network Design, Testing and FTTH

   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 and French (print and online) and Portuguese (online only.)

Click on any book for more information about it.

FOA has reprinted

Lennie Lightwave
"
Lennie Lightwave's Guide" on its 25th anniversary in a special print edition.
 
Lennie and Uncle Ted's Guides are online or as free iBooks on iTunes.
Lennie
                        Lightwave's Guide To Fiber Optics   Uncle
                        Ted's Guide to Premises Cablling
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.

 


Safety


On 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
 
The FOA is concerned about 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
fiber in
                      finger
Photo courtesy  Brian Brandstetter,  Mississauga Training Consultantcy

Safety Leader Magazine

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.


2022 Conference On Damage Prevention In Phoenix
Excavation Safety Conference

Global Excavation Safety Conference

Phoenix AZ

March 1-3, 2022

GlobalExcavationSafetyConference.com:

 
dpPro

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.



When You Bury Marker Tape, Bury One That Will Work (July 2021)

Signaltape

Signaltape® provides a visual warning by ensuring tape is brought to the surface, alerting the operator to the presence of a buried utility. It includes a 3,000-lb. tensile strength aramid fiber membrane, which ensures the tape is pulled to the surface to alert the excavation crew. Signaltape comes in two sizes: 12″ x 1000′ or 6″ x 1000′.



 Best Practices Guide For Underground Construction
Best
                      Practices - CGA

We assume you are familiar with the "One Call" and "Call Before You Dig" (811) program, but are you also familiar "Click Before You Dig.com" and with the people behind it - the Common Ground Alliance and their Best Practices website?

Officially formed in 2000, the CGA represents a continuation of the damage prevention efforts embodied by the Common Ground Study. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation and completed in 1999, this Study represents the collaborative work of 160 industry professionals who identified best practices relating to damage prevention. Any best practice or program endorsed by the CGA comes with consensus support from experts representing the following stakeholder groups: Excavators, Locators, Road Builders, Electric, Telecommunications, Oil, Gas Distribution, Gas Transmission, Railroad, One Call, Public Works, Equipment Manufacturing, State Regulators, Insurance, Emergency Services and Engineering/Design.


Read the CGA Best Practices Guide here.

Here are all the CGA resources for damage prevention.

The US Department of Transportation has a website called "National Pipeline Mapping System" that allows one to search for buried pipelines.  



FOA Corporate Members - Products & Services

List of corporate member information provided by FOA corporate members listed on the FOA website.





FOA/About


About The FOA

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





FOA on LinkedIn


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)  



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 was 25 years old July 2020 - Read about FOA's history

Learn More About FOA's History.

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

The FOA Home Page


FOA Guide
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.

fiberu.org

Free online self-study programs on many fiber optics and cabling topics are available at Fiber U, FOA's online web-based training website.


 

Contact Us
The Fiber Optic Association Inc.
http://www.foa.org or email <info@foa.org>
Phone: 1-760-451-3655

       
The FOA Home Page











Fiber Optic Timeline  








(C)1999-2022, The Fiber Optic Association, Inc.


 FOA Logo Merchandise

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

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!

Contact FOA at info@thefoa.org to get logos in file format for your use.



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.