Bandwidth: Fiber optic cables offer significantly greater bandwidth than metal cables. The amount of information transmitted per unit of time is its most significant advantage. High-performance single-mode cables used in telecommunications surpass current application needs and provide room for future growth.
Low Power Loss: Optical fibers offer low power loss, allowing for longer transmission distances. While the longest recommended distance for copper is 100m, fiber can reach up to 2000m.
Interference Immunity: Fiber optic cables are immune to electromagnetic interference. They can be installed in electrically noisy environments without signal degradation.
Size: Compared to copper, fiber optic cables provide nearly 4.5 times the capacity with a cross-sectional area 30 times smaller.
Weight: Fiber optic cables are thinner and lighter than metal wires, occupying less space for the same information capacity, which simplifies installation.
Safety: As a dielectric material, optical fiber does not present a spark hazard.
Security: Optical fibers are difficult to tap. Because they do not radiate electromagnetic energy, emissions cannot be intercepted, making them the most secure medium for sensitive data.
Flexibility: Optical fiber has greater tensile strength than copper or steel of the same diameter. It is flexible, bends easily, and resists most corrosive elements that typically damage copper cables.
Disadvantages
Cost: While raw glass materials are cheaper than copper, the installation of fiber optic cables is more expensive, though they offer a longer lifespan.
Transmission: Optical fiber transmission requires signal repeating at specific distance intervals.
Fragility: Fibers can break or suffer transmission losses when wrapped around curves with a radius of only a few centimeters. However, encasing fibers in a plastic sheath makes it difficult to bend the cable into a radius small enough to cause damage.
Protection: Optical fibers require more robust protection around the cable compared to copper alternatives.
