The standardization of wide band multimode fiber leads to allocating a color designation similar to the OM2 orange or OM3/OM4 aqua.  The widely accepted color within the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) has been lime green for the OM5 cable jacketing.  However, it has been proposed that the connector for OM5 cabling should also be lime green.  On the surface this sounds fitting.

Some concern has been raised among the TIA, pointing out that the lime green designation is too close to standard single mode APC green connectors and could potentially be confused with each other.  Next to one another, an OM5 lime green connector and an APC green connector could most likely be distinguished.  The issue arises when the distinction needs to be made without having the opposing type as a reference.  Basically, in the absence of an APC green connector, it would be difficult to tell if an OM5 lime green connector is lime or green.

Below, you can see the lime green jacket next to the standard APC connectors.

One can tell that the lime green jacket is somewhat lighter than the green APC connectors/adapters.  If the lime green cable was removed from the picture it is fathomable that a few of the objects on the right could be mistaken for lime green components.

In the most recent TIA meeting in Orlando, a concern was voiced that OM5 components and single mode APC components could be mistaken for each other given that assemblers, installers, etc. work in varying lighting conditions making some components appear lighter or darker.

In the Orlando meeting, a presentation was given showing various different single mode APC components and various different OM5 components.  The task was for the group to be able to distinguish the two sets from each other.  Below are the images of the various components.  Scroll through and see if you can pick out the green components and the lime components.

LIME or GREEN?

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It has been proposed that the connector housings have a suggested color of white.  However, in preparation for production and deployment, companies have already started to build and in some cases install OM5 cabling with the lime green cabling and connectors.  For these companies, changing the proposed color from lime to another color would mean that they have installed cabling that does not follow the suggested color scheme within the standard.

OptoTest is currently in the process of innovating to improve the usability of its Single Channel OP940 Insertion and Return Loss Test Set.  This latest development will integrate completely with the OP940, expanding its functionality beyond its existing capabilities. Continue reading →

OptoTest takes part in establishing the first production line of fiber optic cable assemblies in Angola.

We would like to wish Fiberway the best of luck as they begin production and we would like to thank our distributor Fiberlab for allowing us to be a part of this groundbreaking project.