If you are a fiber internet service provider or fiber installation service company, You are inevitably facing OSP in fiber optics. In the telecommunications sector, an outside plant is all of the physical cabling and supporting infrastructure (such as conduits, cabinets, towers or poles), and any associated hardware (such as repeaters) located between a demarcation point in a switching facility and a demarcation point in another switching center or customers location.
What is OSP?
OSP stands for Outside Plant, referring to the infrastructure deployed outdoors for telecommunications or networking purposes. OSP fiber specifically refers to optical fiber cables used in outdoor environments.
What is outside plant fiber optic cable?
OSP (outside plant) refers to all of the equipment, cables, and infrastructure that are located outside of a building, and hence OSP fiber optic or Outside Plant fiber optic cable is fiber optic cables that are installed outside the plant, they are different than the normal fiber optic cables as they are designed to withstand the installation and stresses inherent in cables exposed to the external environment. As these serve a purpose outside the plant they are subjected to such harsh conditions like extreme climates and situations like animals walking over it, waste dumped over it, and water flowing over it, all these conditions demand different built than the normal fiber optic cables, to make it much stronger by adding layers of security.
Types of OSP fiber optic cables
There are two types of fiber optic cables:
- Singlemode or Central tube fiber cable
- Multimode or Layer stranded cable
Singlemode fiber optic cables:
Singlemode or central tube fiber cable as the name suggests has a single layer or is simply just a single wire. As it is just one layer, the reinforcement material is wrapped around the wire, i.e., the wire is in the middle and the reinforcement material around it. Reinforcement materials are used to ensure the durability and strength of the fiber optic cable.
For a fiber optic cable to be single-mode it is required to have less than or equal to 24 cores. The core is the innermost part of the fiber cable and it guides the light, this is the place where internal reflection takes place and the light travels to its destination.
An example of single-mode fiber optic can be GYXTW which had 12 cores earlier but is now upgraded to 24 cores.
Multimode fiber optic cables:
Fiber cables that have more than 24 cores lie under this category. They do not just have a single wire but rather they have many tubes and each tube is made up of many cores. The tubes are coupled together and the supporting or reinforcement material surrounds them. Multimode fibers can have as many as 144 cores or even more.
Examples: GYTS, GYTA53
What are the OSP Fiber Assemblies?
OSP fiber assemblies are pre-terminated fiber optic cables designed for outdoor installations. These assemblies come with connectors already attached to the fiber ends, making installation simpler and faster in outdoor environments. OSP fiber assemblies are typically ruggedized to withstand outdoor conditions, ensuring reliable performance over extended periods.
Outside Plant Fiber Assemblies are used in a variety of applications including DLC cabinets, PON cabinets, cross-connect cabinets and fiber termination panels. Standard OSP cable is used and the terminated end of the assembly is up-jacketed with either 900 μm or 2 mm tubing. The assembly is then terminated with the required connectors. Fiber counts can be from 2 to 288 fibers.
Put simply, OSP Fiber Assemblies including outdoor fiber patch cables, fiber enclosures, outdoor fiber cabinet, wall mount fiber patch panels.
Fiber in Conduit and OSP?
Fiber in conduit refers to optical fiber cables installed within protective conduits, which can be deployed indoors or outdoors. Whether fiber in conduit needs to be OSP depends on its location and the specific requirements of the installation. If the conduit is installed outdoors as part of the outside plant infrastructure, then OSP standards and considerations would apply to ensure durability and longevity in outdoor conditions.
Why Single Mode Fiber are Mostly Used in OSP Installations?
Single-mode fiber (SMF) is commonly used in OSP installations due to its ability to transmit data over long distances with minimal signal loss. SMF offers higher bandwidth and lower attenuation compared to multimode fiber, making it suitable for long-haul telecommunications applications. In OSP environments, where cables are exposed to outdoor conditions and need to span large distances, SMF is often preferred for its reliability and performance.
What OSP and ISP Mean?
OSP (Outside Plant) and ISP (Inside Plant) fiber design refer to the planning and implementation of fiber optic networks in outdoor and indoor environments, respectively.
OSP fiber design involves considerations such as cable routing, protection against environmental factors, and integration with existing infrastructure.
ISP fiber design focuses on optimizing connectivity within buildings or confined spaces, ensuring efficient distribution of data to end-users. Both OSP and ISP fiber design aim to create robust and reliable network architectures tailored to the specific requirements of the installation environment.
ISP stands for Inside Plant and OSP stands for Outside Plant. According to Building Industry Construction Service International (BICSI), OSP is any network infrastructure installed external to buildings. Our scope includes optical fiber cabling, balanced twisted-pair cabling, and support structures to link locations.
OSP cables are underground, direct-buried, or aerial. ICG specializes in direct-buried which utilizes trenches, pedestals, and communication maintenance holes.
ISP refers to cable installed inside of the building. This includes everything from the patch panel, patch cord, and switch to the cables and jacks.
Each may require a different type of cable and a different method of installation. ISP utilizes wall and ceiling drops, while OSP will likely require trenching.
OSP Fiber Optic Cable Installation
OSP fiber optic cable installation involves laying optical fiber cables in outdoor environments to establish communication networks. This process includes trenching, burying, or aerial deployment of cables along designated routes. Specialized equipment and techniques are employed to ensure proper cable installation, splicing, and termination. OSP fiber optic cable installation requires adherence to industry standards and regulations to guarantee performance and reliability in outdoor conditions. Proper planning and execution are essential to minimize downtime and ensure the longevity of the network infrastructure.
Partner with Bativ for OSP Cablings
Bativ is dedicated to providing you with high quality OSP fiber optic cables and other OSP assemblies for outdoor application, You can request us to send you FREE sample or quote any time.