scope:

This part of IEC 60793 is applicable to category A4 optical multimode fibres and the related subcategories A4a, A4b, A4c, A4d, A4e, A4g, A4h and A4i. These fibres have a plastic core and plastic cladding and may have step-index, multi-step index or graded-index profiles. The fibres are used in information transmission equipment and other applications employing similar light transmitting techniques, and in fibre optic cables. Table 1 summarizes some of the salient characteristics and applications of these fibres.

In addition to the applications shown in Table 1, other applications for A4 fibres include, but are not restricted to, the following: support for short reach, high bit-rate systems in telephony, distribution and local networks, carrying data, voice and/or video services and on-premises intrabuilding and interbuilding fibre installations, including local area networks (LANs), private branch exchanges (PBXs), video, various multiplexing uses and miscellaneous related uses, such as consumer electronics and industrial and mobile networks.

Three types of requirements apply to A4 fibres:

• general requirements, as defined in IEC 60793-2;

• specific requirements common to category A4 multimode fibres covered in this document and which are given in Clause 4;

• particular requirements applicable to individual fibre sub-categories and implementations or specific applications which are defined in this document, in the normative family specification annexes.