BREAKOUT CABLE

A multifiber fiber-optic cable design in which individual fibers, usually tight-buffered, are surrounded by separate strength members and jackets, which are in turn enveloped by a common jacket. Note 1: The breakout cable facilitates easy installation of fiber-optic connectors. All that need be done to prepare the ends of the cable to receive connectors is to remove the outer jacket, exposing what are essentially individual single-fiber cables. Note 2: Because it tends to induce bends in the fibers, the breakout cable design usually results in slightly higher transmission losses, for a given fiber, than loose- buffer designs. [After FAA ] Synonym fanout cable .