Single Mode Fiber Type: G652 vs G655 Fiber

With the increasing demand for greater capacity over long distance transmission, single mode fiber optic cable is designed with various versions. There are 6 different categories of SMFs: G652, G653, G654, G655, G656 and G657, among which G652 and G655 are two options frequently used in WDM. So G652 vs G655 fiber: what’s the difference?

Single Mode Fiber: What Is G652?

G652 is currently the most popularly adopted single mode fiber, for which G652 is defined as Standard SMF. It has G652A, B, C and D four versions. G652A and B have a zero dispersion wavelength point at 1310 nm, which makes it a natural fit for operation in the 1310 nm band. However, they are not suitable for applications in Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) due to water peak. The more advanced C and D are optimized with elimination of water peak for spectrum operation, which makes them effective at wavelength between 1310 to 1550 nm to support Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing (CWDM). Comparing G652C, G652D single mode fiber has superior PDM (polarization mode dispersion) parameter, for which G652D is known as Standard single mode fiber (SSMF) and commonly used to support 10GbE and 40GbE system. FS. COM provides such G652D LC fiber in various versions.

Figure 1: This photo shows a FS.COM G652D LC single mode fiber.