Skip to content
Five Key Factors for Evaluating MTP®/MPO Quality
In the fast-paced world of high-speed, high-density data centers, MTP®/MPO fiber optic cables play a crucial role. The quality of these cables directly impacts the stability and durability of the entire network. When selecting MTP®/MPO cables, it is essential to consider several critical factors to ensure top-notch performance, such as the brand of the fiber, connector quality, insertion loss, return loss, and end-face geometry.
Here are five essential elements to evaluate the quality of MTP®/MPO cables:
1. Brand Fiber MTP®/MPO fiber optic cables need to be deployed in tight spaces like telecom distribution boxes and data center cabinets, where the fiber must have a certain bend radius. Inferior fibers often lead to signal loss, causing transmission interruptions. Using branded fiber significantly enhances bending performance, greatly reducing the risk of signal loss and ensuring faster, more efficient fiber optic cabling and installation. Therefore, selecting branded fiber cores is crucial for MTP®/MPO cables.
2. Industry-Standard Compliant MTP®/MPO Connectors MTP®/MPO connectors can encapsulate 12, 16, 32, or even 72 fibers into a single ferrule, thus increasing the density of fiber cabling. These connectors are particularly popular in space-constrained data centers. Industry-recognized MTP®/MPO connectors, like those from US Conec, feature patented designs that ensure high-quality physical contact between end-faces, effectively reducing insertion loss and increasing return loss, thereby enhancing high-quality optical signal transmission.
3. Insertion Loss and Return Loss Insertion loss is a critical factor affecting fiber optic network performance—the lower the insertion loss, the better the network performance. Typically, the insertion loss for MTP®/MPO multimode cables is below 0.6dB, and for single-mode MTP®/MPO cables, it is below 0.75dB. High-quality single-mode and multimode MTP®/MPO cables usually require insertion loss to be within 0.35dB. Therefore, it is crucial to choose the appropriate cable based on the network's specific needs.
Current MTP®/MPO Base 16 cables support up to 800G and can potentially support up to 1.6T or even 3.2T in the future, making them a mainstay for many years to come. AI data center architectures, which demand optical connections within 100 meters to reduce latency, are a prime application for these cables. The new SR4.2 standard supports up to 150 meters, and the demand for high-performance networks in AI environments places greater emphasis on return loss (reflection performance). Consequently, MTP®/MPO 16 multimode cables with APC (angled physical contact) connectors are increasingly required in AI networks, akin to high-end telecom applications.
4. Flame Retardancy The outer sheath of MTP®/MPO fiber optic cables can be made from various materials, each offering different levels of fire resistance—PE, PVC, LSZH, etc. If higher installation environment standards are required, such as for ceilings or raised floors, selecting cables with higher flame retardancy is recommended. Good flame retardancy and low smoke zero halogen (LSZH) performance can effectively reduce the harm caused by fire and smoke.
5. Fiber Optic Cable Testing - End-Face Inspection: To ensure the fiber optic connector's performance, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has established the IEC 61300-3-35 standard to define the acceptable quality of connector end-faces. MTP®/MPO cable connector end-faces are divided into four zones: core, cladding, adhesive, and ferrule. The standard sets requirements for scratches and defects in each zone. The cleaner the end-face, the better the cable quality. Therefore, choosing MTP®/MPO cables that pass end-face inspection is essential. - Interferometric (3D) Geometry Inspection: According to IEC standards, the geometric parameters of MTP®/MPO connectors are crucial for successful fiber connections. The quality of the fiber connection depends on the connector end-face's geometric dimensions. To ensure long-term and reliable network operation, strict control of connector geometry is necessary. Therefore, selecting suppliers that meet or exceed IEC standards (SM: 61755-3-31; MM: 63267-3-31) is vital.
In summary, comprehensive consideration of these factors is essential when purchasing MTP®/MPO cables to ensure high-quality, reliable products. At AIMIFIBER, our products undergo rigorous reliability testing and comply with international standards such as IEC 61755-1 & IEC 61755-3-31 for MTP®/MPO optical performance. Our MPO-16 and MPO-12 products are compatible with multiple optical modules, ensuring stable and high-quality signal transmission for optical communications. AIMIFIBER's MTP®/MPO cables are the ideal choice for users seeking high quality and reliability.
