BS EN 60794-1-1:2016

What is BS EN 60794-1-1- Optical fibre cables about? 

BS EN 60794-1-1 is a safety standard on optical fibre cables. 

BS EN 60794-1-1 applies to optical fibre cables for use with communication equipment and devices employing similar techniques and cables having a combination of both optical fibres and electrical conductors. 

Note: The object of BS EN 60794-1-1 is to establish uniform generic requirements for the geometrical, transmission, material, mechanical, aging (environmental exposure), climatic and electrical properties of optical fibre cables and cable elements, where appropriate. 

Who is BS EN 60794-1-1- Optical fibre cables for?  

BS EN 60794-1-1 on Sectional specification for category A2 multimode fibres is relevant to: 

• Optical fibre technicians 
• Suppliers of optical fibre 
• Testing authorities 

Why should you use BS EN 60794-1-1- Optical fibre cables? 

An optical fibre is a cylindrical dielectric waveguide that transmits light along its axis through the process of total internal reflection.  

BS EN 60794-1-1 provides an acceptance criterion for attenuation measurement that includes an allowance for measurement uncertainty arising from measurement errors or calibration errors due to a lack of suitable reference standards.  

Optical fibre cables, containing optical fibres and electrical conductors, consist of the following types: 

• Indoor cables 
• Patch cords 
• Premises cabling 
• Cables for installation in ducts and lashed aerial cables 
• Cables for direct burial 
• Cables for installation in tunnels 
• Aerial cables 
• Drop cables 
• Underwater cables for lakes, river crossings and coastal applications 
• Microduct cabling 
• Cables for utility rights of way such as sewers, gas pipes and water pipes 
• Overhead cables (power lines) 
• Optical cables for rapid/multiple deployments 
• Other optical fibre cable types not listed above 

Overall, BS EN 60794-1-1 is useful as it assists with the cables that are been tested, contains a full complement of working fibres. 

What’s changed since the last update? 

BS EN 60794-1-1:2016 supersedes BS EN 60794-1-1:2011 which is withdrawn. 

BS EN 60794-1-1:2016 replaces the third edition, published in 2011. BS EN 60794-1-1:2016 constitutes a technical revision. 

BS EN 60794-1-1:2016 includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition: 

• The expansion of the definitions, graphical symbols, terminology, and abbreviations content, with the aim of making this standard the default and reference for all others in the IEC 60794-x series 
• The inclusion of updated and expanded optical fibre, attenuation, and bandwidth sections, with the aim of making this standard the default and reference for all others in the IEC 60794-x series