Trunk Cable Pre-terminated (LC, MPO/MTP) 8 or 12 Fibres

Yes. The pre-terminated trunk cable can be ordered with either single-mode fibres or multimode fibres. For single-mode, it uses low-loss OS2 G.657.A2 fibre (bend-insensitive), which is suitable for long-distance and high-density installations. For multimode, options include OM4 or OM5 fibre types (typically used in data centres for 40/100G short-reach applications). The cable jacket colour usually indicates the fibre type (e.g. yellow for single-mode, aqua or lime for multimode) for easy identification.

You can choose two main configurations: MPO–MPO or MPO–LC fan-out. In an MPO–MPO configuration, each end of the trunk cable has an MPO/MTP multi-fibre connector (often used to link MPO patch panels or plug into MPO adapters). In an MPO–LC configuration, one end has the MPO connector and the other end breaks out into multiple LC duplex connectors (uniboot style). For the 8-fibre cable, the LC fan-out typically consists of 4 duplex LC connectors (carrying 8 fibres total). For the 12-fibre cable, the fan-out has 6 duplex LC connectors (12 fibres). This allows you to, for example, connect an MPO backbone on one end to individual LC ports on equipment or patch panels on the other end.

The choice depends on your network design and equipment. 8-fibre trunk cables are often used for parallel optic links like 40GBASE-SR4 or 100GBASE-SR10 where 8 fibres (4 transmit + 4 receive) are needed – in these cases an MPO with 8-fibre layout suits the transceivers. They can also support four duplex channels (if broken out to LC, that’s 4 LC pairs). 12-fibre trunk cables carry 12 fibres and are commonly used to connect between fibre enclosures or patch panels, providing six duplex channels (6 pairs) or to interface with 12-port MPO modules. If you are using MPO-LC cassette modules or structured cabling that is based on 12-fibre groupings, a 12-fibre trunk might be more efficient. In summary, use the fibre count that matches your hardware or the grouping of ports you need to connect – 8-fibre trunks for certain parallel optics or divisible by 4 channels, and 12-fibre trunks for standardised 12-port groupings or higher density needs. Both types support high-speed traffic; it’s mainly about the port count and architecture you are targeting.

Yes, the MPO connectors used are a universal type that allows field changes. By default, the trunk cable’s MPO typically comes as male (pinned) to ensure alignment when mating with standard female MPO adapters or cassettes. If you need a female (unpinned) MPO instead, the connector design allows you to remove the pins (using an appropriate tool) to convert it to female. Likewise, the polarity (the mapping of fibre cores from one end to the other) can be adapted: the MPO connector cover can be reinserted in a flipped orientation to swap between Method A and Method B polarity. This modularity is useful if your cabling scheme changes or if you need to correct a Tx/Rx flip. It should be noted, however, that for single-mode MPO connectors, frequent gender or polarity changes in the field are not recommended — single-mode alignment is very precise, and it’s best to order the correct configuration to avoid any possible performance loss. But the capability is there for occasional adjustments or error corrections.

These trunk cables use high-quality factory-polished connectors, so the insertion loss (IL) per connector is very low. Typical insertion loss for an MPO connection or an LC connection in this system is on the order of a few tenths of a decibel. For example, a multimode MPO or LC might have a typical IL around 0.1–0.25 dB, and single-mode (UPC polish) around 0.2–0.35 dB per connector – well within industry standards for ‘low-loss’ performance. The return loss (RL) is also high (for single-mode UPC connectors usually >50 dB, and for multimode >20–30 dB), indicating very little signal reflection. Each assembly is 100% tested at the factory, and a test report is provided listing the exact IL for each fibre path in your cable. Because of this controlled manufacturing and testing, you can be confident that the installed trunk cable will meet or exceed the specified optical performance in your network.

Yes, typically a pulling eye (also called a pulling sock) is pre-installed on one end of the trunk cable to aid with installation. The pulling eye is a durable shroud that encapsulates the connectors (for example, the fan-out LC connectors) and provides a loop or hook point to attach your pull rope or fish tape. This way, you can safely pull the cable through conduits, ducting, or cable trays without risking damage to the delicate connector ends. The pulling eye is designed to handle the mechanical stress of pulling and has a smooth profile (around 49 mm in diameter) that helps guide the cable through tight spaces. Once the cable is in place, the pulling eye assembly can be easily removed to reveal the connectors, which can then be plugged in. This feature greatly simplifies the deployment of pre-terminated cables in environments where routing through infrastructure is required.

The trunk cables should not be bent tighter than 20× their outer diameter while actively installing or pulling them. After installation (once the cable is in place and no longer under tensile load), it can be safely coiled or routed with a minimum bend radius of 10× its diameter. For a typical indoor 12-fibre cable with ~5.5 mm outer diameter, this guideline means about a 110 mm bend radius during installation and about 55 mm in service. Adhering to these bend radius recommendations is important to avoid inducing excessive loss or potential damage to the fibre. The cables use bend-insensitive fibres which tolerate bends better than conventional fibres, but it’s still good practice to follow the recommended limits to ensure long-term reliability. Additionally, the breakout legs (the tails to individual connectors) are protected by tubing with its own bend limit (approximately 19 mm diameter for the breakout bundle), so they are quite robust against accidental sharp bends near the connector end.

Standard lengths range from 5 metres up to 150 metres for both 8-fibre and 12-fibre versions. You can select common lengths (10 m, 20 m, 30 m, etc.) as required for your installation – these are assembled and tested to order. If you need a custom length outside the standard range or a very specific length (for example, 37.5 m to run exactly between two particular panels), the manufacturer can usually accommodate that as well on request. It’s recommended to measure the route and include a little slack for service loops when choosing the length. Because these cables are factory-finished, you’ll want to get the length correct (or slightly longer, not shorter) to avoid tension. Each trunk is delivered as a coil or on a drum, and even long cables (50 m, 100 m, etc.) come pre-tested so you can install them with confidence that the whole length is performing correctly end-to-end.

LC uniboot connectors are a special duplex version of the standard LC fibre optic connector. In a uniboot design, a single connector housing holds two fibre cores (a transmit/receive pair) in one slim unit, effectively combining what would normally be two separate LC connectors into one. The key advantages in trunk cable use are space savings and simplified polarity management. By halving the number of connector plugs (two fibres in one plug), the connector area is less cluttered – beneficial in high-density patch panels or equipment with many connections. Uniboot LC connectors often allow the two fibre positions to be swapped (the connector has a reversible polarity feature), meaning if for some reason the TX/RX leads need to be flipped, it can be done without re-terminating or using a crossover cable; one just reconfigures the uniboot. In these pre-terminated trunk cables, the LC uniboots make the fan-out ends neat and compact, and they maintain proper spacing to plug into LC adapters. The uniboot design still complies with the same standards as regular LC connectors (and uses the same ferrules and ceramic sleeves), so performance (insertion loss, etc.) is on par with standard LC connectors, just delivered in a more convenient form factor for multi-fibre assemblies.

The standard versions of the 8-fibre and 12-fibre trunk cables are primarily designed for indoor use, featuring an LSZH (low-smoke, zero-halogen) jacket suitable for data centre and enterprise environments. For typical inside plant applications (runs within buildings or between racks), they are more than robust enough and meet fire-safety codes. If you require outdoor deployment – for instance, running a trunk cable between buildings or to an outdoor cabinet – there are indoor/outdoor rated variants or custom constructions available. The product family can be built using an outdoor-capable jacket (for example, a UV-resistant, water-blocked cable with a polyethylene outer jacket or a double-jacket with armouring) for those scenarios. In fact, for fibre counts of 12 and above, the manufacturer offers an indoor/outdoor loose-tube version with a slightly larger diameter for extra ruggedness (as indicated by the spec options). These can withstand typical outdoor conditions like temperature swings and moisture, although they may not have heavy rodent protection or armouring unless specifically requested. In summary, by default use these trunks inside, but if you need to go outdoors, you should request the appropriate indoor/outdoor grade cable. Always ensure any outdoor fibre run is in conduit or properly protected, and check the spec sheet for temperature and environmental ratings if installing in non-climate-controlled areas.