An advantage of optical fiber cable is

An advantage of optical fiber cable is

• A. Its ability to handle extremely high voltage
• B. Its ability to handle much higher data rates
• C. Its susceptibility to EMI
• D. Its low installation cost

Answer: (B)

The main idea being tested is how much data a communications medium can carry. Optical fiber transmits data as light, using a glass or plastic core that offers a very wide usable bandwidth and very low signal loss over long distances. That combination lets fiber support extremely high data rates, especially when techniques like wavelength-division multiplexing are used to send multiple channels on different light wavelengths at the same time. Because the signal travels as light and the fiber is non-conductive, it is not affected by electromagnetic interference, which helps maintain those high data rates in noisy environments. The notion that it handles high voltage isn’t correct for fiber, since it doesn’t carry electrical power. The idea that it is susceptible to EMI would be a disadvantage rather than an advantage, as fiber’s immunity to EMI is the real benefit. And while fiber has many long-term advantages, installation costs can be higher due to splicing and specialized terminations, so lower installation cost isn’t an inherent advantage.

The main idea being tested is how much data a communications medium can carry. Optical fiber transmits data as light, using a glass or plastic core that offers a very wide usable bandwidth and very low signal loss over long distances. That combination lets fiber support extremely high data rates, especially when techniques like wavelength-division multiplexing are used to send multiple channels on different light wavelengths at the same time. Because the signal travels as light and the fiber is non-conductive, it is not affected by electromagnetic interference, which helps maintain those high data rates in noisy environments. The notion that it handles high voltage isn’t correct for fiber, since it doesn’t carry electrical power. The idea that it is susceptible to EMI would be a disadvantage rather than an advantage, as fiber’s immunity to EMI is the real benefit. And while fiber has many long-term advantages, installation costs can be higher due to splicing and specialized terminations, so lower installation cost isn’t an inherent advantage.