Specification-fiber-optic-cable_August_2026_.pdf

CITY OF PALO ALTO

UTILITIES DEPARTMENT - ELECTRIC

OUTSIDE PLANT FIBER OPTIC CABLE

SPECIFICATION

Single-Mode (OS2) | Outdoor | Aerial / Underground Duct Armored and Non-Armored | 12, 24, 144, 432 and 864 Fiber Counts

DRAFT REVISION - AUGUST 2026

Supersedes March 2008 specification upon final City approval

Revision notes: This draft modernizes the March 2008 City specification, replaces obsolete Bellcore/EIA references, adds current single-mode fiber requirements, permits dry/gel-free water-blocking, and adds 432-fiber and 864-fiber cable constructions.

CPA Inventory numbers 35020, 35030 & 35032

Prepared By: CPAU Fiber Engineering

Date: August 2026

1. SCOPE

1.1 This specification covers factory-manufactured, outside-plant, single-mode optical fiber cable for City of Palo Alto Utilities (CPAU) telecommunications facilities. Cable shall be suitable for high-speed voice, video, data, Ethernet, PON, transport, dark-fiber, and wavelength-division-multiplexed applications.

1.2 Standard fiber counts covered by this specification are 12, 24, 144, 432, and 864 fibers, as identified in the purchase order, project drawings, or RFQ. Other counts may be accepted when specifically approved by CPAU.

1.3 Cable shall be suitable, as applicable to the ordered construction, for outdoor lashed aerial installation and underground duct/conduit installation. Where armored cable is ordered, the armor systems shall be suitable for the specified environment and shall be bonded/grounded as required by applicable codes and city standards.

1.4 The preferred fiber is low-water-peak single-mode fiber compliant with ITU-T G.652.D. Fiber that also complies with ITU-T G.657.A1 is acceptable and preferred where bend performance is beneficial, provided all optical requirements of this specification are met.

1.5 The bidder/manufacturer shall identify all deviations or exceptions in its proposal.

Silence shall be interpreted as full compliance.

APPLICABLE STANDARDS 2.1 Unless a projest document states otherwise, the latest adopted edition in effect at the time of procurement shall apply. Where requirements conflict, the more stringent requirement shall govern unless CPAU approves an exception in writing.

• Telcordia GR-20-CORE - Generic Requirements for Optical Fiber and Optical Fiber Cable.

• ANSI/ICEA S-87-640 - Optical Fiber Outside Plant Communications Cable.

• ANSI/TIA-598 - Optical Fiber Cable Color Coding.

• Applicable TIA-455 Fiber Optic Test Procedures (FOTPs).

• ITU-T G.652.D - Characteristics of a single-mode optical fibre and cable.

• ITU-T G.657.A1, when supplied - bend-insensitive single-mode fiber compatible with G.652.D systems.

• IEEE and applicable electric-utility requirements for installation in the vicinity of power facilities.

• USDA/RUS 7 CFR 1755.902 or successor requirements when RUS compliance is required by the procurement.

• NFPA 70 (NEC), including Article 770, where applicable to the installation.

3. SUBMITTALS AND GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

3.1 The bidder shall furnish a detailed manufacturer data sheet for each proposed cable construction and fiber count. At minimum, the submittal shall identify:

• Manufacturer and product/part number.

• Fiber manufacturer/type and standards compliance.

• Fiber count, cable construction, fibers per tube/ribbon/subunit, and identification scheme.

• Nominal outside diameter and cable weight.

• Short-term and long-term tensile ratings.

• Crush, impact, flexing, torsion, and cyclic-bend performance.

• Minimum installation and long-term bend radius or bend diameter.

• Storage, installation, and operating temperature ranges.

• Water-blocking system and jacket material.

• Armor type, when applicable.

• Maximum recommended pulling tension and installation methods.

• Applicable qualification/test standards

3.2 Cable shall be new, unused, current production, and manufactured from high-quality materials for a minimum expected service life consistent with carrier-grade outside plant installations.

3.3 Each optical fiber shall be traceable to manufacturing and factory test records. Fibers shall contain no field or factory splices within the delivered cable length.

2. 4. CABLE CONSTRUCTION

4.1 General

4.1.1 Cable shall use an outdoor-rated UV-resistant black polyethylene outer jacket and shall be designed for the environment and mechanical conditions of aerial and/or underground duct installation.

4.1.2 Cable constructions may be stranded loose-tube, or ribbon/subunit architecture when appropriate for the ordered fiber count. 12-, 24-, 144- and 432 fiber cables may use loose tube construction. 864 fiber cable may use high density loose-tube or ribbon/subunit construction. The manufacture shall demonstrate compliance with the performance requirements of this specification.

4.2 Optical Fiber

4.2.1 Fiber shall be single-mode OS2, low water peak, compliant with ITU-T G652.D.

G.657.A1 compatibility is acceptable/preferred.

4.2.2 Each fiber shall have a mechanically strippable UV-curved protective coating and shall be 100 percent proof tested to not less than 100 kpsi (0.69 GPa), or the current acceptable standard requirement if more stringent.

4.2.3 Fibers shall be free of defects that prevent compliance with the optical, mechanical, and environmental requirements.

4.3 Buffer Tubes / Ribbons / Subunits

1.1

4.3.1 Loose tube designs shall permit thermal expansion and contraction without transferring harmful stress to the fibers.

4.3.2 Dry or gel-free water-blocking is preferred. Gel-filled buffer tubes or cable cores are acceptable when specified or when part of a qualified manufacturer design. Water-blocking materials shall be non-toxic, non-hygroscopic, fungus resistant, and compatible with all cable components.

4.3.3 Fiber, tube, ribbon, and subunit identification shall remain legible and distinguishable during normal field preparation and splicing.

4.3.4 For high-fiber-count designs, including 432F and 864F, the manufacturer may use 12-fiber, 24-fiber, or other industry-standard subunits/ribbons provided the complete identification scheme is documented and compliant with ANSI/TIA-598 or Telcordia color-coding practices.

4.4 Strength Members and Cable Core

4.4.1 Dielectric central strength members, peripheral strength members, aramid yarn, fiberglass yarn, or equivalent manufacturer-qualified strength systems may be used.

4.4.2 Cable components shall prevent fiber strain, buckling, and migration under the rated installation and operating loads.

4.4.3 The core shall incorporate an effective longitudinal water-blocking system.

4.5 Jackets

4.5.1 The outer jacket shall be high-density or medium-density polyethylene suitable for outside-plant use and resistant to UV exposure, abrasion, moisture, temperature cycling, fungus, and normal installation abuse.

4.5.2 Ripcord(s) shall be provided as required for safe cable entry. Jacket thickness shall meet the applicable ICEA/Telcordia requirements for the cable design.

4.5.3 When CPAU requests tracer/identification stripes, stripe color and quantity shall be stated in the purchase order.

4.6 Armor

4.6.1 When armored cable is specified, armor shall be corrugated steel tape or another CPAU-approved outside-plant armor system. Metallic armor shall be electrically continuous along the cable length and protected by an outer polyethylene jacket.

4.6.2 Armored construction shall comply with applicable bonding and grounding requirements. Dielectric armored designs may be proposed where project conditions require armor without metallic components.

5. FIBER IDENTIFICATION AND COLOR CODE

5.1 Individual fibers shall use the standard 12-color sequence:

Fiber Color Fiber Color 1 Blue 2 Orange 3 Green 4 Brown 5 Slate 6 White 7 Red 8 Black 9 Yellow 10 Violet 11 Rose 12 Aqua

5.2 Tube/subunit/ribbon identification beyond the first 12 elements shall follow ANSI/TIA-598 and the manufacturer's documented scheme, using tracers, dashes, binders, ring marks, printed identifiers, or other permanent means that are readily distinguishable in field conditions.

5.3 The manufacturer shall provide a complete fiber-to-tube/ribbon/subunit mapping for 432F and 864F cables with the bid submittal and on each reel.

6. MECHANICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

6.1 The following are CPAU minimum performance requirements unless the applicable ICEA/Telcordia standard or manufacturer-qualified design is more stringent.

Parameter Minimum Requirement Notes Short-term tensile load 2,700 N (600 lbf) minimum No fiber degradation; higher rating acceptable.

Long-term tensile load 890 N (200 lbf) minimum No fiber degradation; higher rating acceptable.

Crush resistance Meet ANSI/ICEA S-87-640 / applicable TIA-455 FOTP Manufacturer shall submit qualification data.

Impact resistance Meet ANSI/ICEA S-87-640 / applicable TIA-455 FOTP

No unacceptable optical or physical damage.

Installation bend Manufacturer rated; not less stringent than applicable standard

Provide minimum bend radius/diameter for each cable count.

Long-term bend Manufacturer rated; not less stringent than applicable standard

Provide minimum bend radius/diameter for each cable count.

Storage temperature At least -40 C to +70 C Or wider manufacturer-qualified range.

Installation temperature At least -30 C to +70 C Or wider manufacturer-qualified range.

Operating temperature At least -40 C to +70 C Or wider manufacturer-qualified range.

6.2 Cable Size and Weight

6.2.1 Because modern 432F and 864F cable designs vary substantially by loose-tube, ribbon, and high-density architecture, CPAU will not impose legacy diameter/weight limits from the March 2008 specification on these counts.

The bidder shall state the nominal outside diameter and weight for every offered cable and demonstrate compatibility with the specified conduit, reel, pulling equipment, splice closures, and handling methods.

Fiber Count Permitted Construction Nominal OD Nominal Weight 12 Loose tube / central tube Manufacturer data Manufacturer data 24 Loose tube / central tube Manufacturer data Manufacturer data 144 Loose tube / ribbon Manufacturer data Manufacturer data 432 Loose tube / high-density loose tube / ribbon Manufacturer data Manufacturer data

864 High-density loose tube / ribbon / subunit

Manufacturer data Manufacturer data

6.2.2 For reference only, a current commercially available 432F all-dielectric loose-tube cable is approximately 21.2 mm (0.83 in) OD and 241 kg/km (162 lb/kft). This reference is not a proprietary requirement and shall not be used to exclude equivalent compliant products.

7. OPTICAL PERFORMANCE

7.1 Fiber shall comply with ITU-T G.652.D and the applicable optical requirements of ANSI/ICEA S-87-640 and Telcordia GR-20-CORE.

Characteristic CPAU Requirement Comment Fiber type Single-mode OS2, ITU-T G.652.D G.657.A1 compatibility acceptable/preferred.

Cladding diameter 125 micrometers nominal Per applicable ITU-T/IEC tolerances.

Coating diameter 250 micrometers nominal, unless high-density design uses an approved reduced-diameter coating

Manufacturer shall identify coating diameter.

Maximum attenuation at 1310 nm 0.35 dB/km Lower values preferred.

Maximum attenuation at 1550 nm 0.25 dB/km Lower values preferred.

Water-peak performance G.652.D compliant across the extended wavelength range Supports CWDM/DWDM and modern transport applications.

PMD Comply with current G.652.D / manufacturer published specification

Submit maximum cabled PMD coefficient.

8. FACTORY TESTING AND DOCUMENTATION

8.1 Prior to shipment, 100 percent of fibers on every reel shall be factory tested. Certified test data shall be supplied electronically and associated with the reel serial number.

8.2 At minimum, each fiber shall be tested for attenuation at 1310 nm and 1550 nm. OTDR traces and/or insertion-loss data shall be provided in the manufacturer's standard certified format. Where requested by CPAU, testing at 1625 nm shall also be provided.

8.3 Qualification documentation shall demonstrate compliance with tensile, crush, impact, temperature cycling, water penetration, flexing/bending, and other applicable GR-20/ICEA requirements.

8.4 CPAU reserves the right to perform incoming inspection and independent acceptance testing. Nonconforming reels may be rejected.

9. CABLE MARKING

9.1 The outer jacket shall be permanently marked at intervals not exceeding 2 ft (approximately 0.6 m), unless an equivalent industry-standard interval is approved, with at least:

• Manufacturer name or trademark.

• Manufacturer cable designation/part number.

• Fiber count and fiber type.

• Year of manufacture.

• Sequential footage or meter marking.

10. INSTALLATION INFORMATION

10.1 The manufacturer shall provide installation guidance for each cable construction, including maximum pulling tension, recommended pulling-eye/swivel arrangement, minimum bend radius/diameter, approved lubricant, sidewall pressure limits where applicable, aerial lashing requirements, and temperature restrictions.

10.2 High-fiber-count cable handling instructions for 432F and 864F shall specifically address reel handling, pulling setup, closure entry, mid-span access where applicable, and ribbon/subunit preparation.

11. SHIPPING REELS AND LENGTHS

11.1 Cable shall be shipped on non-returnable or returnable reels, as stated in the purchase order, of sufficient strength to prevent cable damage during shipment, handling, storage, and installation.

11.2 CPAU intends to maximize continuous cable lengths and minimize field splices. Proposed reel lengths shall be submitted for approval when they differ from the purchase order.

11.3 Reel dimensions shall be coordinated with the ordered cable count and length. The legacy 72-in flange / 48-in traverse / 36-in drum limit may be exceeded for 432F and 864F when necessary, provided the supplier identifies reel dimensions and weights in advance and CPAU approves handling compatibility.

11.4 Reels shall be weather protected, cable ends sealed against moisture, and the reel suitable for outdoor storage.

11.5 Each reel shall be durably labeled on both sides with:

• Manufacturer name or trademark.

• Manufacturer part number.

• Actual cable length in feet and meters.

• Fiber count and fiber type.

• Year of manufacture.

• Inner and outer end sequential markings.

• Nominal cable diameter.

• Purchase order number.

• Gross reel weight.

• Reel serial number and factory test-data identifier.

12. BID COMPLIANCE SCHEDULE

12.1 The bidder shall provide a line-by-line compliance statement identifying COMPLY, EXCEPTION, or NOT APPLICABLE for Sections 1 through 11. Any exception shall include the proposed alternate requirement and supporting technical data.

12.2 For 432F and 864F cables, the bidder shall additionally provide a cable cross-section or construction drawing, fiber/subunit map, splice-preparation guidance, nominal OD/weight, reel size/weight, and compatible closure recommendations.

APPENDIX A - KEY 2026 REVISION ITEMS

• Added 432-fiber and 864-fiber outside-plant cable.

• Expanded standard procurement counts to 12F, 24F, 144F, 432F and 864F.

• Updated fiber requirement to ITU-T G.652.D low-water-peak single-mode; allows G.657.A1-compatible fiber.

• Replaced obsolete Bellcore TR-TSY-000020 reference with Telcordia GR-20-CORE.

• Added ANSI/ICEA S-87-640 and ANSI/TIA-598 references.

• Allowed modern dry/gel-free water-blocking and high-density/ribbon constructions.

• Removed obsolete fixed diameter/weight caps for modern high-count cable and made those parameters manufacturer-submittal requirements.

• Updated factory test, reel labeling, high-count handling, and bid compliance requirements.