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Performance Comparison of Long-Distance Optical Cable OM5 with Other Cables

Performance Comparison of Long-Distance Optical Cable OM5 with Other Cables

Performance Comparison of Long-Distance Optical Cable OM5 with Other Cables - BENNIE OPTICAL [PDF]

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OM5 fiber offers the highest multimode performance with SWDM support, enabling longer reach and higher bandwidth than OM1–OM4 fibers while maintaining backward compatibility.

Core Size and Light Source Compatibility

OM1: 62.5 µm core, LED light source, legacy applications .
OM2: 50 µm core, LED, improved modal dispersion, supports 1–10 GbE over short distances .
OM3 & OM4: 50 µm core, VCSEL laser-optimized, designed for 10–100 GbE; OM4 offers higher bandwidth and longer reach than OM3 .
OM5: 50 µm core, VCSEL, supports Shortwave Wavelength Division Multiplexing (SWDM) across 850–953 nm, enabling multiple wavelengths on a single fiber .

Bandwidth and Data Rate

OM1: 200 MHz·km, 10 GbE up to 33 m .
OM2: 500 MHz·km, 10 GbE up to 82 m .
OM3: 2000 MHz·km, 10 GbE up to 300 m, 40/100 GbE up to 100 m .
OM4: 4700 MHz·km, 10 GbE up to 550 m, 40/100 GbE up to 150 m .
OM5: Matches OM4 at 4700 MHz·km for 10 GbE but adds SWDM, allowing 100G, 200G, and 400G over fewer fibers and longer distances (e.g., 400GBASE-SR4.2 up to 150 m), .

Maximum Transmission Distance

OM1: 33 m at 10 GbE .
OM2: 82 m at 10 GbE .
OM3: 300 m at 10 GbE, 100 m at 40/100 GbE .
OM4: 550 m at 10 GbE, 150 m at 40/100 GbE .
OM5: 150 m at 40/100G using SWDM, tripling OM4 reach for 400G applications .

Applications and Advantages

OM1/OM2: Legacy enterprise LANs, short-reach, cost-sensitive deployments .
OM3/OM4: Modern data centers, 10–100 GbE, high-speed office networks .
OM5: Future-proof data centers, high-density 100G–400G networks, reduced fiber count, simplified cabling, and lower total cost of ownership due to SWDM support .

Key Takeaways

OM5 is backward-compatible with OM3 and OM4, making upgrades easier.
SWDM capability allows multiple wavelengths on a single fiber, reducing fiber count for high-speed applications.
OM5 is ideal for modern high-bandwidth, short-to-medium reach networks, particularly in data centers where 100G–400G Ethernet is required.
OM1 and OM2 are largely obsolete for new high-speed deployments, suitable only for legacy infrastructure . In summary, OM5 provides the best combination of bandwidth, distance, and future scalability among multimode fibers, making it the preferred choice for high-performance, high-density network environments.

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