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Free Online Self-Study Courses

Fiber U is the free online learning website of the FOA - the Fiber Optic Association, the international professional association and certifying body devoted to the development of a skilled workforce in fiber optics and telecommunication. 

Here you will find free online self-study courses, tutorials, textbooks, videos and links to other FOA pages that will help you learn about fiber optics and premises cabling.

Looking for a specific topic? Try the Fiber U Roadmap below.

Click on an area of interest to learn more about the Fiber U course in that topic. Don't miss the MiniCourses  below too.

Roadmap Basic Fiber Optics OSP Fiber Optics Premises Cabling Fiber Optic Testing Fiber Optic Network Design Fiber Optic Splicing And Termination' FTTH Fiber for Wireless DAS FTTAntenna Optical LANs Data Centers

The free Fiber U self-study courses are in these categories:

Introduction To Fiber Optics - for those getting started in fiber optics

Basic - Fiber Optics  (NUEVO - ¡Ahora en español!) or Premises Cabling, both including Basic Skills Labs (fiber optics and premises cabling)

Skills - Fiber Optic Testing ( with special programs on Fiber Characterization (new) and OTDRs), OSP Construction and OSP Installation

Fiber Optic Network Design - including case studies

Applications - Fiber to the Home (FTTH), Fiber For Wireless, Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS), Fiber to the Antenna (FTTA), Data Centers, Optical LANs


MiniCourses  - Short courses on important topics about fiber optic network design, installation, test and operation that you can finish in an hour or less:  Fiber Optic Jargon, How Optical Fiber Works, Fiber Optic Color Codes, Fiber Optic Connector Identification, Fiber Optic Connector Inspection And Cleaning. The Mysterious dB of Fiber Optics, Reading An OTDR Trace Fiber Optic Link Loss and Power Budgets, Fiber Optic Media Conversion, Fiber Optic Cable Bend Radius, Fiber Optic Cable Midspan Access and Fiber Optic Network Restoration. Reference Cables For Fiber Optic Testing, Fiber Optic Attenuators   New: Fiber Optic Project Management   

New: OJT Courses in fiber optics and premises cabling


Fiber U Certificate of Completion When you finish a free Fiber U online self-study program, you can take a test to get a Fiber U Certificate of Completion for the course for a nominal charge to cover our online testing service.

Certification - Fiber U courses may be used as preparation for the FOA certification programs as noted in the descriptions.
ReferencesFiber U courses are based on the extensive FOA knowledge base on fiber optics, including the FOA textbooks and online FOA Guide.   

About Fiber U - The history and goals of FOA's online learning site


Most courses are aimed at helping study for the corresponding FOA certifications. Each course has an estimate of the typical times to complete the course. Many courses assume a knowledge of basic fiber optics so the newcomer may want to start with the Basic Fiber Optics course below.

Lennie Lightwave

Who is Lennie Lightwave? Lennie Lightwave was the cartoon mascot created for the original Fiber U conference in 1993.




All Fiber U material and programs are copyright FOA. For information on fair use of this material, go here.

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Introduction To Fiber Optics: Fiber Optics In Communications

Earth with submarine cables

Fiber Optics In Communications and How It Works   
(1 hour)  
Just getting started in fiber optics and wonder where it's used and how it works? Are you managing a fiber project and want to understand what is involved? Does your organization use fiber optics and you'd like to know more about how it works? This short introductory lesson from Fiber U is intended for you. Not too technical, just an overview, but a good starting place for everyone interested in fiber optics.
 


Fiber U "Basic Fiber Optics" Self-Study Program - NUEVO - ¡Ahora en español!

Fiber demo live

Basic Fiber Optics
(10-20 hours)
fiber u certificate
May be used with the FOA "OJT to Cert" and "Work to Cert" programs and as preparation for the CFOT® Certification Exam
This is a 10-part series of self-study lessons covering the basics of fiber optics. You can use the FOA Online Reference Guide to Fiber Optics or a copy of the textbook The FOA Reference Guide to Fiber Optics, available in printed or Kindle eBook form. Study the reference materials and test your comprehension with the online quizzes. This course was designed for those just getting started in fiber optics, as a preparation for those taking the CFOT Certification directly or planning to attend an FOA-approved course and want to prepare ahead of time. 
Complete the course and you can take the Fiber U Certificate of Completion test.

NUEVO - ¡Ahora en español!

Fibra Óptica Básica
(10-20 horas)
Puede usarse como preparación para el examen de certificación CFOT®
Esta es una serie de 10 lecciones de autoaprendizaje que cubren los conceptos básicos de la fibra óptica. Puede utilizar la Guía de referencia de fibra óptica en línea de la FOA o una copia del libro de texto La Guía de referencia de la fibra óptica de la FOA, disponible en formato impreso o de libro electrónico Kindle. Estudie los materiales de referencia y pruebe su comprensión con los cuestionarios en línea. Este curso fue diseñado para aquellos que recién comienzan en fibra óptica, como una preparación para aquellos que toman la Certificación CFOT directamente o planean asistir a un curso aprobado por FOA y quieren prepararse con anticipación.
Complete el curso y podrá realizar el examen de Certificado de finalización de Fiber U.




Fiber Optic Skills Lab
Basic fiber skills

Fiber Optic Skills Lab 
Covers Safety, Tools, Cable Preparation, Splicing, Termination and Testing
May be used as supplemental material in preparation for the CFOT®, CFOS/S, CFOS/C, CFOS/T Certification Exams
(Hands-on, 10-20 hours, each lesson 2-5 hours)
Includes Do it Yourself lab using inexpensive tools and components you can purchase online. Includes two link demos: a basic fiber optic link and a PON network. 
fiber u certificate
While you cannot learn hands-on installation skills necessary for fiber optic techs by taking an online course, if your company or you already have the equipment, the  Fiber U Basic Skills Lab can help you learn on your own. In this course you download a workbook and use FOA Guide, YouTube Videos and "Virtual Hands-On" tutorials to give you step by step instructions and lots of hints on how to prepare cables, splice, terminate and test them, then build a working fiber optic network.This course is designed for those who have already completed the Basic Fiber Optics course above, have access to equipment and a variety of components and want to learn the processes of fiber optic installation on their own. If you are preparing to take a in-person course from one of the FOA approved schools, you can use this course to familiarize yourself with the labs taught in the courses.
This course includes Do it Yourself labs using inexpensive tools and components you can purchase online. It includes two link demos: a basic fiber optic link and a PON network. 
Complete the course and you can take the Fiber U Certificate of Completion
test.


Premises Cabling
Premises cabling

Premises Cabling (Copper, Fiber And Wireless)  
(5-10 hours)
fiber u certificate
May be used as preparation for the CPCT Certification Exam
This 8-part self-study program covers premises cabling, including copper (UTP and coax), fiber and wireless (or more precisely, cabling for wireless.) This program uses the FOA Online Reference Guide to Fiber Optics, Premises Cabling Section or a copy of the FOA textbook The FOA Reference Guide to Premises Cabling, available in printed or Kindle eBook form. Study the reference materials and test your comprehension with the online quizzes. Additional reading is included for advanced study.
Complete the course and you can take the
Fiber U Certificate of Completion test .


Premises Cabling  Skills Lab
UTP

Premises Cabling Skills Lab, Copper Cabling
Covers safety, tools, coax, UTP cables, plugs and jacks.
(Hands-on, 5-10 hours, each lesson 1-5 hours)
Includes Do it Yourself lab using inexpensive tools you can purchase online. 
fiber u certificate
May be used as supplemental material in preparation for the CPCT Certification Exam
The Fiber U Premises Cabling course includes copper cabling, fiber cabling and wireless. The fiber optic cabling is inclded in the Basic Fiber Optics course and The Basis Fiber Optics Skills lab. This course covers basic skills for unshielded wtisted pair (UTP) copper cable (what is often called "Cat 5" cable) and coax for video. This course
can help you learn on your own. In this course you download a workbook and use FOA Guide, YouTube Videos and "Virtual Hands-On" tutorials to give you step by step instructions and lots of hints on how to prepare cables, splice, terminate and test them.This course is designed for those who have already completed the Premises Cabling course above, have access to equipment and a variety of components and want to learn the processes of fiber optic installation on their own. If you are preparing to take a in-person course from one of the FOA approved schools, you can use this course to familiarize yourself with the labs taught in the courses. 
Complete the course and you can take the Fiber U Certificate of Completion test .

Fiber U "Specialist" Skills-Based Courses  



Outside Plant FIber Optics

splicer

Outside Plant Fiber Optics
(10-20 hours, 5-10 if Basics of Fiber above is completed first*)
fiber u certificate
May be used as preparation for the CFOS/O
Certification Exam
This 10-part self-study program on outside plant fiber optics covers the outdoor networks used by telcos, wireless operators, CATV companies, utilities, etc. and the processes used in their installation. This program uses the FOA Online Reference Guide to Fiber Optics, OSP Section or a copy of the FOA textbook The FOA Reference Guide to Outside Plant Fiber Optics, available in printed or Kindle eBook form. Study the reference materials and test your comprehension with the online quizzes. Additional reading is included for advanced study. Note: this is an expanded version of the Basic Fiber Optics program above to include specific issues of OSP installation. If you have completed the Basics of Fiber Optics course above, the time to complete this program is less because the introductory information is the same.

Complete the course and you can take the Fiber U Certificate of Completion 
test.




Outside Plant Construction

OSP

Outside Plant (OSP) Construction
(5-10 hours)
fiber u certificate
May be used as supplemental material in preparation for the CFOS/O Certification Exam
This program covers the process of construction of outside plant (OSP) fiber optic cable plant including underground, direct buried and aerial installations. The Outside Plant Fiber Optics program above continues from this course to cover OSP installation from the point of preparing the cable, splicing, termination and testing. 
Complete the course and you can take the
Fiber U Certificate of Completion 
test.





Fiber Optic Testing

Testing

Fiber Optic Testing
(10-20 hours)

fiber u certificate
May be used as preparation for the CFOS/T
Certification Exam
Prerequisite: Basic Fiber Optics above, or comprehensive knowledge of fiber optics.
The Fiber U Fiber Optic Testing self-study program is aimed at everyone working in fiber optics. This 6 part series of lessons covers the full scope of fiber optic testing, one of the most complex topics in fiber optics. The course is divided into lessons that cover an overview of fiber optic testing, test tools and instruments, visual testing, insertion loss, OTDRs and a catch-all final lesson covering a number of other topics. The course uses the FOA textbook The FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optic Testing, , available in printed or Kindle eBook form, the FOA Online Guide and FOA YouTube Videos to provide the basic materials for study but we also provide links to many additional topics that may apply to your particular applications. For those just interested in OTDRs, there is a separate program on that subject below.
Complete the course and you can take the
Fiber U Certificate of Completion test.



Fiber Characterization


Fiber Characterization Testing

Fiber Characterization
(2-4 hours)

fiber u certificate
Prerequisite: Fiber U Fiber Optic Testing Course or equivalent
For high-speed networks operating over very long distances, new factors limiting fiber performance become important. Chromatic dispersion, the dispersion caused by light of different wavelengths, and polarization mode dispersion, caused by the polarization of the light in the fiber, become factors limiting the bandwidth capacity of fiber links. Pulse broadening due to chromatic dispersion and the variation of fiber attenuation with wavelength can become issues with DWDM. A suite of tests for these factors has been developed to test fibers for long distance high-speed networks. These tests are normally called “fiber characterization,” but technically they are “fiber optic cable plant characterization” since it must include the complete end-to-end cable plant. That is what this course will cover.
Complete the course and you can take the Fiber U Certificate of Completion test.


Understanding OTDRs

OTDR

Understanding OTDRs And OTDR Testing
 
(2-4 hours)
fiber u certificate
This is a lesson from the Fiber Optic Testing course above that just covers OTDR testing.
Prerequisite:
Basic Fiber Optics above, or comprehensive knowledge of fiber optics.
May be used as supplemental material in preparation for the
CFOS/T Certification Exam
This is a 4-part series on understanding one of the more important testing tools in fiber optics. OTDRs are valuable test tools but require more depth of understanding to use properly. This self-study program will review fiber optic testing, look at how OTDRs work and how their test data is analyzed. It also explains testing artifacts like "gainers" and "ghosts" that can be very confusing.
The course uses the FOA textbook The FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optic Testing, , available in printed or Kindle eBook form, the FOA Online Guide and FOA YouTube Videos to provide the basic materials for study but we also provide links to many additional topics that may apply to your particular applications. Included with this course is a free OTDR simulator you can download and run on your Windows PC.
Complete the course and you can take the
Fiber U Certificate of Completion test.



Fiber Optic Network Design (For Designers And Management)  

Design

Fiber Optic Network Design
(5-15 hours)
fiber u certificate
May be used as preparation for the CFOS/D
Certification Exam
This 8-part series of self-study lessons is aimed at designers and managers needing to know how to design, install and operate a fiber optic network.  It's about how to evaluate customer needs for communications links, choose equipment, design the cable plant, choose components, create a plan, choose contractors, pick components, manage the install and finish the paperwork.
It's not how to create drawings - that's another part of design but specific to the software or method used to create drawings! The final lesson is 9 case studies of various networks where you have to make the right choices. The course uses the FOA textbook The FOA Reference Guide To Fiber Optic Network Design, available in printed or Kindle eBook form, the FOA Online Guide and FOA YouTube Videos to provide the basic materials for study but we also provide links to many additional topics that may apply to your particular applications. This course assumes you have a basic knowledge of fiber optics at the CFOT/CPCT level. If not, take the Basic Fiber Optics or Outside Plant Fiber Optics course above.
If you are interested in taking this course for FOA CFOS/D direct "Work-To-Cert" certification, contact FOA at info@foa.org.
Complete the course and case studies and you can take the Fiber U Certificate of Completion test.


Fiber Optic "Specialist" Applications-Based Courses 

Recommended preparation: Basic knowledge of fiber optics, e.g. Basic Fiber Optics course above.



Fiber To The Home, etc.

FTTX

FTTx   Fiber To The Home, Premises, Business, Curb, etc.
(3-5 hours)
fiber u certificate

May be used as preparation for the CFOS/H Certification Exam
This 6-part series will introduce you to the varieties of ways that fiber optics is moving closer or all the way to the subscriber. While some refer to it as FTTH (fiber to the home), we also have FTTC (curb), FTTP (premises) and even a new acronym, FTTW (wireless), and this self-study program will cover all the varieties. While all varieties of FTTx are covered, most of the course focuses on FTTH PON networks. Take this course and you will learn about all the options for FTTx, what network architectures look like, what standards exist, and get an overview of how they are installed and tested. A final session will cover design of FTTx and give you a design exercise to complete. This course is designed for everyone interested in FTTx. Those new to fiber optics or in management roles can use this course to familiarize themselves with FTTx technologies, while those with fiber backgrounds will learn how to implement FTTx from this course.
The course uses the FOA textbook The FOA Reference Guide To Outside Plant Fiber Optics, Appendix B, available in printed or Kindle eBook form, the FOA Online Guide and FOA YouTube Videos to provide the basic materials for study.
Complete the course and you can take the Fiber U Certificate of Completion 
test.



Fiber For Wireless

Small cells

Fiber For Wireless
(2-5 hours)
fiber u certificate
May be used as preparation for the CFOS/W
Certification Exam
Wireless communications is growing at an incomprehensible pace. Cellular wireless is looking at upgrades to 5G technology, small cells and video streaming. WiFi is reaching gigabit speeds for enterprise LANs, being deployed in many metro areas and even being used for line-of-sight links in rural areas. All these applications depend on fiber optics for backbones. This new Fiber U self-study program combines the current programs on FTTA (fiber to the antenna) and DAS (distributed antenna systems) and adds lessons on Small Cells, the hottest topic in cellular wireless, and WiFi applications. This course is aimed at communications managers and fiber optic contractors who want an overview of how wireless technologies depend on fiber optics and how to implement these systems.

Complete the course and you can take the Fiber U Certificate of Completion 
test.


Distributed Antenna Systems

DAS

Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS)   
(1-2 hours)
fiber u certificate

May be used as preparation for the CFOS/W Certification Exam
Cellular data traffic growth has been phenomenal - over 500 times in the first seven years of smartphones. While most antennas are outdoors, most call originate from indoors. While everyone expects cellular connections everywhere, signals have trouble getting inside large buildings, mass transit tunnesl, etc. and regular cellular systems are overloaded in facilities where large groups gather, such as sports facilities or convention centers. The solution to both problems is to install distributed antenna systems that provide adequate coverage no matter how big the crowd or where they are. This Fiber U course covers how a DAS works, its cabling requirements and how they are installed.

Complete the course and you can take the Fiber U Certificate of Completion 
test.



Fiber To The Antenna

FTTA

Fiber To The Antenna  

(2-4 hours)
fiber u certificate
May be used as preparation for the CFOS/W Certification Exam
Similar to DAS (above), cell towers have been changing to adapt to the large growth in volume of data traffic over cellular networks. Towers that one had 3 antennas now have a dozen or more. Connecting to those antennas from the base of the tower with traditional coax cables required too much weight and wind resistance for the tower, not to mention cost, so digital systems using fiber optic cables have been replacing the coax. This Fiber U course covers the equipment mounted on cell towers,how cabling connects them and how those cables are installed and tested.

Complete the course and you can take the Fiber U Certificate of Completion 
test.





Data Center Cabling

Data Center


Data Center Cabling 

(2-4 hours)
fiber u certificate
May be used as preparation for the CFOS/DC Certification Exam 
Data  centers are one of the fastest growing areas in information technology and communications, leading to many large applications for cabling. There are many different viewpoints on how data center cabling should be designed and installed, depending on the point of view. Fiber U takes a unbiased viewpoint to try to understand how users are actually building data centers and creates a short self-study program that can provide a better basis for understanding this important cabling application.
Complete the course and you can take the Fiber U Certificate of Completion 
test.

Optical LANs

OLAN
Optical LANs (OLANs)      
(3-5 hours)
fiber u certificate
May be used as preparation for the CFOS/L Certification Exam
Optical LANs or OLANs, are a new way to build LANs using an all optical fiber cable plant and electronics derived from fiber to the home (FTTH). Sometimes also referred to as fiber to the desk or FTTD, POLs, POLANs, passive optical LANs or FTTO, fiber to the office, these are LANs (local area networks) that are based on optical fiber cabling, not copper, and are of great interest to many contractors, installers and end users. This course will provide an overview of the three types of optical LANs, their advantages over traditional LANs and how to design, install and test them.

Complete the course and you can take the
Fiber U Certificate of Completion  test.




Fiber U - MiniCourses

Fiber U "MiniCourses" are self-study programs on specialized topics you can complete in an hour or less.
You can get a Fiber U Certificate of Completion
for these MiniCourses  for $10US.
fiber u certificate



Fiber Optic Jargon
Fiber Optic Jargon
The key to understanding any technology is understanding the language of the technology – the jargon. This Fiber U MiniCourse gives you an overview of fiber jargon to introduce you to the language of fiber optics and help you understand what you will be hearing when communicating with fiber optic designers, contractors, installers, distributors and manufacturers.




Fiber Optic Project Management   

Project Management

Fiber Optic Project Management   
(1 hour)
Managing a fiber optic project can be the easiest part of the installation if the design and planning have been done thoroughly and properly, or, if not, it can be the the hardest. It's certainly important to understand what managing a project entails.




How Optical Fiber Works
How fiber works
How Optical Fiber Works
(1 hour)
How does optical fiber capture light in the core of the fiber and transmit light long distances? This Fiber U Minicourse explains how fiber works simply with an animated video that clearly illustrates the principles that make fiber of all types work.
You can get your Fiber U Certificate of Completion too, for $10.


Fiber Optic Color Codes
Fiber opti ccolor codes

Fiber Optic Color Codes  
(1 hour)
Color codes are used for identifying fibers, cables, splices and connectors, ensuring correct connections. Color codes are also an important part of fiber optic cable plant documentation. This Fiber U MiniCourse covers the standard colors of fiber optics and how they are used to ensure network connections. You can get your Fiber U Certificate of Completion too, for $10.

Fiber Optic Connector Identification

connectors

Fiber Optic Connector Identification

(1 hour)  
Over the history of fiber optics, there have been more than 100 unique designs for fiber optic connectors. Fortunately only a few have become widely used, but field techs often encounter connectors they are not familiar with. This Fiber U MiniCourse covers the most popular connectors today and some that have been widely used in the past that techs often contact FOA asking for help in identifying them.
You can get your Fiber U Certificate of Completion too, for $10.

  Fiber Optic Connector Inspection And Cleaning

connector inspection
Fiber Optic Connector Inspection And Cleaning. 
(1 hour) 
Optical fibers are as small as a human hair and the performance of fiber optic connections is highly susceptible to dirt and contamination. This course describes the types of connector problems caused by dirt, contamination and damage, how to perform visual inspection of connectors and how to use proper methods to clean them.
You can get your Fiber U Certificate of Completion too, for $10.

The Mysterious dB of Fiber Optics

dB

The Mysterious dB of Fiber Optics MiniCourse
(1 hour)  
Fiber optic measurements of power and loss are made in dB, a mysterious unit of measurement that confuses many people. This MiniCourse helps you understand what dB and dBm are, how they are defined and measured. The course also explains how small change in an international standard created confusion and misunderstanding of dB. Even if you aren't a math whiz, this FOA MiniCourse can help you understand dB.
You can get your Fiber U Certificate of Completion too, for $10.



Reference Cables For Fiber Optic Testing - New

reference cables for fiber optic testing

Reference Cables For Fiber Optic Testing

(1 hour)
When testing a fiber optic cable plant, the test setup looks very similar to the way a fiber optic data link uses the cable plant, with the communications equipment replaced with fiber optic test equipment and the  patchcords connecting the communications equipment replaced by reference test cables. This Fiber U MiniCourse covers the uses, specifications and handling of reference cables for fiber optic testing. You can get your Fiber U Certificate of Completion too, for $10.




Reading An OTDR Trace

OTDR trace
Reading An OTDR Trace
(1 hour) 
The information provided is an OTDR trace is quite valuable if you know how to interpret this. The first thing you need to know is what the elements in an OTDR trace are, which is the subject of this FIber U MiniCourse.
You can get your Fiber U Certificate of Completion for $10.
 

  Fiber Optic Link Loss and Power Budgets

Loss Budget
Fiber Optic Link Loss and Power Budgets
(1 hour) 
Fiber optic link loss budgets and power budgets are very important for designing and testing fiber optic networks. During the design phase, the power budget of a network intended to be used on the cable plant being designed is necessary to compare to the link loss budget of the cable plant to ensure the cable plant and the network are compatible and there is sufficient loss margin for operation of the network. After the cable plant is installed, the link loss budget is used as the criteria for testing the loss of all the fibers in the cable plant, all of which should be within the loss budget. 
This course will introduce the concepts of link loss and power budgets and show how they are used in designing and testing fiber optic networks. It is intended for designers of fiber optics networks and techs who will be testing these networks.
You can get your Fiber U Certificate of Completion too, for $10.


Fiber Optic Attenuators
New
fiber optic attenuators
Fiber Optic Attenuators For Managing Data Link Power 
Most of our attention in a data link focuses on the cable plant, particularly minimizing the loss of the installed cable plant. However many fiber optic links have too much power at the receiver, a consequence of having links designed for long distances being used at shorter distances. This course will discuss the need for attenuators, how to determine the value of attenuator needed and how to install and test them in the link. You can get your Fiber U Certificate of Completion too, for $10.

Fiber Optic Media Conversion

fiber optic media conversion
Fiber Optic Media Conversion
(1 hour) 
Electronic devices communicate internally using electrons on conductors and communicate with other devices using copper cables. radio waves (wireless) or fiber optics.
These often require connections into fiber optic networks since fiber optics is the backbone of the world's communications. This course describes these converters and how to use them.  You can get your Fiber U Certificate of Completion for $10.

  Fiber Optic Cable Bend Radius

bend rradius

Fiber Optic Cable Bend Radius 
(1 hour) 
All fiber optic cables have specifications that must not be exceeded during and after installation to prevent irreparable damage to the cable. This includes pulling tension, minimum bend radius or diameter and crush loads. Installers must understand these specifications and know how to install cables without damaging them. Bending of a fiber optic cable can damage the cable if the curvature of the bend is too small. Damage may not always be obvious, like a kink in the cable, but may include broken fibers, fibers with higher loss due to stress and cable structural damage that may lead to reliability problems.
You can get your Fiber U Certificate of Completion too, for $10.



Fiber Optic Cable Midspan Access

midspan access
Fiber Optic Cable Midspan Access
(1 hour) 
Many installations involve splitting the fibers in a backbone cable or dropping a small fiber count cable from a large backbone cable.
This Fiber U MiniCourse will explain how a high fiber count backbone or distribution cable can drop just a few fibers at a location without splicing all the fibers in the cable, saving time and cost.
You can get your Fiber U Certificate of Completion for $10.




Fiber Optic Network Restoration

Fiber Optic Netowrk Restoration

Fiber Optic Network Restoration
(1 hour)

Every fiber optic network is susceptible to outages, either by damage to the cable plant or problems with the communications equipment. This Fiber U MiniCourse covers what kinds of damage occurs to a fiber optic communications network, how to plan for outages and restoration and how to troubleshoot and repair problems. This course is aimed at managers and network owners as well as contractors and installers. You can get your Fiber U Certificate of Completion too, for $10.


OJT - On-The-Job-Training

OJT

OJT is the well-known term for "on-the-job training." Workers learn on the job under the supervision of experienced co-workers. FOA has been asked many times how its resources like Fiber U can be used to help employers and their employees involved in OJT. The interest in OJT has been so high, especially during the difficult year in 2020, that FOA decided to formalize an OJT program and create training aids to help employers develop qualified techs using OJT.

The Fiber U OJT program combines online study at Fiber U with OJT to help new employees develop into certified technicians in only one year.  Upon completion of this program, the trainee will be prepared to take the exam for the FOA CFOT, Certified Fiber Optic Technician, the most widely recognized fiber optic certification in the industry. To explain How OJT works and FOA's OJT-To-Cert program, FOA created a short 10 minute YouTube video that explains what OJT is, who uses it and how to use Fiber U to organize and enhance OJT for new employees and experienced workers too: On The Job Training For Fiber Optics Using Fiber U (video)

Fiber Optic OJT - On The Job Training Course  

Premises Cabling OJT - On The Job Training Course  




Fiber U Certificate

Get a "Certificate of Completion" for taking Fiber U online self-study programs.

Finish a Fiber U online self-study program and get a "Certificate of Completion" for the course. After completion of these courses, you can take an online exam at nominal cost ($20US for full courses, $10 for MiniCourses) and get a "Fiber U Certificate of Completion" for the online course.

Premises cabling

Please note: receiving this Fiber U Certificate of Completion does not include FOA certification but it does become documentation of your knowledge of fiber optics and should be part of your portfolio of documented knowledge, other training and work experience that can qualify you to apply for FOA direct FOA certification through the FOA "Work to Cert" program.

For more information on the Fiber U Certificate of Completion program, go here.

For more information on the FOA and its certification programs, go to the FOA page on certification.

For information on the FOA "Work to Cert" direct certification program for those with industry experience, go here.



FOA Certification Programs

FOA Certification
Unless you already have field experience, you can't get FOA CFOT® or CPCT certified just by taking online courses at Fiber U because you can't develop hands-on skills needed for fiber optics on a computer! But using these self-study courses, you can prepare yourself for training at one of our hundreds of FOA-Approved schools around the world, refresh your knowledge from your own CFOT training or study for FOA exams if you are experienced in fiber optics and want to apply for direct certification.
If you do have field experience, you may qualify for the FOA "Work to Cert" direct certification program.

For more information on the FOA and its certification programs, go to the FOA page on certification.

For information on the FOA "Work to Cert" direct certification program for those with industry experience, go here.



FOA Resources




Reference Books from The FOA 

FOA textbooks
FOA has created these  textbooks to be used in training for FOA certifications and as reference books for contractors, installers and end users of fiber optics. Many are cited in the Fiber U self-study courses. All FOA books are available in printed form at Amazon.com, and some also as eBooks on the Amazon Kindle or as Apple iBooks for the iPad/iPhone/iPod.
Go here for more information.



FOA Guide
Learn more about fiber optics at the FOA Online Reference Guide to Fiber Optics - almost one thousand pages of technical information on fiber optics. It's the world's most used and trusted site for technical information on fiber optics.




Y-T

The FOA is using YouTube to host a large number of instructional videos including lecture series on fiber optics and premises cabling plus dozens of hands-on videos.

See the FOA Lecture Series and dozens of hands-on instructional videos and lectures about fiber optics and premises cabling on the FOA YouTube Channel - "thefoainc"


YouTube thefoainc page

Here is a listing of all the current FOA YouTube Videos 




Getting Started Guides
Take the short course "Fiber Optics In Communications - And How It Works" - an introduction to fiber optics in communications and fiber optic technology.

Or read these two introductory guides:

Lennie on iTunes   Uncle Ted on iTunes

These two guides are simple introductions to the subjects. They will explain the applications, jargon, components and installation in a quick overview. Lennie Lightwave's Guide to Fiber Optics and Uncle Ted's Guide to Communications Cabling   are available free online.

25th Anniversary Lennie

Lennie's Guide is now also available in print - a special 25th anniversary edition in full color! Buy it on Amazon.





Fiber U History


Fiber U training



Fiber U began as a training conference run by Fotec, the fiber optic test equipment company started by Jim Hayes, now FOA President. Fiber U combined lectures by many highly knowledgeable instructors and had participating manufacturers to provide hands-on training on their equipment. During the 1990s, dozens of Fiber U conferences were held as a standalone conference and as part of major trade shows and meetings. Conferences had up to 250 students and 40 vendors, taking over complete hotels and filling conference areas - even parking lots - with training sessions.

After the 1994 conference, the Fiber U instructors decided that the fiber optic industry was ready to have its own professional society and the FOA was born.
 
Fiber U also pioneered online training, starting in 1997 using techniques just like we use today which we learned from a teacher who was a summer intern at Fotec.


Photos from the original Fiber U conferences.  



Lennie
Lennie Lightwave was the cartoon mascot created for the original Fiber U conference in 1993. Lennie has been called the most famous guy in fiber optics.  Lennie Lightwave's Guide to Fiber Optics was published 20 years ago as a simple, easy to understand introduction to fiber optics. The web version of 
Lennie Lightwave's Guide to Fiber Optics was one of the first commercial web pages ever and introduced many people to fiber optic technology. Now Lennie's Guide and Uncle Ted's Guide to Communications Cabling, the premises cabling equivalent, are still two of the most popular sites for getting started in the fiber optics and premises cabling business.



Use of Fiber U Material

This information is provided by The Fiber Optic Association, Inc. as a benefit to those interested in teaching, designing, manufacturing, selling, installing or using fiber optic communications systems or networks. It is intended to be used as a overview and/or basic guidelines and in no way should be considered to be complete or comprehensive. These guidelines are strictly the opinion of the FOA and the reader is expected to use them as a basis for learning, as a reference and for creating their own documentation, project specifications, etc. Those working with fiber optics in the classroom, laboratory or field should follow all safety rules carefully. The FOA assumes no liability for the use of any of this material.


All FOA materials are copyrighted and subject to legal restrictions on its use. The FOA is glad to have the Fiber U material used for reference, education, etc. as long as the FOA Guidelines are followed and the source of the material (FOA) is identified with attribution.


The Fiber Optic Association Inc. (FOA) is the international professional association of fiber optics. FOA is chartered to promote fiber optics through education, certification and standards. More about the FOA.



Privacy
Policy: The FOA does not use cookies or any other web tricks to gather information on visitors to our website. Our website host, Network Solutions, does gather traffic statistics for the visitors to our website and our online testing service, ClassMarker, maintains data about the person taking tests and statistics of test results. We do not release or misuse any information on any of our certificants except we will confirm FOA certifications  when requested by appropriate persons such as employers or personnel services.
Read the complete FOA Privacy Policy here.

 


To Contact The FOA:
 
info@foa.org.   www.foa.org
Office Hours 10AM-5 PM Pacific Time, Monday-Friday
Telephone: 1-760-451-3655
Fax: 1-781-207-2421

"Fiber U," the Fiber U logo, the FOA log and "CFOT" are registered trademarks of the FOA.

(C)2021, The Fiber Optic Association, Inc.

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