OM1 Duplex fiber has higher bandwidth

A single-mode fiber, having a single propagation mode and therefore no intermodal dispersion, has higher bandwidth than multimode fiber. This allows for higher data rates over much longer distances than achievable with multimode fiber. Consequently, long haul telecommunications applications only use single-mode fiber, and it is deployed in nearly all metropolitan and regional configurations. Long distance carriers, local Bells, and government agencies transmit traffic over single-mode fiber laid beneath city streets, under rural cornfields, and strung from telephone poles. Although single mode OM1 Duplex fiber has higher bandwidth, multimode fiber supports high data rates at short distances. The smaller core diameter of single mode duplex fiber also increases the difficulty in coupling sufficient optical power into the fiber. Relaxed tolerances on optical coupling requirements afforded by multimode fiber enable the use of transmitter packaging tolerances that are less precise, thereby allowing lower cost transceivers or lasers. As a result, multimode OM1 Duplex fiber optic cable has dominated in shorter distance and cost sensitive LAN applications.