This guide covers the decisions that actually move the needle for FTTH cable selection: network architecture, fiber type, drop-cable structure, jacket material, fiber-count and splitter planning, compliance, and supplier selection. It is written for procurement and engineering teams specifying cable for greenfield housing estates, rural broadband programs, and multi-dwelling-unit (MDU) builds.
1Read the Network Architecture Before You Specify Cable
An FTTH network is not one cable; it is a chain, and each segment uses a different cable type:
Feeder / trunk - runs from the central office (OLT) to the distribution cabinet. Typically ADSS, GYXTW, or GYFTY in high fiber counts (96–288 cores).
Distribution - from cabinet to the building entrance, often GYXTW or GYFTY.
Drop - the last few meters from the building entry to the ONU inside the customer home. This is where GJXH and GJXFH drop cables live.
Passive splitters (PLC 1×4 to 1×64) bridge distribution and drop at the cabinet or building.
The drop segment takes the most physical abuse-sharp bends around door frames, staples, tight conduit-so it needs bend-insensitive fiber and a jacket rated for the install environment. Specification effort should be heaviest here, not on the feeder.
2Single-Mode G.657A Is the FTTH Default
For FTTH, single-mode fiber is non-negotiable. Multimode (OM1–OM4) is built for short-reach data-center links of a few hundred meters and cannot carry the distances or future bandwidth that access networks demand.
Within single-mode, specify by segment:
G.652D for trunk and distribution: low water peak, standard attenuation performance.
G.657A1 / G.657A2 for the drop: bend-insensitive, rated for macro-bend radii as tight as 10 mm (G.657A1) or 7.5 mm (G.657A2). This tolerates the tight routing inside homes without a permanent loss penalty.
FCJ draws both G.652D and G.657A fiber in-house-see the optical fiber product line-which keeps attenuation and geometry consistent across the whole link rather than mixing third-party fiber into the drop.
3Pick the Drop Cable Structure: GJXH vs GJXFH
The drop cable is the most specified product in an FTTH project. The two common flat (bow-tie / 8-shaped) structures differ by their strength member:
GJXH - metal strength member
Central fiber with steel-wire reinforcement on both sides. Higher tensile strength, good for aerial and longer drops. The trade-off is that it conducts, so avoid it where lightning exposure or co-located power lines are a concern.
GJXFH - non-metallic strength member
Same butterfly shape but with FRP or KFRP reinforcement. Fully dielectric, lightning-safe, and lighter. Preferred for indoor runs and routes with electrical-isolation requirements. FCJ's GJXFH(V) FRP and stripped variants cover 1–2 core indoor drops.
Both are available as flat drop or figure-8 self-supporting (with a messenger wire) for aerial deployment, and as LSZH-rated for MDU risers. FCJ's FTTH cable range-including GJYXFCH, GJYXCH, and GYFXBY-covers indoor, outdoor, and self-supporting variants in 1–8 cores.
4Match the Jacket to the Install Environment
Jacket choice is a compliance and safety decision, not a cosmetic one:
Indoor: LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen) jacket, compliant with IEC 60332 (flame propagation) and IEC 60754 (halogen-free). Required in most European and many Asian building codes.
Outdoor / aerial: black PE or UV-stabilized jacket, weather- and rodent-resistant.
Indoor–outdoor rated: a single cable that transitions without a splice, simplifying inventory on mixed routes.
Do not specify a PVC jacket for indoor FTTH in regulated markets. Smoke and toxicity rules will fail inspection, and the re-pull cost far exceeds the small per-meter saving.
5Plan Fiber Count and Splitter Ratio Together
These two variables are linked, so specify them as a pair:
Splitter ratio: GPON commonly uses 1:64; EPON 1:32; XG(S)-PON pushes higher. The PLC splitter (1×N) sits at the cabinet or building.
Drop fiber count: most residential drops use 1 or 2 fibers. Specify 2 fibers when you want a spare for a future second provider or service migration.
Feeder count: size for the full subscriber base plus 20–30% slack.
Over-provisioning the feeder is cheap; under-provisioning forces an early rebuild. Pair a 1:64 splitter plan with G.657A drop cable to keep per-home loss inside the OLT's optical budget.
6Verify Standards and Demand Test Reports
A compliant cable carries these marks:
Fiber: ITU-T G.652 / G.657.
Cable: IEC 60794-1 (generic) and IEC 60794-2 / -3 (duct / aerial).
US projects: TIA-568; international: ISO/IEC 11801.
Environmental: RoHS, typically CE.
Request per-batch test data: an OTDR trace (attenuation ≤ 0.36 dB/km at 1310 nm for single-mode), insertion-loss figures, and tensile / crush certificates. A vertically integrated manufacturer can supply these without a middleman delay-ask for the batch report before release, not after delivery.
7Source From a Vertically Integrated Manufacturer
Cable price is a small part of FTTH rollout cost; consistency and lead time are not. FCJ OPTO TECH (founded 1992, Hangzhou) controls the full chain-optical preform, optical fiber drawing, cable production, and passive components-with an annual output of 600 t preform, 120 million km fiber, and 200 million km FTTH cable. That integration delivers practical advantages for a rollout:
Stable G.657A geometry across millions of drop cables, so field loss stays predictable.
Custom print, length, and packaging for project tenders and government broadband programs.
Direct supply track record with China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom, plus export to 80+ countries.
For EPC contractors and public broadband programs, that qualification history reduces the risk that a cable lot fails acceptance on site.
8FTTH Cable Selection Checklist
Before releasing a purchase order, confirm each item:
Fiber grade: G.657A for drop, G.652D for feeder and distribution
Drop structure: GJXH (metal) or GJXFH (dielectric) matched to the route
Jacket: LSZH for indoor, PE for outdoor, or indoor–outdoor rated for mixed runs
Fiber count: 1–2 per home drop; feeder sized with +25% slack
Splitter plan: 1:64 GPON with PLC splitters specified up front
Standards: IEC 60794, G.657, RoHS, CE; TIA-568 if the project is US-based
Supplier: provides per-batch OTDR and loss test reports, not just a compliance certificate
Frequently Asked Questions
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Request a Quote Download FTTH Cable DatasheetFCJ OPTO TECH - Integrated fiber optic cable manufacturer. This guide is for procurement and engineering reference; final specifications should follow local codes and the project's accepted cable schedule.