IEC 60794-2-11:2019

Overview

IEC 60794-2-11:2019 is an IEC international standard that specifies detailed requirements for simplex and duplex indoor optical fibre cables used in premises cabling. It ensures compatibility with the ISO/IEC 11801 series (generic cabling for customer premises) and references the family specification IEC 60794-2-10 and generic test procedures in IEC 60794-1-1. Edition 3 (with Amendment 1) incorporates newer cabled fibre performance categories (notably OM5 and OS1a) and updates guidance on multimode effective modal bandwidth.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and applicability for indoor simplex and duplex cables in premises cabling (offices, data centres, homes, industrial/building services).
• Fibre categories supported for cabled-fibre performance classification:
  • Multimode: OM3, OM4, OM5 (A1-OM3/OM4/OM5 per IEC 60793-2-10)
  • Single-mode: OS1a, OS2 (B-652.D or B-657 per IEC 60793-2-50)
  • Note: OM1, OM2 and OS1 are retained for information only and are no longer normative.
• Attenuation limits:
  • Multimode: max 3.0 dB/km at 850 nm and 1.5 dB/km at 1 300 nm.
  • Single-mode: OS1a - max 1.0 dB/km at 1 310, 1 383 and 1 550 nm; OS2 - max 0.4 dB/km at those wavelengths.
• Multimode bandwidth (minimum MHz·km) and effective modal bandwidth requirements:
  • OM3: overfilled 850 nm = 1 500 MHz·km, 1 300 nm = 500; EMb(850 nm) = 2 000 MHz·km.
  • OM4: overfilled 850 nm = 3 500 MHz·km, 1 300 nm = 500; EMb(850 nm) = 4 700 MHz·km, EMb(953 nm) = 3 500 MHz·km.
  • OM5: overfilled 850 nm = 3 500 MHz·km, 953 nm = 1 850 MHz·km, 1 300 nm = 500; EMb(850 nm) = 4 700 MHz·km, EMb(953 nm) = 2 470 MHz·km.
  • Amendment provides guidance for effective modal bandwidth across 840–953 nm, including specific values at 953 nm for OM3 and OM4.
• Environmental and mechanical testing:
  • Fibre selection and cable testing per IEC 60794-1-1.
  • Temperature cycling per IEC 60794-2-10 with MICE-class temperature ranges: −10 °C to +60 °C; −25 °C to +70 °C; −40 °C to +70 °C. Test specimen length: 50 m.
• Transmission and test parameters (attenuation, bandwidth) must be agreed between customer and supplier.

Applications and who uses this standard

• Cable manufacturers and component suppliers - for product specification and type approval of simplex/duplex indoor cables.
• System designers, integrators and installers - to select cables that meet ISO/IEC 11801 premises cabling requirements and expected link performance.
• Test laboratories and QA teams - for defining test procedures, acceptance criteria and certificate issuance.
• Procurement/specification authors and building/data-centre owners - to ensure purchased cables meet attenuation, bandwidth and environmental requirements.

Related standards

• IEC 60794-2-10 (family specification for indoor simplex/duplex cables)
• IEC 60794-1-1 (generic test procedures)
• IEC 60793-2-10 / -2-50 (fibre product specifications)
• ISO/IEC 11801 series (generic cabling for customer premises)

Keywords: IEC 60794-2-11, optical fibre cables, simplex and duplex cables, premises cabling, OM3, OM4, OM5, OS1a, OS2, attenuation, bandwidth, MICE classification, ISO/IEC 11801.