Om3 Class 3 Multimode Fiber

OM3 is a laser-optimized 50 µm multimode fiber designed for high-speed data center and enterprise network applications, supporting 10G Ethernet up to 300 meters and 40/100G Ethernet up to 100 meters.

Key Specifications

• Core Size: 50 µm (micrometers) graded-index core
• Cladding Diameter: 125 µm
• Jacket Color: Aqua, standard for OM3
• Laser Optimization: Designed for 850 nm VCSEL (Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser) sources, providing improved performance over legacy LED-based fibers
• Bandwidth: Effective Modal Bandwidth (EMB) of 2000 MHz·km at 850 nm
• Maximum Distances:
  • 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE): up to 300 meters
  • 40/100 Gigabit Ethernet (40/100GbE): up to 100 meters
• Standards Compliance: TIA-492AAAC, ISO/IEC 11801, IEC 60793-2-10

Performance and Applications

OM3 fiber is optimized for short-reach, high-speed applications in data centers and enterprise LANs. Its laser-optimized design reduces differential mode delay (DMD), allowing it to perform similarly to single-mode fiber over short distances while using lower-cost VCSEL transceivers. It is widely deployed for:

• 10G Ethernet links in horizontal and backbone cabling
• 40G and 100G Ethernet in data center interconnects (typically up to 100 meters)
• High-performance computing and server virtualization environments
• Cloud computing and streaming video infrastructure OM3 remains the most cost-effective choice for most enterprise data center builds, covering the majority of link distances without requiring the higher bandwidth and cost of OM4 fiber ( ).

Comparison with Other Multimode Fibers

• OM1: 62.5 µm core, LED-optimized, supports 10GbE up to 33 meters
• OM2: 50 µm core, LED-optimized, supports 10GbE up to 82 meters
• OM4: 50 µm core, enhanced laser-optimized, supports 10GbE up to 550 meters and 40/100GbE up to 150 meters
• OM5: Wideband multimode fiber, supports short-wavelength division multiplexing (SWDM) for multiple wavelengths, designed for future 100G/200G/400G applications OM3 is backwards compatible with OM2 and OM1 in terms of connectors and installation practices, but its performance is significantly higher for modern high-speed networks ( ).

Summary

OM3 Class 3 multimode fiber is a 50 µm laser-optimized fiber ideal for enterprise and data center networks requiring 10G to 100G Ethernet over moderate distances. Its combination of cost-effectiveness, compatibility with VCSEL transceivers, and sufficient bandwidth for most current applications makes it a standard choice for new deployments and upgrades.