This timely Second Edition of a highly praised reference provides the most authoritative single source available for information on recent developments in optical fibers and optical fiber cable design. Maintaining and enhancing the style that made the first edition so popular, the Handbook of Optical Fibers and Cables, Second Edition covers the history of optical communications...discusses optical fiber materials, reliability, and manufacture...illustrates the design, construction, and properties of the latest cables used for optical fiber...describes fiber splicing and presents new, automated fiber splicing machines...examines cable connectors...shows how to use instrumental techniques to measure optical fiber systems...explains novel installation procedures and applications...and more.