Corning Ribbon and RocketRibbon®
The Corning Ribbon and RocketRibbon® Fiber Optic Cables are engineered for the highest fiber density achievable in outside plant deployments — delivering up to 3,456 fibers in a single cable with streamlined mass-fusion splicing, robust construction, and proven performance in duct, buried, and aerial applications.
Ribbon & RocketRibbon® Cable Solutions
by Corning
Corning's Ribbon and RocketRibbon® cables provide unparalleled fiber density — up to four times the fiber count of the highest-count loose tube cable — within a compact outside plant footprint. Each 12-fiber ribbon splices in a single mass-fusion procedure, dramatically reducing installation and restoration time. Available in Non-Armored and Armored configurations to match the mechanical demands of any deployment environment.
Key Features
Exceptional Fiber Density
Ribbon cables provide higher fiber counts and greater density than any other cable construction designed for the outside plant — offering up to four times the fiber count of the highest-count loose tube cable. The compact RocketRibbon® design maximizes fiber density within a reduced duct footprint.
Mass-Fusion Splicing
Each 12-fiber ribbon can be spliced in a single mass-fusion procedure — facilitating fast network installation and significantly faster restoration after cable cuts. Each ribbon is printed with a unique ID for rapid identification and efficient fiber management at every splice location.
Robust OSP Construction
Engineered to withstand extreme environmental conditions for reliable long-term performance in duct, buried, and aerial outside plant installations. Enhanced jacket markings provide abrasion resistance and include highly visible key cable specifications for faster field reference during installation and maintenance.
Flat Ribbon Format
The flat ribbon cable format enables systematic, organized fiber management at splice closures and distribution points — reducing the complexity of high-fiber-count terminations and ensuring consistent, repeatable splice quality across every ribbon in the cable structure.
Non-Armored & Armored Variants
Available in both Non-Armored and Armored configurations — allowing the same high-density ribbon platform to be deployed across a range of mechanical environments, from protected duct routes to direct buried applications requiring additional crush and rodent protection.
Future-Ready for High Bandwidth
Engineered to support the highest bandwidth capacities for data-intensive applications and future network expansions — optimized for 400G/800G optical networking and designed to scale with growing bandwidth demands across metro, backbone, and data center interconnect routes.
Product Variants
Ribbon and RocketRibbon® cables are available in Non-Armored and Armored configurations to suit the mechanical demands of any OSP installation environment.
HD Cable-250 — Duct & Aerial
Optimized for protected duct and lashed aerial routes where maximum fiber density within a reduced cable diameter is the primary requirement. Available in 432F and 864F configurations for high-capacity backbone and feeder routes.
HD Cable-250 — Direct Buried & Exposed
Armored construction provides additional mechanical protection for direct buried routes and exposed environments with rodent or crush risk. Available in 576F and 864F configurations — delivering the same high fiber density with enhanced physical durability.
Technical Specifications
All Ribbon and RocketRibbon® Cable configurations meet industry standards for outdoor installations and are designed for OS2 singlemode transmission.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Fiber Count | Up to 3,456 fibers |
| Fiber Type | Singlemode (OS2) |
| Cable Design | Flat ribbon format |
| Installation Methods | Duct, direct buried, aerial |
| Jacket Material | UV-resistant, flame-retardant outer jacket |
| Operating Temperature | -40°C to +70°C (-40°F to +158°F) |
| Density Advantage | Up to 4× the fiber count of highest-count loose tube cable |
| Splicing Method | Mass-fusion — 12 fibers per procedure |
| Ribbon ID | Unique printed ID on each ribbon for field identification |
| Configurations | Non-Armored (432F, 864F) and Armored (576F, 864F) |
| Compliance | Meets industry standards for outdoor installations |
Applications
Ribbon and RocketRibbon® cables are the preferred choice wherever maximum fiber density, rapid splicing, and long-term OSP performance are the defining requirements.
Telecommunications Networks
Service providers seeking to expand network capacity efficiently — where mass-fusion splicing dramatically reduces installation and restoration time and the extreme fiber density of ribbon cables minimizes the number of cable routes required.
Data Centers & Hyperscale
High-density fiber deployments between data center buildings and campus interconnects — where the compact ribbon format optimizes duct space utilization and the flat ribbon structure enables systematic, organized termination at high-fiber-count splice locations.
Fiber to the Premise (FTTP)
Efficient fiber installations to residential and commercial buildings — where the high-fiber-count ribbon platform enables a single cable to serve an entire neighborhood or building complex, reducing the number of cable routes and splice closures in the network.
Enterprise & Backbone Networks
Scalable, reliable backbone and enterprise campus connectivity where future-ready 400G/800G optical networking capability and the ability to scale to 3,456 fibers in a single cable route ensure long-term network capacity for growing bandwidth demands.