What are Hybrid Cable Assemblies?

Hybrid cable assemblies combine optical fibers and copper conductors within a single cable jacket, providing both high-bandwidth data transmission and low-voltage power delivery or control signaling in one integrated product. This eliminates the need to install separate fiber and copper cable runs, saving installation labor, reducing pathway congestion, and simplifying asset management. OMC manufactures hybrid cables for diverse applications including FTTA (Fiber to the Antenna) for 4G/5G RRH (Remote Radio Head) deployment, security and surveillance networks (PoE cameras with fiber uplinks), industrial control systems combining PROFINET and analog signals, and access control networks. Available configurations include 2 fibers + 2 copper conductors up to 24 fibers + 12 copper pairs.

FTTA Hybrid Cable for 5G Networks

FTTA is the most widespread application for hybrid cables, designed to connect the BBU (Baseband Unit) at the base of a cell tower to the RRH at the top via a single combined cable. OMC's FTTA hybrid cable typically contains 2 single-mode fibers (G.657.A1 bend-insensitive for tight tower routing) and 2 power conductors (1.5 mm² to 6 mm² copper, depending on power distance and load). The fiber pair handles CPRI/eCPRI data at 10G, 25G, or 100G rates, while the copper pair delivers 48V DC power to the radio head. The cable jacket uses LSZH or weather-resistant PE for outdoor tower exposure, with UV stabilizers and a wide temperature rating (-40°C to +75°C). Pre-terminated solutions with ODVA, DLC, or proprietary RRH connectors are available for major OEM radio heads.

Construction and Material Selection

The hybrid cable construction places the fiber subunits (typically 900µm tight buffer or 2.0 mm jacketed) alongside the copper conductor subunits within a common inner jacket, with aramid yarn strength members and an overall LSZH or PE outer jacket. Copper conductors use stranded tinned copper for flexibility and corrosion resistance, with insulation rated for the required voltage (typically 300V or 600V). For rugged environments, armored hybrid cables add a stainless steel or aluminum armor layer for crush resistance and rodent protection. Some hybrid cables use a flat or figure-8 cross-section to simplify routing along cable trays and through penetrations. Bend radius is typically 10× cable diameter for static installations and 20× for dynamic flexing applications.

Surveillance and PoE+ Applications

IP surveillance networks increasingly deploy hybrid cables to consolidate data and power to IP cameras. A typical configuration uses 2 fibers for the data uplink (allowing gigabit or higher bandwidth) and 2 copper conductors (18 AWG to 14 AWG) delivering PoE+ (30W) or PoE++ (60W/100W) power. This allows cameras to be installed at distances beyond the 100 m copper Ethernet limit while avoiding the need for local power outlets at each camera location. Hybrid cables are also used for access control systems, where fiber handles long-distance data between buildings while copper delivers power to door strikes, readers, and motion sensors. Industrial hybrid cables combine PROFINET, EtherCAT, or Ethernet/IP with analog 4-20mA signal lines for process control systems.

Specification and Ordering Guidance

When specifying OMC hybrid cable assemblies, key parameters include: fiber count and type (G.652.D, G.657.A1, OM3, OM4), copper conductor count, gauge (AWG or mm²), voltage rating, jacket material (LSZH/PVC/PE/armored), environmental rating (indoor/outdoor/IP67), and connector types at each end. For FTTA projects, specify the OEM RRH connector (Ericsson, Nokia, Huawei, Samsung, ZTE) and the BBU-side connector (typically LC duplex for fiber and a power connector for copper). OMC supports custom labeling per customer drawing, pre-attached pulling eyes, and on-site installation accessories. All hybrid assemblies are 100% tested for fiber continuity, insertion loss, copper conductor continuity, insulation resistance, and high-voltage dielectric withstand. Project pricing is available for orders exceeding 1000 meters, with manufacturing lead times of 3-5 weeks for standard configurations.