ADSS vs duct cable: what actually differs
ADSS (All-Dielectric Self-Supporting) cable is built to span between poles without a separate messenger wire, which makes it the standard choice for aerial runs along existing pole infrastructure. Duct cable is designed to be pulled or blown through underground conduit and is not built to bear its own weight across a span. Using it aerially strains and eventually damages the cable.
- Use ADSS when running fibre pole-to-pole or building-to-building above ground
- Use duct cable when the route runs through existing or new underground ducting
Single-mode vs multimode: which do Kenyan ISPs actually use?
Single-mode fibre is what almost every Kenyan ISP and FTTH deployment uses. It supports the long distances, kilometres, not metres, that access networks need. Multimode is a short-haul, high-bandwidth technology built for data centre and campus runs under a few hundred metres; it is rarely the right choice for last-mile fibre to homes or businesses.
Core count: matching cable to the job
Over-speccing core count on a drop run wastes money on unused fibre; under-speccing on a trunk route means a costly re-pull later. Size for your network plan's actual splitter and customer count, not a round number.
- 2 to 4 core: drop cable, single customer or small building connections
- 12 to 24 core: distribution runs feeding a cluster of splitters
- 48+ core: backbone and trunk routes between exchange points
Buying by the drum vs buying cut lengths
Full drums bring a meaningfully lower cost per metre than cut lengths for any run of real distance, but only make sense if you have the storage and handling capacity, and a near-term use for the remainder. For a single small job, a cut length remains the more practical choice even at a higher per-metre rate.
Questions to ask before you order
- Is this route aerial or underground, do I need ADSS or duct?
- What is my actual core count requirement based on today's splitter plan, not a guess?
- Am I buying enough at once to justify a full drum, or should this be a cut length?
Getting current pricing
For current stock, core counts and drum sizes, request a quote or WhatsApp the technical desk. Pricing is matched to core count, construction and order volume rather than published as a flat rate.