Each however is designed for very different environments.
Fiber optic loose tube vs tight buffered.
In loose tube cables the coated fiber floats within a rugged abrasion resistant oversized tube which is filled with optical gel.
Tight buffer or tight tube cable designs are typically used for isp applications.
Tight buffer fiber contains a thick coating of a plastic type material which is applied directly to the outside of each individual fiber.
Loose tube fiber contains multiple strands of fiber in a single jacket.
Loose buffer or loose tube cables mean that the fibers are placed loosely within a plastic tube whose inner diameter considerably larger than the fiber itself.
Tight buffered and loose tube fiber are the two styles of constructions fiber optic cables offered.
However in tight buffered cables there are not so many cables as loose tube fibers.
The other is waterproof acrylate.
Loose tube fiber optic cable is typically used for outside plant installation in aerial duct and direct buried applications.
Instead of a gel layer or sleeve to protect the fiber core tight buffered cables use a two layer coating.
Fiber optic cables are constructed in two ways.
Loose tube and tight buffered.
Both contain a type of strengthening member such as aramid yarn stainless steel wire strands or gel filled sleeves.
Each fiber is coated with a buffer coating usually with an outside diameter of 900m.
Loose tube cables are designed for harsh environment conditions in the outdoors.
Between them there are several common denominators like the fact that both have in their interior a strengthening member of sorts that can be made of stainless steel in the form of wire strands aramid yarn or gel filled sleeves.