Fiber optic cable can be run anywhere from 300 meters up to 80 kilometers (roughly 50 miles) depending on the cable type, transceiver used, and network standard. Such fibers are widely used in fiber-optic communication, where they permit transmission over longer distances and at higher bandwidths (data transfer rates) than. Many factors decide the fiber cable distance, but the key factors include the below six aspects. Attenuation First is the attenuation of the optical fiber. The greater the distance, the greater. With ideal conditions and amplification, optical fiber can transmit petabit speeds globally, but real-world limits depend on fiber type and network design.