Cons
Fiber Fuse: At high power, fiber optic networks are also susceptible to something known in the industry as “fiber fuse”. This occurs when too much light meets with an imperfection in the fiber. This occurrence can destroy long lengths of cable in a short amount of time.
Unidirectional Light Propagation: Fiber cables are also limited in the sense that they can only propagate light in one direction. If bidirectional communication is a necessary part of information transmission within a network, two concurrent cables must be laid in order to achieve bidirectional propagation of information.
Physical Damage: Fiber is thinner and lighter than metallic wiring, so it makes for a more delicate system. Because fiber optic cables are small, they can be easily cut by accident during building renovations or rewiring. As fiber optic cables can transmit much more data than metallic networks, fewer cables service a greater number of people. This means that cutting just one cable could disrupt service for a large number of businesses and individuals. Fibers are also sensitive to bending, making laying fibers around corners a tricky business. Fiber optic networks are also susceptible to radiation damage or chemical exposure.