IEC 60794-1-1:2011 applies to optical fibre cables for use with communication equipment and devices employing similar techniques and to cables having a combination of both optical fibres and electrical conductors. The object of this standard is to establish uniform generic requirements for the geometrical, transmission, material, mechanical, ageing (environmental exposure), climatic and electrical properties of optical fibre cables, where appropriate. This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:
- the contents are updated throughout;
- the informative Annexes C "Guide to the installation of optical fibre cables" and D "Guide to hydrogen effects in optical fibre cables" have been deleted from this standard and will be published as separate Technical Reports;
- the remaining Annexes are renamed accordingly.

This publication is to be read in conjunction with IEC 60794-1-2:2003.