A fiber-optic cable, also known as an optical-fiber cable, is an assembly similar to an electrical cable but containing one or more optical fibers that are used to carry light. A TOSLINK optical fiber cable with a clear jacket. These cables are used mainly for digital audio connections between devices. Such fibers are widely used in fiber-optic communication, where they permit transmission over longer distances and at higher bandwidths (data transfer rates) than. What Does a Fiber Optic Cable Look Like? Fiber optic cables are often seen as the gold standard for network cabling.