Abstract: A preform for manufacturing an optical fibre or an optical fiber, where the variation in the refractive index contrast of the preform does not exceed an absolute value of 2%, measured for a preform having a length of at least 60 cm, or the deviation of the preform in relation to the average value of the profile parameter ? does not exceed an absolute value of 0.03, measured for a preform having a length of at least 80 cm. The optical fibre has a deviation from the average value of the profile shape parameter ? of maximally about 0.03.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an optical fibre suitable for high transmission rates, which method comprises: i) supplying one or more glass forming precursors, and possibly a dopant, to a quartz substrate tube, ii) forming a plasma in the quartz substrate tube for the purpose of bringing about a reaction mixture so as to form glass layers, which may or may not be doped, on the interior of the substrate tube, iii) collapsing the substrate tube obtained in step ii) into a perform while heating, and iv) drawing an optical fibre from the perform while heating. The present invention furthermore relates to an optical fibre suitable for high transmission rates.