The short answer: No, fiber optic cables themselves don't freeze in the same way water or metal does. The actual glass or plastic inside the cable that transmits the data is not affected by. When winter arrives with its freezing temperatures, it's natural to wonder whether essential infrastructure like fiber optic cables is at risk of freezing and causing connection problems. After all, many communication networks today rely on these cables to transmit vast amounts of data efficiently. If water has the chance to enter into. Copper cable is routinely replaced with fiber optics for high-speed transmission. With improved quality, however, comes unanticipated maintenance problems. Here's how cold weather can.