This Applications Engineering Note (AE Note) addresses common issues regarding cable pay-off during outside plant installations known as cable squirting, cable tangling during payoff, and reel storage. A check list is also provided to cover these plus other issues that. Fiber optic cable reels are manufactured to protect the fiber strands from damage. Any type of damage minimizes or even makes the installation obsolete. The cable should be bent as little as possible. Yet, outdoors, they face temperature swings, moisture, UV exposure, rodents, and human interference. Protecting them is essential for long-term reliability.