An optical fiber comprising: a glass core extending from a centerline to a radius R.sub.1; a glass cladding surrounding and in contact with the core, the cladding comprising: a first annular region extending from R.sub.1 to a radius R.sub.2, the first annular region comprising a radial width, W.sub.2=R.sub.2-R.sub.1, a second annular region extending from R.sub.2 to a radius R.sub.3, the second annular region comprising a radial width, W.sub.3=R.sub.3-R.sub.2, and a third annular region extending from R.sub.3 to an outermost glass radius R.sub.4; wherein (i) the core comprises a maximum relative refractive index, .DELTA..sub.1MAX, relative to the third annular region; (ii) wherein the first annular region comprises a radial width W.sub.2; and (iii) the second annular region comprises a minimum relative refractive index, .DELTA..sub.3MIN, relative to the third annular region wherein .DELTA..sub.1MAX>.DELTA..sub.2MAX>.DELTA..sub.3MIN, and .DELTA..sub.2MIN>.DELTA..sub.3MIN; and the core and the cladding provide a fiber with cable cutoff less than 1500 nm, dispersion at 1550 nm less than 12 ps/nm/km, effective area at 1550 nm greater than 60 .mu.m.sup.2, and preferably greater than 70 .mu.m.sup.2. The second annular cladding region may contain a plurality of randomly dispersed holes.