a hub having an outer circumference and first and second ends, and a longitudinal axis extending between the first and second ends; and

first and second plates located, respectively, at the first and second ends of the hub, transversely to the hub's longitudinal axis, each of the first and second plates having an outer perimeter including at least one straight outer edge, a straight outer edge of the first plate being aligned with a straight outer edge of the second plate, such that the hub, the first plate, and the second plate together form a spool with at least one squared-off side, the spool formed by the hub, the first plate, and the second plate being loadable into an optical fiber winding machine,

a collar mounted to the first and second plates, the collar extending at least part way around the perimeter of the first and second plates,

the collar including a structural interface for attaching a line card panel thereto, the attached line card panel covering the squared-off side of the spool,

wherein the first plate, the second plate, the collar, and the line card panel form an enclosure around an optical fiber wound onto the hub, and the spool, the collar, and the line card panel are mountable to each other, without an additional base supporting structure, to form a line card assembly.