The present invention embraces a single-mode optical fiber typically having reduced bending losses. The optical fiber includes a central core, an intermediate cladding, a buried trench, and an outer cladding. The optical fiber typically has (i), at a wavelength of 1310 nanometers, a mode field diameter with a nominal value of between about 8.6 microns and 9.5 microns (and a tolerance of ±0.4 micron), (ii) a cable cut-off wavelength of no more than 1260 nanometers, and (iii), for a bending radius of 15 millimeters at a wavelength of 1550 nanometers, bending losses of no more than 0.03 dB/turn.