A method for connecting each of a plurality of terminals to respective individual cores (22A-22F) of a multicore fiber , comprising: (a) providing a plurality of single-core fibers, each having a tail end and a lead end, wherein the tail end of each of the single-core fibers corresponds to a respective terminal, wherein at least some of the single-core fibers have an outer diameter substantially equal to that of the multicore fibre , and wherein each of the single-core fibers comprises a plurality of concentric regions including a core, a pedestal surrounding the core, and a cladding surrounding the pedestal, wherein the core, pedestal, and cladding have respective refractive indices that are configured to create an inner waveguide between the core and pedestal and an outer waveguide between the pedestal and the cladding, and wherein the core, pedestal, and cladding are configured such that as the fiber is tapered, respective changes in the diameters of the inner and outer waveguides result, over a selected taper ratio, in a substantially constant modefield diameter that matches that of a respective individual core of the multicore fiber ; (b) assembling the single-core fibers into an assembly by fusing each single-core fiber lead end into a respective hole in a multi-hole fiber coupler having a body with a rear end, a front end, and a plurality of holes extending therebetween, wherein the holes have a configuration matching that of the individual cores (22A-22F) of the multicore fiber ; and (c) down tapering the front end of the body, with the single-core fibers inserted therein, to create a front endface having an outer diameter matching that of the multicore fiber , in which the single-core fiber cores are arranged in a configuration matching that of the cores (22A-22F) of the multicore fiber , such that the multicore fiber is connectable to the front endface of the assembly such that the respective cores of the single-core fiber are aligned with the individual cores of the multicore fiber and modefield diameter is maintained for light propagating between the individual cores (22A-22F) of the multicore fiber and respective cores of the single-core fibers. (a) providing a plurality of single-core fibers, each having a tail end and a lead end, wherein the tail end of each of the single-core fibers corresponds to a respective terminal, wherein at least some of the single-core fibers have an outer diameter substantially equal to that of the multicore fibre , and wherein each of the single-core fibers comprises a plurality of concentric regions including a core, a pedestal surrounding the core, and a cladding surrounding the pedestal, wherein the core, pedestal, and cladding have respective refractive indices that are configured to create an inner waveguide between the core and pedestal and an outer waveguide between the pedestal and the cladding, and wherein the core, pedestal, and cladding are configured such that as the fiber is tapered, respective changes in the diameters of the inner and outer waveguides result, over a selected taper ratio, in a substantially constant modefield diameter that matches that of a respective individual core of the multicore fiber ; (b) assembling the single-core fibers into an assembly by fusing each single-core fiber lead end into a respective hole in a multi-hole fiber coupler having a body with a rear end, a front end, and a plurality of holes extending therebetween, wherein the holes have a configuration matching that of the individual cores (22A-22F) of the multicore fiber ; and (c) down tapering the front end of the body, with the single-core fibers inserted therein, to create a front endface having an outer diameter matching that of the multicore fiber , in which the single-core fiber cores are arranged in a configuration matching that of the cores (22A-22F) of the multicore fiber , <EOS>