FTTX Drop Cable Construction Methods

At present, fiber optic drop cable is widely used in FTTX, mainly uses two splice ways: one is old splice based on mechanical splice (physical continuation), the other is hot melt/fusion based on fusion splicer.

1. Cold splice technology:

Mechanical splice is used for pigtails connection, its internal components is a precision v-groove.

After get rid of the fiber coating, user can use the mechanical splice to connect the fiber of two pigtails. Operation is easier and faster than that of welding by fusion splicer. However, now it is mostly used in cable communications interrupt emergency applications.

FTTH Drop Cable Closure

The obvious defects:

1.1 Large loss. Due to physical connecting, the two optical fibers relies entirely on the V-groove and matching oil to achieve connection, this loss is significantly greater than the hot melt connection point.

In FTTX project, the line loss requirement is not so strict as trunk, but the big loss point is the potential failure point.

1.2. Short life, high maintenance costs. The cold splice technology, matching oil is very important. Refer to carrier customers’ statistics data, generally speaking, imported matching liquid life is about 3years, while domestic life expectancy is only 1.5 to 2 years. Furthermore, one piece mechanical splice costs generally around 30-50RMB (removable reuse, but after demolished the accuracy is greatly reduced, so splice marked nominal reusable, but it is single use during actual construction process), the actual use of the high cost of maintenance.

2. Hot melt technology advantages (by fusion splicer)

2.1 Low splice loss. Two optical fibers based on hot-melt technology, in accordance with the trunk standard welding greatly reduces splice loss.

2.2 Long life, low maintenance costs. Because hot melt adopt trunk standard splice, the general welding point life will be the same as fiber optic cable, without single fusion point life problems.

For more high quality and low cost fiber optics, please contact SOPTO.

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Fiber Optics Introduction

Fiber Optics’ Structure

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