FIBER OPTIC INSTALLATIONS

Whether the installation is outside plant or premises it is very important to the installer of fiber optic cabling systems to remember the following:

FIBER OPTIC INSTALLATIONSOutside plant installations are all singlemode fiber, and

cables often have very high fiber counts. Cable designs are optimized for resisting moisture and rodent damage. Installation requires special pullers or plows, and even trailers to carry giant spools of cable.

Long distances mean cables are spliced together, since cables are not made longer than about 4 km (2.5 miles), and most splices are by fusion splicing. Connectors (SC, ST or FC styles) on factory made pigtails are spliced onto the end of the cable. After installation, every fiber and every splice is tested with an OTDR. The installer usually has a temperature controlled van or trailer for splicing and/or a bucket truck. Investments in fusion splicers and OTDRs can add up to over $100,000 alone.

FIBER OPTIC INSTALLATIONS

Premises cabling is mostly multimode in short lengths, rarely longer than a few hundred feet, with 2 to 48 fibers per cable typically. Some users install hybrid cable with both multimode and singlemode fibers.

Splicing is practically unknown in premises applications. Most connectors are SC or ST style. Termination is by installing connectors directly on the ends of the fibers, primarily using adhesive technology. Testing is done my a source and meter, but every installer has a flashlight type tracer to check fiber continuity and connection.

Unlike the outside plant technician, the premises cabler (who is often also installing the power cable and Cat 5 for LANs too!) probably has an investment of less than $2,000 in tools and test equipment.

FIBER OPTIC INSTALLATIONS – OUTSIDE PLANT

Outside plant installations require more hardware (and more investment in the tools and test equipment.) Pullers, splicers, OTDRs and even splicing vans are the tools of the trade for OSP contractors.

FIBER OPTIC INSTALLATIONS - PREMISES

Premises applications usually mean lots of cables - both copper and fiber - terminated in telecom rooms.

FIBER OPTIC INSTALLATIONS - PREMISES

Premises installers need only a termination kit for attaching connectors and a simple test kit for their installations. Working in crowded telecom closets or communications rooms is the norm.