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When designing FTTH network, engineers have to choose the right interconnection solutions for FTTH drop cable. Both splice and connector are widely used for FTTH deployment. To select splices or connectors, it’s crucial to the network reliability, operational flexibility and the FTTH project costs. So which solution is more suitable for your FTTH drop cable installation? Continue to read this article.
Splice is a permanent joint, or a connector, which can be easily mated or un-mated by hand. The advantage is that splice can provide excellent optical performance. It can well protect the interconnection point from being damaged or dirty so as to avoid high optical loss and ensure signal integrity. And splice enables the transition from 250µm drop cable to jacketed cable. However, splice has some disadvantages. If FTTH subscribers change, engineers should make splicing for that. In that way, fibers are easily to be bent and will cause high optical loss. Thus, the network performance will be influenced. Besides, the splice can increase the ONT size and cost since splice used at ONT needs a tray to hold and protect it.
As to splicing, there are fusion splicing and mechanical splicing. So consider which kind of splicing is more suitable for your applications.
Fusion splicing is often applied in distribution construction networks. When talk to fusion splicing, we have to talk about fusion splicer. It’s a good tool for FTTH drop cable splicing because it can provide high quality splice with low insertion loss and reflection. But not everything is perfect. Before you buy a fusion splicer, you should concern the following points.
- Fusion splicers are quite expensive, usually several thousand USD.
- Fusion splicers require specially trained technicians to operate them.
- Fusion slicers cause additional labor costs mainly showing in the aspects of operation preparation and ending for fusion splicing.
- Fusion slicers increase installation time because the sleeves in the machine need to be warmed up.
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Mechanical splicing is also employed in FTTH installations by most eastern nations. It’s not so popular in America since many users think the index matching gel inside the splices are likely to yellow or dry out, causing network failures. So you need to buy from some reliable vendor for high quality index matching gel like Fiberstore. A high quality index matching gel bring you low insertion loss. Tests show that mechanical splices can also perform well in indoor and outdoor locations.
ConnectorConnectors are flexible because they can be mated or unmated repeatedly without any tools. They are reusable. The connector provide an access point for network testing. Compared with splice, the connector price is more expensive. So engineers should weigh the cost and the its benefits to decide whether to use connectors.
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