Git-R-Done

Companies, like Verizon Communications Inc., that are installing significant amounts of fiber in their access networks have justified those investments primarily by establishing that fiber is more affordable to maintain than copper. So opex is clearly top-of-mind for these service providers. Since time is money, a variety of outside plant solutions providers are coming out with new products that help fiber technicians get the job done as soon as possible.

For example, Corning Cable Systems at the recent FTTH show in Las Vegas demonstrated a handful of innovative new solutions that allow for easier installation and maintenance of fiber networks.

The OptiSplice Ribbon Fusion Splicer and the OptiSplice One Fusion Splicer are ideal for use in various FTTx environments.

The OptiSheath Premier FlexNAP system.

That includes two new splicing devices, the OptiSplice One, a one-fiber version, and the OptiSplice Ribbon, for 12-fiber ribbon splicing. Both are new, smaller designs that include easy-to-use GUIs for specifying splicing parameters. They also feature lighting so field technicians can see what they’re doing even at night. And both models come with various add-on appliances such as a device to hold the OptiSplice around a technician’s neck to keep his hands free to do the job. The single-fiber device can splice within 10 seconds. The 12-fiber version splices in 20 seconds.

At the show, Corning also came out with an installation video and design guide for its FlexNAP product. The OptiSheath Premier FlexNAP system, which was introduced about a year ago and now is used to pass about a quarter of a million homes, allows service providers to avoid spending a lot of time installing fiber access systems in the field by delivering a complete, premeasured and prespliced fiber solution that allows for quick installation.

“It’s just like a water hose,” says Bernhard Deutsch, Corning’s director of marketing and market development in the Americas, “you plug it in.” He adds that service providers can realize time savings of up to 70 percent and first-installed cost savings of up to 50 percent with the FlexNAP solution.

Also at the FTTH event, Emerson Network Power launched its NetSpan FTTH products, a family of new fiber cross-connect cabinets and pedestals.

Manish Bhandari, vice president and general manager for the outside plant business at Emerson Network Power Energy Systems, says the comprehensive line of fibered enclosures address service providers’ outside plant requirements no matter what dimension or fiber needs they have. And Emerson has designed these cabinets for maximum maintenance efficiency.

For example, technicians can access these cabinets from front or side doors for easy maintenance. “It’s just the ergonomics of getting the job done,” says Bhandari. “It lets your [technician] get in and out in five minutes.”

And, in the fiber cross-connect cabinets, the fibers in use are pulled to the right of the cabinet for connectivity, whereas those fibers not in use are hooked to the left and “parked,” making it easy for the technician to see which fibers are in use and which are idle.