Solution
To meet their efficiency goals for deploying a cost-effective FTTH network, Long Lines deployed a complete end-to-end Clearfield® fiber product platform that extends from inside plant (ISP) to the outside plant (OSP) to the final customer connection. FieldSmart® fiber patch panels were placed in the inside plant. FieldSmart Fiber Distribution Hub (FDH) PON Cabinets with WaveSmart® Ruggedized Splitters were placed in the outside plant. Finally, FieldShield ® drop cable assemblies and the YOURx ™ platform products provided the final customer connection. Clearfield’s pre-connectorized FieldShield drop solutions cut down splicing during service installations – a key to achieving the project goals of reducing costs and speeding deployments.
Long Lines utilized Clearfield’s fiber patch panels in the Central Office environment to feed Clearfield FDH PON Cabinets in the OSP. From the cabinet, pre-connectorized FieldShield FLATdrop MPO pigtails were deployed into the YOURx-Terminals and the terminals placed inside pedestals located throughout the neighborhood.
To prepare for the final drop connection from the pedestal to the home, the Long Lines team used durable, crush-resistant 10/6mm FieldShield Direct Bury Microduct, which provided fiber protection and a repairable, upgradeable pathway.
The Clearfield YOURx-TAP equipped with a FieldShield StrongFiber Deploy Reel served as the demarcation point on the side of the house with fiber connection back to the OSP terminal. During customer turn-up, a technician pulled the desired amount of StrongFiber off the reel (through the microduct) to the terminal and the unused portion of cable remained stored on the reel for an integrated slack storage solution. At the terminal, an easy-to-install, snap-on connector housing eliminated splicing and completed the termination process providing simple plug-and-play connectivity. Residents appreciated the small size of the YOURx-TAP because it eliminated the need for a large, unsightly box on the side of a home to store excess fiber. The YOURx-TAP also provided the final drop point in a completely protected fiber pathway.
The end-to-end solution was turned up at the customer by simply plugging a FieldShield FLEXdrop ™ assembly into the bulkhead adapter located inside the YOURx-TAP so that the customer inside the home could connect to the indoor ONT.
“Our deployment was done better and faster with Clearfield’s plug-and-play, integrated slack storage solution than we ever thought possible,” says Ron Crane, Director of Technical Operations, Long Lines. “Clearfield’s hands-on training and customer support is excellent from start to finish. Their help was invaluable through the whole process.”
