In an ever-growing FTTH market worldwide, service providers are constantly looking for ways to lower the cost and simplify the process of rolling out fibre networks. One area of the network where speed and simplicity are of paramount importance is the final drop to the consumer. As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. To get the customer relationship off on the right foot, service providers need to ensure that the installation of a new fibre connection proceeds smoothly and with minimal disruption while working in the subscriber’s home.
A new product to the market, which can help service providers ensure that installation is quick and efficient, are pre-connectorised fibre cable bundles with blowable ferrules. This innovative technology employs a miniature fibre connector terminated on one end of the fibre before it leaves the factory. This connector is industry standard and, after being blown in, the plastic housing is simply clicked into place around the LC fibre ferrule to form a standard LC/APC connector. Gas Block Connector
Through methods pioneered by Emtelle, it takes only a few moments to apply the connector body and plug the connector into the customer’s wall box, meaning that a FTTH customer can be connected with fibre in 10 minutes or less over a 500m route.
In some countries around the world, FTTx products are required that eliminate fibre splicing, allowing a pathway to each home for future upgrade and maintenance. No product on the market does this quite like the Emtelle QWKlink.
This new LC blowable ferrule, part of the QWKconnect range, is called QWKlink for a reason – it really is quick, hence the abbreviation QWK. These pre-connectorised fibre bundles can be blown over distances of up to 500m into Emtelle’s QWKdrop microducts in less than 10 minutes.
This QWKlink technology means that the connectivity part of the FTTH installation is now a quick, slick and easy process. All that is required is a blowing head, small air compressor, and a small stand to hold the 24cm diameter reel. This gives our customers and installation partners, such as John Henry Group, a state-of-the-art fibre bundle that requires no fibre splicing after installation.
To ensure protection of the fibre end, Emtelle also offers a simple braid which can slide over the fibre bundle and clip into the back of the LC ferrule body, offering much needed protection in fibre cabinets or splice enclosures.
On the non-blowing side of the fibre bundle is an SC/APC connector, which can be removed from the small cardboard reel (after blowing in the LC-connectorised end). Any excess remaining on the reel can be stored into a simple splice box at the side of the property, by simply plugging in the SC connector.
When pre-connectorised at both ends, these fibre bundles can be made to measure for the customer’s application, resulting in very low fibre wastage. Taking this into consideration, along with the recyclable cardboard reels, results in an environmentally friendly product.
Emtelle has also launched QWKdrop microducts, which can be installed into Emtelle’s blown fibre ducts. These microducts are universal, meaning that they can be installed underground inside ducts or via direct burial, overhead, or even along external walls, meaning that one microduct can work in all scenarios, making product selection and stock management very simple.
QWKlink products can also be pre-installed into the QWKdrop microducts at the manufacturing stage, meaning that the pre-connectorised fibre is supplied within the single microduct. This makes the installation process even easier: just lay the microduct along the route to the home, remove the excess fibre, and then plug in the connector at the customer’s termination box (with no blowing or splicing for the customer drop). This Emtelle solution is called QWKconnect.
Air Blown Fiber Microduct Connector The QWKconnect system can be connectorised at both ends, so the microducts can be installed between the point of presence, cabinet, or splice enclosure and the home with the QWKlink fibre already installed, thereby also eliminating blowing costs for the operator.