Whats the typical lifespan of a fiber optic joint closure?

lifespan of a fiber optic joint closure

Fiber optic cables deliver impressive connectivity over long distances, across aerial wires, or even beneath the oceans. However, these hair-thin cables are often subject to harsh outdoor environments — rocky, sandy, wet, dry, hot, cold, dusty — and that’s why they need to be spliced and anchored. To make this happen, telecommunications companies rely on fiber optic joint closures to protect and facilitate these essential splicing processes in fiber to the home (FTTH), backbone, metro aggregation, and passive optical networks.

But not all Fiber optic joint closure are equal, especially when it comes to lifespan. The typical lifespan of a fiber optic joint closure depends on a few factors, including the design of the enclosure, whether it’s made of plastic or metal, and its location in the field. Those factors can impact the quality of the cable, the performance of the spliced connections, and the protection that the closure offers against environmental influences.

Choosing the right fiber optic splice closure for the field is critical for efficient and reliable service. To help you do this, CommScope has developed a family of outdoor fiber closures that balance key criteria like reliability, installability, and flexibility for deployment and future network growth.

Whats the typical lifespan of a fiber optic joint closure?

One of the most important characteristics to consider is how many ports a closure has for cable entrance. This number is an indicator of the capacity that the closure has for the number of cables it can hold and terminate within the splice tray. To ensure that the closure can accommodate as much of your current and future network needs as possible, look for a model with a high cable entrance capacity.

Also, look for a splice closure that can easily be accessed. This is critical to avoid the need for special tools and to keep downtime and labor costs low. Many newer designs allow for reentry with standard hand tools, so be sure to choose a closure that includes this feature in its design specs.

Another factor to consider is how well the closure can handle thermal expansion and contraction. Many splice closures use materials that can stand up to the relative motion of the cable and the spliced connections inside the closure. This helps manage thermal stresses that can impact both the sheath and the strength members.

Inline type fiber optic splice closure is used to distribute, splice, and store the outdoor optical cables which enter and exit from the ends of the enclosure. This closure is usually installed in an outside plant environment, such as underground, buried, overhead/aerial and wall-mounting.

There are many different types of fiber optic closures available, so it is important to make sure the one you select is compatible with the cables in your network. You should also ensure that the closure can accommodate any future upgrades to the network, and that it is easy to install on the ground or overhead. It is a good idea to consult with the manufacturer of your cables to find out which closures are suitable for them, and to discuss any additional requirements you may have. This will make it easier to determine which fiber optic joint closure is the right choice for your network. A good way to do this is to compare the different features offered by various manufacturers. This will allow you to choose a product that is ideal for your network, whether that is a design built for underground use, a high capacity for the splice trays or other features.