OFS unveils double-jacket gel-free ADSS fiber cables

June 23, 2014
The PowerGuide DT cable is the newest member of the OFS PowerGuide ADSS product line.

At the FTTH Conference (June 23-25) in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, OFS announced the launch of what it claims is the industry’s first completely gel-free, double jacket all-dielectric self-supporting (ADSS) cable. The company says its new PowerGuide DT fiber-optic cable enables faster deployment and helps lower FTTH installation costs through reduced cable preparation time, with a span length capability of up to 1,500 ft. (460 meters) and fiber counts from 2 up to 288 fibers.

The PowerGuide DT ADSS cable is a double jacket ADSS design optimized for power distribution networks, FTTH deployments, and for self-supporting aerial use, direct use in ducts, aerial-to-duct transitions and aerial-to-underground installations. OFS says the new cable’s flexible buffer tubes are designed to allow for ease of routing and management within closures, as compared to similar gel-filled cable products, but are rugged enough to pass the stringent IEEE 1222 sheave test for installation durability. The company estimates that the cable's 100% gel-free construction may allow for light duty attachment hardware -- costing on average 40 percent less per pole than comparable gel-filled cables on a typical 250 foot span -- due to lower loaded tension.

According to OFS, the totally gel-free PowerGuide DT ADSS cable offers the following benefits, as an effect of removing gels and filling compounds: Enables substantial savings on installation time and labor costs; field technicians may experience an up to 80% time reduction for cable end preparation, when compared to similar gel-filled ADSS cables; Significantly lowers overall cable weight for easier handling and lower operating tensions on the poles; Allows faster splicing with higher first pass yields due to cleaner work environment; Minimizes or eliminates the need for special solvents, resulting in less waste and more environmentally-friendly cable.

The PowerGuide DT cable is the newest member of the OFS PowerGuide ADSS product line, which includes PowerGuide ShortSpan DT ADSS cables for distribution applications, and a key component of OFS’ FOX Solution for Home and Business. “In response to customer demand, we are pleased to add this totally gel-free cable product offering,” comments Eric Whitham, OSP cable product manager for OFS. “The introduction of the double jacket version of our PowerGuide DT cable line is a significant milestone in the industry and more importantly can offer substantial savings on installation time and costs to our customers.”

About the Author

Matt Vincent | Senior Editor

Matt Vincent is a B2B technology journalist, editor and content producer with over 15 years of experience, specializing in the full range of media content production and management, as well as SEO and social media engagement best practices, for both Cabling Installation & Maintenance magazine and its website CablingInstall.com. He currently provides trade show, company, executive and field technology trend coverage for the ICT structured cabling, telecommunications networking, data center, IP physical security, and professional AV vertical market segments. Email: [email protected]

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