Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLFD) this month has unveiled its SeeChange terminal and hardened connector system. The small, craft-friendly, carrier-grade access terminal is billed as ideal for use in any fiber network deployment requiring a plug-and-play connectivity approach.
Purpose-built as a commercially-off-the-shelf option for community broadband and 5G network operators looking to overcome industry-wide supply chain constraints and a shortage of skilled technicians, Clearfield bill "this readily available, plug-and-play terminal and hardened connector system [as] a cost-effective, pre-packaged solution that requires minimal training in any deployment scenario, tested to withstand even the most extreme environments."
Technical rundown
Per a Clearfield press release, the SeeChange hardened fiber assemblies are available with either a multi-fiber MPO connector or a single-fiber SC APC connector.
An integrated rear shell provides the feature that engages and fully seals a connection to the SeeChange terminal. The connection is ideal for harsh OSP environments and is rated for installations below grade or above grade including aerial installations on strands.
An MPO input port allows for four subscriber drop ports as well as an MPO Express output port that feeds downstream terminals, enabling the operator to push fiber deeper in the neighborhood.
The unit's compact size can be deployed in a variety of locations including pedestal, vault, flowerpot, pole-mount, smart-pole, or strand mounted options.
Value proposition
The SeeChange terminal and hardened connector system works alongside Clearfield’s other terminal products designed so that engineers can deliver fiber services in support of any size fiber-to-the-home (FTTH), fiber-to-the-business (FTTB), or 5G network, with minimal training needed for installation and service activation.
Both hardened connector styles are easily secured into open terminal ports and cleaned and inspected using a special optical probe tip, making the system a complete solution for quick installations using entry level technicians, as reckoned by the manufacturer.
Johnny Hill, chief operating officer of Clearfield, remarked:
“Over the next decade, fiber networks will go further than they have ever gone before, connecting people and places previously unreachable based on economics and technology. Operators need solutions that speed time to market, reduce cost of deployment, and can be deployed with minimal training. SeeChange ensures that our customers can address these needs quickly and cost effectively, with a simplified solution that withstands the harshest environmental challenges.”
Rob Walker, owner of Telespan, asserted:
“I could author a book on fixed wireless technologies, but I know nothing about fiber. By teaming up with Clearfield and its new SeeChange platform, I can deliver a state-of-the-art fiber-to-the-home network to over 200 homes in Lubbock, TX, using plug-and play-components with only my two wireless techs. Anyone wanting an easy to understand and easy to install fiber network should consider the Clearfield SeeChange platform.”
SeeChange Access Terminal and Hardened Connector System from Clearfield on Vimeo.
For more news, projects, and profiles in the ICT cabling and connectivity sphere, subscribe to the CI&M newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
