March 3, 2008 -- To address the need for rapidly installing the final drop from splitter or splice node to the customer, Emtelle has developed a pre-installed fiber unit (PIFU) for its air-blown fiber system.
The PIFU comprises a direct bury protected microduct that contains an optical fiber unit that has already been configured and installed in the factory. The factory installation of the fiber into the microduct ensures that the low strain characteristics of the field-blown system are maintained. Because it is supplied ready-to-go, the unit can be put in place much more quickly and with much less disruption than alternative products, according to the company.
The microduct has a standard 3.5-mm internal diameter and contains two or four fibers, allowing flexibility in terms of configuration and fiber type. The PIFU also greatly eases maintenance, expansion and upgrade procedures, an advantage in terms of operating expenses.
Supplied in 500-m coils, the PIFU can be fitted to the Emtelle standard coil dispenser ("trolley") for distribution in lengths of up to 150 m at a time. It is suitable for direct burial to standard depths, typically 300 to 600 mm in suitably prepared ground. Its fiber performance is the same as for blown or pulled fiber (to Emtelle fiber unit standard MHT1201). Designed for outdoor use, the PIFU product -- in terms of both the microduct and the fiber unit -- is rugged and durable.
"The PIFU enhances the widely accepted advantages of Emtelle's air blown fiber system in terms of flexibility and ease of deployment," says David Stockton, Emtelle's technical director. "It enables the user to deploy futureproof customer drops in the least time and with exceptional ease."