Splicing of aged fibers

The deployment of fiber in the subscriber loop will require that an optical fiber network maintain the highest possible level of reliability over time, despite being subjected to extremes of temperature, humidity, and other environmental and mechanical stresses imposed on the outside plant. At the same time, both the initial cost and the ongoing maintenance expenses for loop equipment must be kept low. Fiber in the Loop (FITL) applications will entail increased fiber handling. Cable lengths will be shorter, and fiber counts higher, than has been the case so far in long-distance applications. There will also be more cable sheath openings per unit length of cable and/or fiber, as well as more splicing and connectorization. It may become a common practice that a customer is connected to a cable installed many years earlier. In subscriber loops, cables and fibers will be installed in harsher and more varying environments. Fibers will be exposed to higher humidity and temperature, particularly in splice boxes mounted on building walls, in pedestal cabinets, and in other similar enclosures. Corrosive gases and/or liquids may also be present at some locations and will adversely affect the fibers. The combination of increased handling, greater exposure, and more stressful environments may give rise to a need for new, more stringent requirements for fiber mechanical reliability. These can include increaSed fiber strength, increased aging resistance, and increased fatigue resistance.