Optic Fiber Joints

So the BSNL folks installed the fiber at our place and I was with them throughout the process. The most complicated part of the whole installation was the optic fiber joint. The BSNL team had brought a optic fiber joining machine (not sure what it's called). I was told it's worth Rs. 350,000 and it's got some awesome engineering packed inside.

The technician put two fibers opposite to each other and then the fiber joining device would show the whole process of creating a joint on the display. It'd first align the joints and then perform a warm-welding. I'm quite curious to know how the whole process works and why's heat required to join the optic fiber ends.

I also want to know whether the joints affect the data flow rate in any way. Here's a video I found on YouTube that shows the entire process -

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  • Abhishek Rawal
    Abhishek Rawal

    @abhishek-fg9tRh • Sep 29, 2012

    Joints, yeah they affect the bandwidth..... More the joints more the loss. Hence the connection in FOCs are preferred with minimum joints.

    During diploma I read the different ways to cut/join FOCs known as slicing/splicing etc.,... Unfortunately I didn't remembered the specific name of method to join FOCs.... But from what I remember, we keep two split end of FOC in a box like structure which has some metal on it(some compound made from silica) ..... When heat is applied the conducting metal melts and two splitted end of FOCs are joined.

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  • Kaustubh Katdare
    Kaustubh Katdare

    @thebigk • Sep 29, 2012

    So, it's just the way I expected. I didn't spot any metal on the fibers being joined. But I'm now more curious to know how much is the bandwidth affected via these joints? Is it something very noticeable? I'm guessing there will at least be about 3-5 joints on the cable from my home to the exchange. I'll try to post a detailed speed report once the connection is active.

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  • Abhishek Rawal
    Abhishek Rawal

    @abhishek-fg9tRh • Sep 29, 2012

    I dont know about no. of turn versus loss ratio.
    I wanna know that, the FOCs are kept open ? like in ADSL ?
    because from what i know, bendings affects more than joints ... at certain angle of bending, there is more than 90% loss in bandwidth, so most part of FOCs are under-ground.

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  • arunchary
    arunchary

    @arunchary-VtqB3c • Sep 30, 2012

    ya the big k i agree with troll,the concept of fiber splices and fiber joint it mainly leads to the data speed reduces and also reflection losses may occurs this leads to noise and signal attenuation may happens lesser joints lesser in losses..

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