FTTH Projects Now Simplified by R&M's New FO Field Connectors, a Real Alternative to Splicing

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, 7 September, 2014: Swiss cable specialist R&M today introduced its FO Field solution which represents a giant leap forward in fiber optic technology. A result of intensive research and development efforts, the FO Field solution is the first high-end alternative to fiber splicing and consists of field-terminable LC and SC connectors.. R&M believes this product will be a especially beneficial to the growing Fiber to the Home (FTTH) market in the Middle East as telcos have been under pressure to rapidly roll out fiber networks for high-performance connectivity.

“The FO Field solution's ease of installation translates to faster, error-free implementation that results in massive cost savings and greater flexibility for network operators. This launch comes at a time when a wave of FTTH investments is sweeping the Middle East. A major advantage is that our solution enables installation firms to enter the fast growing fiber optic market with minimal investment,” said Shibu Vahid, Head of Technical Operations, R&M Middle East, Turkey & Africa.

Now installers have the freedom of making pigtails and patch cords or links of any desired length in the field out of standard FO cables in less than a minute with just a flick of a wrist. The transmission and attenuation values of the connectors satisfy the tough requirements of broadband networks and commercial data networks. The FO Fields are therefore suitable for Fiber to the Home (FTTH) projects and also for structured cabling systems in offices and buildings with fiber optic networks all the way to the desk (Fiber to the Desk). They can be rewired, making them usable for the maintenance, repair and subsequent modification of fiber optic installations.

Precision for maximum performance in fiber optics
The FO Field components are manufactured according to stringent R&M standards. Production takes place under clean room conditions. Connector parts undergo 100% single-part testing in quality control. Quick mounting technology is self-explanatory. "Mistakes or imprecision in assembly are virtually ruled out. The mechanical and optical characteristics match the quality of pre-assembled and factory-tested pigtail products," Shibu Vahid explained.

The FO Field LC and the FO Field SC meet the requirements of the top performance levels Grade Cf/1 and Grade Cf/2, respectively. The FO Field SC is currently being introduced to the market and typically has an insertion loss (IL) of 0.2 dB. The FO Field LC has been available somewhat longer and has a typical insertion loss of less than 0.5 dB. Both connectors have return loss (RL) in excess of 60 dB. In earlier times, it was nearly impossible to extract this kind of performance from field-terminable fiber optic connectors. R&M has now accomplished this feat thanks to the APC contact surface (APC = Angled Physical Contact) and a low-tolerance fiber guide. After wiring, installers can use an infrared light source to determine within seconds whether the connection works.

Both versions of connectors can be combined with all typical types of cables, with single mode and multimode fibers sized 125 and 250 μm. For multimode fibers, the categories OM2, OM3 and OM4 are specified. It is possible to wire both full and compact fibers with sheathing from 600 up to 900 μm or cladding from 1.4 to 3 mm in diameter.

Along with the new advances FO Field LC and FO Field SC, the R&M product range also includes field-terminable connectors for PCF cables. They are especially well suited for the installation of fiber optic networks in industrial plants and cover the medium performance range. There are field-terminable connection products for polymer optic fibers (POF), too.

For more information please visit www.rdm.com

About R&M
Reichle & De-Massari AG (R&M) develops and produces passive cabling solutions for communication networks and has established itself as a leading producer of high quality copper and fiber-optic solutions. The company has set up its own sales organizations in 30 countries and these are streamlined into eight sales regions. Around two thirds of R&M’s sales revenue is generated abroad. In 2013 sales reached around CHF 200 million. More than 5% of sales revenue is invested in research and development every year. R&M is ranked one of the 500 leading companies in Switzerland and currently employs 800 people. The company is wholly owned by the Reichle family and is managed as an independent family business.

More information is available at www.rdm.com/meta

Marketing Contact:
Sandrine Prat
Marketing & Communication Manager
Middle East, Turkey & Africa
Reichle & De- Massari Regional Office
PO Box 54281
Dubai Airport Free Zone K09/K10
Dubai U.A.E
Tel: + 971 4 236 87 61
Fax: +971 4 236 87 62
Email: sandrine.prat@rdm.com

Media Contact:
Colin Saldanha
Managing Director
Procre8
Villa 41, 81-d Street, Uptown Mirdif
P.O. Box 78835, Dubai
United Arab Emirates

This release was published on openPR.