Glossary

Light or signal energy that is lost as the signal passes through the optical fiber end in the connector and is inserted into another connector or piece of hardware. A good connector minimizes insertion loss to allow the greatest amount of light energy through. A critical measurement for optical fiber connections. Insertion loss is measured by determining the output of a system before and after the device is inserted into the system. Loss in an optical fiber can be due to absorption, dispersion, scattering, microbending, diffusion, and the methods of coupling the fiber to the power. Usually measured in dB per item; for example, a coupler, connector, splice, or fiber. Most commonly used to describe the power lost at the entrance to a waveguide (an optical fiber is a waveguide) due to axial misalignment, lateral displacement, or reflection that is most applicable to connectors.

Insertion Tool - A small device (Metal or Plastic) used to insert contact/s into a connector insulator.

Tip: This tool often comes as a combination tool; Insertion/ Extraction tool (see Extraction Tool).

(1) Cables that are the portion of the cable network that is inside buildings, where cable lengths are usually shorter than 100 meters. This is the opposite of outside-the-plant (OP or OSP) cables. (2) A telecommunications infrastructure designed for installation within a structure.

The short term tensile load that may be placed on a fiberoptic cable.

A publishing and standards-making body responsible for many standards used in LANs, including the 802 series of standards.

A material with good dielectric properties that is used to separate electrical components close to one another, such as cable conductors and circuit components. Having good dielectric properties means that the material is nonconductive to the flow of electrical current. In the case of copper communication cables, good dielectric properties also refer to enhanced signal-transfer properties.

A type of wire termination in which the wire is punched down into a metal holder that cuts into the insulation wire and makes contact with the conductor, thus causing the electrical connection to be made. These connectors are found on 66-blocks, 110-blocks, and telecommunications outlets.

An optical circuit that is used for coupling between optoelectronic devices and providing signal processing functions. It is composed of both active and passive components.

Optical devices that perform two or more functions and are integrated on a single substrate; analogous to integrated electronic circuits.

Similar in concept to integrated optics except that one of the integrated devices on the semiconductor chip is optical and the other electronic.

A telecommunications standard that is used to digitally send voice, data, and video signals over the same lines. This is a network in which a single digital bit stream can carry a great variety of services. For the Internet it serves much better than analog systems on POTS (plain old telephone service), which is limited to 53Kbps. See also basic rate interface and primary rate interface.

Contractor responsible for the integration of a Node B / BTS. Often the responsibility of NSN or Huawei, fulfilled by one of their contractors.

A signal that is transmitted by imposing it on a carrier such as a beam of light to change the amplitude of the carrier.

A hub that performs bridging, routing, or switching functions. Intelligent hubs are found in collapsed backbone environments.

A network that is capable of carrying overhead signaling information and services.