Integrity of optical splitters in passive optical networks

From an examination of test data available from manufacturers, and from results of British Telecom (BT) testing of a range of device types and technologies, BT now has confidence that splitters will be available with sufficient reliability for mass passive optical network (PON) deployment. The amount of useful test data that has been declared by manufacturers is, in general, not yet sufficient to allow reliability predictions to be made with full confidence, and falls short of what would be expected for new key telecom products at this stage of development and deployment. Evidence of reliable peformance of the polymers used in splitter construction when operated in damp conditions has been demonstrated. Variability in some test results has confirmed that tight control of splitter production processes is vital, both in material preparation and assembly operations. Further work is required to establish the dominant failure mechanisms in both fused fiber and planar devices.