Pigtail LC/APC SM G657A1 SX 0.9mm OFNR Yellow, tight buffer

Pigtail LC/APC SM G657A1 SX 0.9mm OFNR Yellow, tight buffer from Red Cable Technology (RCT) is a simplex pigtail for terminating fiber optic cable by fusion or mechanical splicing. It pairs a LC/APC connector with bend-insensitive G.657A1 single-mode fiber in a 0.9mm tight-buffered OFNR yellow lead — built to live in ODFs, fiber terminal boxes, and distribution boxes.

Features & Specs:

• Simplex (SX) pigtail for fusion or mechanical splicing into fiber management equipment — ODFs, fiber terminal boxes, distribution boxes
• LC/APC connector — the small-form-factor (SFF) “little connector,” highly popular in single-mode networks for its good performance and small size; 1.25mm ferrule, about half the size of an SC connector; designed to join LC fibers wherever a connection or disconnection is required
• APC (green) angled polish for low return loss — the choice for return-loss-sensitive applications: RF video signals above 1500 nm, GPON and passive optical LANs, FTTX outside plant, and future higher-speed passive optical networks and WDM applications at higher wavelengths (UPC connectors are blue)
• Bend-insensitive G.657A1 single-mode fiber (NDSF for premises cabling) — the new de facto standard for optimized performance and cost balance; ITU-T G.657A1 and A2 are fully compliant with G.652D and offer enhanced, low-loss fiber; minimum bending radius characteristic: G.657A1 (10 µm)
• Minimum bending radii can be optimized, but doing so sacrifices fiber attenuation and cost
• Single-mode performance: a greater transmission rate and nearly 50 times the distance of multi-mode fiber, at a higher price — the core-size difference is what drives the gap in loss/attenuation and bandwidth
• 0.9mm tight-buffered OFNR lead in yellow

Why APC for this work

Some applications are more sensitive to return loss than others, and they call for APC connectors. In higher optical wavelength ranges — above 1500 nanometers, like those used for RF video signals — reflected light can adversely impact the signal, which is why most cable companies and other FTTX providers use APC connectors in outside plant applications. APC connectors are also commonly used in passive optical applications, both GPONs and passive optical LANs, since many of these systems also use RF signals to deliver video. Future higher-speed passive optical networks and other WDM applications that will use higher wavelengths over singlemode fiber will also likely require the reduced return loss of APC connectors.

Upgrading legacy plant

When weighing your options between on-premises and access network fiber replacement or new installation, we highly recommend replacing legacy OS1 with a new bend-insensitive OS2 (ITU-T G.657A1) SMF cabling system to support longer reach with enhanced link performance. High-quality pigtail cables, coupled with correct fusion splicing practices, offer the best performance possible for fiber optic cable terminations.