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A b o v e v s . B e l o w G ro u n d D ro p S p l i c i n g
inside the unit. The obvious advantage being that it is easier to enter a terminal than to work through a hand hole. Another consideration for using pedestals centers around cost. From a construction standpoint, it is typically less expensive to install a pedestal than to place a hand hole. Placing a hand hole requires a very large digging operation, whereas a pedestal only requires a very small hole for mounting, thereby lowering construction costs significantly. The other benefits of a pedestal include better test access for troubleshooting or working on a connection in the future. Of course, there are some possible disadvantages to using pedestals. Untrained technicians can also gain access, as can any curious person who may want to break in or vandalize the pedestal and equipment. Pedestals are also out in open areas where vehicles could collide with them. More importantly, some neighborhoods may frown on having a pedestal every two to four houses for aesthetic reasons. Environmental Issues In cases where pedestals may not be aesthetically appealing or there is concern about possible damage from vehicles or vandals, it may make better sense to deploy terminals below the ground. Putting them below the ground requires a hand hole. Inside the hand-hole, another splice closure provides environmental protection. This splice closure connects the drop cables within the hand hole and, therefore, must be substantially more robust in design as compared to the above-ground pedestal. Placing it below the ground line presents more opportunity for a flooded environment, so it must be able to withstand submersion under fairly significant water, as well as the possibility of freezing and thawing in northern climates. There are very good splice closures available in todays market that will hold up very well under these environmental conditions. Its also worth noting that hand holes used in harsh winter environments are subject to being iced over or frozen shut. The technician may spend considerable time and effort just finding a way to chip or melt the ice away to gain access. Once open, there may still be considerable ice and slush to clear away before being able to work, making maintenance particularly difficult during the winter months. Effects of Temperature A final consideration is the affects of temperature on connectors used in either a pedestal or hand hole environment. An earlier ADC white paper discusses these effects in detail on outside plant (OSP) cable assemblies
(see Challenges of Cold Temperatures on OSP Cable Assemblies for FTTP--released 1/26/05). Basically, components used to construct OSP cable assemblies are typically made of plastic and, therefore, tend to shrink in cold temperatures. Exposing cable and cable assemblies to low temperatures is typically the most common cause of signal transmission problems and failures in OSP architectures. Insertion loss failures, for example, are a direct result of cable and cable assembly component shrinkage due to low temperatures. If this shrinkage isnt addressed in some way during the manufacturing process and deployment plans, the optical fibers and components could eventually fail. As temperatures decrease to -40 degrees, the effect on the cable assembly becomes significant as it begins to shrink. The optical fiber in the cable, however, remains at its original length. This can cause the optical fiber to bunch up inside the temporarily shortened assembly, causing microbends and high insertion loss at 1550 nm. The hand hole access method provides some protection against cold temperature, since everything is below ground and a cover acts as an insulator for the cable, drops, and interfaces. In a pedestal environment, however, temperature changes will be much more apparent. The temperatures inside the pedestal will likely be as cold as outside temperatures in the winter, and probably warmer than outside temperatures in the summer since the enclosure itself heats up if exposed to direct sunlight. It is important for network architects to consider the temperature challenges at each network location and the possible affects on drop cable connections. Whether above or below the ground, the drop cable connection points must be protected against potentially harmful environmental characteristics. ADC provides access equipment and connectorization components that meet or exceed specifications for dealing with every environmental situation. Their long history of listening and responding to customers network requirements enables ADC to provide the right solutions to solve the most critical networking issues.
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