Kenyan network installers should begin with the actual mating interfaces and site fiber records before assigning this product to a link. Whereas a standard SC APC connector plugs into the optical network terminal or indoor hardware on the subscriber side, this fiber drop cable connects the sealed outdoor terminal to the subscriber premises with one purpose-built interface at each end: a hardened SC APC connector, IP68 rated and environmentally sealed, mates directly with the terminal port on the distribution side. The optical cable is the flat 2.0x5.0mm LSZH drop structure with one G.657.A2 bend-insensitive OS2 fiber, factory terminated and manufactured to the ordered length.
Product Highlights
- Sealed connector mates directly with outdoor terminal ports
- G.657.A2 bend-insensitive fiber, 7.5mm minimum bend radius
- Insertion loss ≤0.3dB, return loss ≥60dB
- No splicing at the terminal, tool-less sealed mating
- Manufactured to the ordered route length
- Hardened SC APC (IP68) to standard SC APC
Specifications
| Connector A | Hardened SC APC (IP68) |
|---|---|
| Connector B | SC APC |
| Fiber Mode | OS2 9/125µm |
| Wavelength | 1310/1550nm |
| Fiber Count | 1 Fiber |
| Fiber Grade | G.657.A2 |
| Min. Bend Radius (Optical Fiber) | 7.5mm |
| Min. Bend Radius (Fiber Cable) | 60/40mm (Dynamic/Static) |
| Trunk Outside Diameter (OD) | 2.0x5.0mm |
| Breakout Outside Diameter (OD) | 2.0x3.0mm |
| Breakout Length | 300±50mm |
| Cable Jacket | Low Smoke Zero Halogen (LSZH) |
| Tensile Load | 400N (Short Term) |
| Crush Resistance | 500N/100mm (Short Term) |
| Insertion Loss | ≤0.3dB |
| Return Loss | ≥60dB |
| Attenuation at 1310nm | ≤0.4dB/km |
| Attenuation at 1550nm | ≤0.3dB/km |
| Operating Temperature | -20 to 70°C (-4 to 158°F) |
| Storage Temperature | -10 to 50°C (14 to 122°F) |
A sealed interface for the outdoor terminal
The distribution end of a drop pathway lives outdoors: in a terminal on a pole, a facade box or a handhole, exposed to rain, dust and condensation for years. The hardened SC APC connector is built for exactly that mating point. Its sealed housing threads directly onto the matching terminal port and closes to IP68; therefore, the optical interface is protected against water and dust ingress without an enclosure around the link itself. The optical connector accepts a standard SC APC interface inside, keeping full compatibility with the access network design.
Plug-and-play instead of splice-and-seal
The traditional alternative to a hardened drop is a field-spliced pigtail inside the terminal: a fusion splice, a splice tray slot, heat-shrink protection and the craft time to do it well on a ladder. The hardened drop removes all of that. The installer routes the optical cable, threads the optical connector onto the terminal port, and the channel is full. Rollout crews connect more homes per day, and the skill specification at the drop point falls from splicing technician to installer, which is precisely where large FTTH programs save their cost.
One fiber, two very different ends
The two ends of this optical cable serve dissimilar worlds. Outdoors, the hardened connector faces weather, handling and repeated mating as subscribers are added and moved. Indoors, the standard SC APC end plugs into the optical network terminal on the subscriber wall. The 300mm breakout between the flat trunk and the 2.0x3.0mm tails gives both connector ends ample free fiber to dress into their enclosures without strain, and the G.657.A2 glass tolerates the tight corners of the indoor pathway.
Planning the orientation
The hardened end always faces the terminal, the standard end faces the subscriber, and the orientation is fixed at the factory. At the ordering stage, state the pathway length collectively with the terminal type so the breakout and connector boot match the hardware. For routes where both connector ends terminate at sealed outdoor ports, the hardened-to-hardened variant of this range extends the matching sealed interface to both connectors.
Made-to-order lengths
Since last-mile routes differ from a few meters to well over a hundred, every drop cable in this range is manufactured to the length stated with the order rather than picked from fixed stock sizes,. The optical cable is manufactured to the length stated with the order; measure the pathway from the terminal port to the optical network terminal, including the vertical drop and entry channel, and allow working slack at both connector ends. Specifying the measured pathway length avoids both the slack storage problem of an overlong cable and the strain risk of one that is too short.
Factory testing and quality checks
Each product is terminated with precision zirconia ferrule connectors and optically tested as a full cable: insertion loss is verified against the 0.3dB ceiling and return loss against the 60dB minimum. Because the hardened connector is checked for seal integrity as well as optical performance, the delivered drop can usually be threaded onto the terminal port and put into service without on-site rework.
How to Order and Factory Support
Refer to the hardened to standard SC APC drop cable range when asking for a quotation and state the pathway length, terminal type and number of units per length. For other hardened connector styles or both-end sealed builds, send the site specification with the request and the factory will check the manufacturable specification before manufacturing. Project support for Kenya and East Africa is available to reconcile the ordered configuration with the intended installation.