Best solution for FTTH Drop Cable Installation and connectivity

What is the best solution for FTTH drop cable Installation and connectivity? Splice or Connector? Which to Choose for FTTH drop cable Installation?

When deploying a FTTH&FTTX network, contractor and subscribers must choose the right drop cable interconnect solution. Therefor, they have to decide whether to use splices (permanent joint) or connectors (easily mated and unmated by hand) as the best solution.  Splices and connectors are widely used at the distribution point all over the world, while at the ONT/NID, a field-terminated connector or a spliced-on factory-terminated connector is used. Here we would like to discusse the possible best interconnect solutions (splices and connectors) for FTTH drop cables.

As everybody know, splice eliminates the possibility of the connection point becoming damaged or dirty with a permanent joint, which has better optical performance than fiber optic connector. However, splice lack of operational flexibility compared with fiber optic connector. Fiber optic connector can provide an access point for networking testing which cannot be provided by splicing. Both methods have their own pros and cons.

Generally, splice is recommended for drop cables in the places where no future fiber rearrangement is necessary, like a greenfield, new construction application where the service provider can easily install all of the drop cables. Fiber optic connector is appropriate for applications which flexibility is required, like ONTs which have a connector interface.