Design and development of optical fiber joining techniques for efficient construction of aerial distribution cable systems

Two new optical fiber joining techniques have been developed for aerial distribution cables. One employs a compact mass-fusion splicer and the other involves a small mechanical splice. This paper describes their design and performance. These techniques are excellent for use in aerial sites and enable aerial distribution cable systems to be constructed efficiently. They will be useful for the economical construction of optical access networks for fiber-to-the-home