TSD-2000-4-2-2 OPTICAL FIBRE CABLING: TESTING OF INSTALLED CABLING: OTDR Issue 2.01

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Issue 2.01

An OTDR is possibly the most useful analytical tool available to the installer and user of optical fibre cabling. It can be used to perform inspection and testing of optical fibre cabling of all types and at all stages of installation. The soft and hard copy results produced can be included in contract documentation and represent performance baselines against which subsequent measurements can be compared. An OTDR can detect and locate the presence of poor installation practices or modifications to the installed environment. In addition, the OTDR may be used to test completed installations and provides an accurate assessment or measurement (depending upon how it is used) of the position of, and the attenuation levels produced at, the various interfaces and joints throughout the installed cabling.

However, OTDR equipment does have limitations and unskilled use can produce meaningless results. The purpose of this document is to ensure that the OTDR characterizations undertaken are made to a common standard enabling sensible interpretation of the information portrayed.

Issue 2 of TSD-2001-4-2-2 defines the FIA Position on the use of BS EN 61280-4-1:2009 and BS EN 61280-4-2.for the testing of installed optical fibre cabling using an OTDR.