Commercial & Residential Building Fiber Installation – Part 4
Part 4 will cover Fiber Cable to the Apartment or Office.
Fiber Cable to the Apartment or Office
The three most viable approaches for the final leg of an in-building fiber optic cable installation project are direct fixing, pulling, pushing.
Direct fixing is simply attaching fiber cable to ceilings and walls.
Pulling is ideal when there are microducts with a cord or pulling rope. In this case, fiber cable is secured in a pulling sock or tied to the pull cord prior to being pulled through a microduct. Installation teams usually prefer pulling because it is fast and dependable. Pulling also has similar installation distances as the blown fiber method, but without the mess.
Pushing is simple because its process requires just one step. However, the chosen fiber cable needs sufficient flexibility to allow being pushed around corners. Moreover, it needs to also have the stiffness that will prevent it from buckling on longer routes that generate a lot of friction. Moreover, pushing fiber cable into a conduit or microduct minimizes tensile load, decreasing chances of damaging or straining fiber.
In special cases, blowing may be possible if a duct leading from the floor into every apartment exists. Unfortunately, few apartment and office buildings have this type of infrastructure. In addition, it might be an installation method that is not permitted by developers as mentioned in Part 3.
The pull-back method can be used to connect each room. This will require the deployment of a multifiber feeder cable running from the communications room in the basement upwards to every floor. Then it will continue along corridors or hallways, passing every room.
Even though the pull-back method is space efficient and eliminates floor boxes, an experienced technician will be required to skillfully handle the bare fiber optic cable. The fiber needs to be pulled out manually from the cable and then threaded into the dwelling through a lead-in access box. Upon being installed, fiber cable will need field termination.
Progressive Office Cabling
Founded in 1986, Progressive Office’s success has been a direct result of years of commitment to seeking cost-effective solutions. Working together, Progressive teams are committed to getting your data cabling, access control, and telecom systems installed and operating while minimizing disruption and downtime. Call our toll free number (800) 614-4560 today.
