BICSI OSP flashcards

31 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Loss budget

The sum of cable attenuation, splice loss, connector loss, and passive splitter loss in a link; it must be less than or equal to the system link budget to ensure acceptable performance.

Single-mode attenuation

Typical planning values are about 0.4 dB/km at 1310 nm and 0.3 dB/km at 1550 nm; actual values come from manufacturer specifications and should be used for design calculations.

Bend radius rule

Common practice limits cable bend radius to about 10 times the cable diameter under no-load conditions and 20 times under full tensile load, unless the manufacturer specifies a different value.

F1/F2/F3 hierarchy

Feeder (F1) runs from the central office to a feeder/distribution point; distribution (F2) reaches access points; drop (F3) connects the access point to the subscriber.

Conduit fill rule

For multi-cable pulls, total cable cross-sectional area should generally not exceed about 40 percent of the conduit inner cross-sectional area, leaving room for future capacity and pulling friction.

Route selection factors

Designers weigh right-of-way availability, permitting, soil and rock conditions, water crossings, joint-use opportunities, future growth corridors, and construction cost when choosing an OSP route.

Minimum cover depth

Direct-buried cable must be placed below a minimum depth set by local code or utility requirements, with greater depth under roadways and railroad crossings, and marked with warning tape or markers.

Aerial clearance

Aerial communications lines must maintain NESC-specified separations from supply conductors, roads, railways, and structures, and must respect pole attachment and span length limits.

Loose-tube cable

An OSP cable construction in which fibers sit in gel-filled or dry buffer tubes within a protective jacket; well suited to outdoor feeder and distribution routes and long spans.

Tight-buffered cable

A cable construction where each fiber has a direct protective buffer coating; commonly used indoors and for short intrabuilding runs where loose-tube OSP cable is not appropriate.

Strength member function

Strength members and the cable jacket carry pulling tension and external loads; the optical fibers themselves must never be relied on to bear tension during installation or service.

Locating wire

A metallic or toneable element included in buried cable so the route can be found with locating equipment; armored cable may also provide protection against rodents and abrasion.

Splice closure requirements

Closures should be re-enterable, environmentally sealed, and rated for the installation environment such as aerial, buried, pedestal, or vault, and must protect splices from moisture and mechanical damage.

Fiber color code

Industry-standard fiber color sequences identify individual fibers within a buffer tube, and buffer tubes are color-coded to identify their position within the cable.

Copper binder groups

OSP copper pairs are organized into 25-pair binder groups identified by tip and ring conductor colors and binder colors, allowing accurate pair identification and splicing.

Copper protection

Copper OSP facilities are exposed to lightning and power influence, so bonding, grounding, and primary protector placement at the building entrance are required for safety and reliability.

OSP hardware inventory

Common hardware includes pedestals, handholes, vaults, splice cases, cable racks, strand, lashing wire, and drop hardware, each with a rated load and environment of use.

Maximum pulling tension

Pulling tension must not exceed the cable manufacturer's rated maximum; long pulls may require lubricant, intermediate assist, or pulling from both directions to stay within limits.

Sidewall pressure

The force exerted on cable against a bend during pulling; excessive sidewall pressure can crush or abrade cable even when pulling tension remains below the rated maximum.

Conduit proofing

Before pulling, ducts should be mandreled and proofed to confirm they are clear and within tolerance, then lubricated to reduce friction and protect the cable.

ADSS placement

All-dielectric self-supporting cable must be installed where the electric field at the attachment point is acceptable; placement on joint-use poles requires field or design verification.

Fusion splice process

Splicing involves cleaning the fiber, precision cleaving, fusing in the splicer, verifying splice loss, and protecting the splice in a tray within the closure.

Bidirectional OTDR testing

OTDR testing is performed from both ends because backscatter differences can bias one-directional readings; bidirectional results give accurate splice and span loss values.

Call before you dig

Existing utilities must be located and marked before trenching or plowing; permits, cover depth, and surface restoration requirements must also be satisfied during construction.

As-built records

Final documentation should capture actual route, depths, splice locations, and test results so future maintenance, locating, and capacity planning can be performed accurately.

Critical path

The longest-duration path through the project schedule; any delay on the critical path delays project completion, so it receives the most schedule management attention.

Earned value metrics

Cost variance equals EV minus AC, schedule variance equals EV minus PV, CPI equals EV divided by AC, and SPI equals EV divided by PV; values below 1.0 indicate unfavorable performance.

Risk response strategies

Documented risk responses include avoid, mitigate, transfer, and accept; each entry should record probability, impact, response strategy, and a named risk owner.

Change control

Any change to scope, cost, or schedule baseline requires documented review and approval before implementation, preserving traceability and preventing unapproved scope growth.

NESC scope

The National Electrical Safety Code governs clearances, strength, and installation of supply and communication lines, including joint-use pole attachments and aerial separation requirements.

NEC Articles 770 and 800

NEC Article 770 covers optical fiber cables and Article 800 covers communications circuits; both address entrance facilities, grounding, and permitted cable substitutions.