Optical Maintenance in PONs

Abstract The maintenance of the ODN (optical distribution network) in PONs (Passive Optical Networks) to be used for the future telecommunication access networks is discussed. A review of the techniques used to perform this function, aimed to guarantee the performances of optical cables, splices, connectors, and other passive components of the network, is provided. Post-fault maintenance (to detect, locate, and restore the faults) and preventive maintenance (to reduce the fault events) are both considered. The use of measuring and monitoring systems based on OTDRs (optical time domain reflectometers) is examined in detail, considering the different proposed schemes. These are based on reference reflectors set at the end of the branches, fiber selectors, wavelength division routing, chained branches, and use of dedicated fibers. An overview of the key components for the considered measuring and monitoring systems is given, considering the present status and the foreseeable evolution for the different devices: optical selectors, filters, reflectors, couplers, selective wavelength routers, and OTDRs.

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