OSP Route Planning & Infrastructure Deployment 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In OSP route design, what does the term 'make-ready' refer to?
- Installing new poles before cable is attached
- Modifications to existing poles or conduit infrastructure to accommodate new attachments (Correct answer)
- Preparing splice enclosures before a pull
- Pre-testing fiber reels before deployment
Correct answer: Modifications to existing poles or conduit infrastructure to accommodate new attachments
Make-ready is the process of upgrading or rearranging existing attachments and hardware so a new cable can be placed in compliance with safety codes.
Question 2: A designer is routing fiber through an area with a high water table. Which underground installation method best mitigates water infiltration into cable pathways?
- Direct-buried armored cable with no conduit
- Pressurized conduit systems with end seals (Correct answer)
- Open-cut trench with gravel bedding only
- Aerial lash route bypassing the area
Correct answer: Pressurized conduit systems with end seals
Pressurized conduit systems maintain positive air pressure to prevent water and contaminants from entering splice points and cable ends.
Question 3: Which ANSI/TIA standard provides guidelines for OSP structured cabling pathways and spaces?
- TIA-568-C
- TIA-569-D (Correct answer)
- TIA-607-B
- TIA-942
Correct answer: TIA-569-D
TIA-569-D covers pathways and spaces for telecommunications, defining conduit sizing, bend radius, and access requirements for OSP and building entry.
Question 4: A route design requires a fiber cable to enter a building from underground. What structure is used at the building entry point?
- Distribution hub
- Building entrance terminal (BET) or entrance conduit with innerduct (Correct answer)
- Street cabinet
- Outdoor splice closure
Correct answer: Building entrance terminal (BET) or entrance conduit with innerduct
The building entrance terminal or conduit sleeve provides a weatherproof, fire-rated penetration from the OSP environment into the building.
Question 5: What is the maximum allowable unsupported span for aerial self-supporting (ADSS) fiber cable in a standard residential deployment without additional mid-span support?
- 100 feet
- 200 feet
- 300 feet
- Span limits depend on cable design and local loading zone, typically specified by the manufacturer (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Span limits depend on cable design and local loading zone, typically specified by the manufacturer
ADSS span capability varies by cable design, sag requirements, and NESC loading zone; manufacturers publish span tables that must be consulted.
Question 6: During route planning, a designer identifies that a proposed underground path crosses a wetland. Which agency most commonly requires a permit for this crossing in the US?
- FCC
- US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) (Correct answer)
- FEMA
- US Forest Service
Correct answer: US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
USACE regulates activities in waters of the US, including wetlands, under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
Question 7: What is the function of a messenger wire (strand) in an aerial cable deployment?
- To carry electrical power to repeaters
- To provide structural support that bears the cable's weight between poles (Correct answer)
- To ground the aerial system to earth
- To protect the cable from UV degradation
Correct answer: To provide structural support that bears the cable's weight between poles
The strand (messenger) is a galvanized steel or ACSR wire that carries the mechanical load of the lashed cable between attachment points.
OSP Route Planning & Infrastructure Deployment 3
In OSP route design, what does the term 'make-ready' refer to?