OFS unveils double-jacket gel-free ADSS fiber cables

At the FTTH Conference (June 23-25) in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, OFS announced the launch of what it claims is the industry’s first completely gel-free, double jacket all-dielectric self-supporting (ADSS) cable. The company says its new PowerGuide DT fiber-optic cable enables faster deployment and helps lower FTTH installation costs through reduced cable preparation time, with a span length capability of up to 1,500 ft. (460 meters) and fiber counts from 2 up to 288 fibers.

The PowerGuide DT ADSS cable is a double jacket ADSS design optimized for power distribution networks, FTTH deployments, and for self-supporting aerial use, direct use in ducts, aerial-to-duct transitions and aerial-to-underground installations. OFS says the new cable’s flexible buffer tubes are designed to allow for ease of routing and management within closures, as compared to similar gel-filled cable products, but are rugged enough to pass the stringent IEEE 1222 sheave test for installation durability. The company estimates that the cable's 100% gel-free construction may allow for light duty attachment hardware -- costing on average 40 percent less per pole than comparable gel-filled cables on a typical 250 foot span -- due to lower loaded tension.

According to OFS, the totally gel-free PowerGuide DT ADSS cable offers the following benefits, as an effect of removing gels and filling compounds: Enables substantial savings on installation time and labor costs; field technicians may experience an up to 80% time reduction for cable end preparation, when compared to similar gel-filled ADSS cables; Significantly lowers overall cable weight for easier handling and lower operating tensions on the poles; Allows faster splicing with higher first pass yields due to cleaner work environment; Minimizes or eliminates the need for special solvents, resulting in less waste and more environmentally-friendly cable.

The PowerGuide DT cable is the newest member of the OFS PowerGuide ADSS product line, which includes PowerGuide ShortSpan DT ADSS cables for distribution applications, and a key component of OFS’ FOX Solution for Home and Business. “In response to customer demand, we are pleased to add this totally gel-free cable product offering,” comments Eric Whitham, OSP cable product manager for OFS. “The introduction of the double jacket version of our PowerGuide DT cable line is a significant milestone in the industry and more importantly can offer substantial savings on installation time and costs to our customers.”