What is an FTTH Drop Cable?

An FTTH drop cable is the final segment of fiber optic cable in a Fiber-to-the-Home network, connecting the distribution point (typically a splitter in a street cabinet or building basement) to the subscriber's ONU/ONT equipment inside the home or apartment. Designed specifically for the last-mile challenges of FTTH, drop cables must withstand outdoor UV exposure, indoor routing through wall conduits, sharp bends around corners, and connector durability for multiple mating cycles. OMC's FTTH drop cables use G.657.A1 or G.657.A2 bend-insensitive fibers that maintain signal integrity at bend radii as tight as 7.5 mm or 5 mm respectively, enabling installation in spaces where standard G.652.D fiber would suffer macrobend losses.

Cable Constructions for Different Installation Methods

OMC offers FTTH drop cables in several constructions tailored to specific installation methods. The bow-type (also called figure-8 or self-supporting) drop cable features a messenger wire integrated into the jacket for aerial spans between poles and buildings, supporting spans up to 80 meters without intermediate support. The indoor round drop cable uses a 2.0×3.0 mm flat profile or 2.0 mm round jacket with bend-insensitive fiber, ideal for routing through wall conduits and cable ducts inside buildings. The armored indoor drop cable adds a steel wire strength member for protection against rodent damage and accidental impact in basements or service shafts. All constructions use LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen) jacket material for indoor fire safety compliance.

Connector Options and Pre-Connectorized Solutions

To minimize on-site installation time and skill requirements, OMC provides FTTH drop cables as pre-connectorized assemblies with SC/APC connectors at one or both ends. SC/APC is the standard connector choice for FTTH networks due to its superior return loss performance (≥65 dB), which is critical for RF video overlay and high-bitrate data services. The field-installable SC/APC fast connector option allows the drop cable to be terminated at the customer premises without epoxy or polishing, reducing installer training requirements and speeding service activation. Connector types can be customized: SC/APC, LC/APC, FC/APC, or field-installable connectors matching local operator standards. Each pre-terminated drop cable is 100% factory tested for insertion loss (≤0.3 dB) and return loss.

Fiber Specifications and Optical Performance

OMC's FTTH drop cables use premium bend-insensitive single-mode fibers compliant with ITU-T G.657.A1 or G.657.A2 standards. The G.657.A1 fiber supports a minimum bend radius of 10 mm with ≤0.1 dB macrobend loss at 1550 nm, while G.657.A2 fiber reduces this to 7.5 mm with similar low loss characteristics, ideal for in-home routing around corners and through furniture. Attenuation at 1310 nm is ≤0.35 dB/km and at 1550 nm is ≤0.22 dB/km, ensuring adequate optical budget across the typical 1-5 km drop distance in FTTH networks. Mode field diameter is 9.2 µm at 1310 nm, with cutoff wavelength ≤1260 nm. The fiber is fully compatible with standard G.652.D equipment at splitters and OLTs.

Project Deployment and Ordering Information

For FTTH deployments, OMC supports large-scale project supply with custom pre-labeled drop cables packaged in operator-specific boxes for direct field use. Each drop cable is serialized and ships with a printed test report including insertion loss and return loss measurements. Standard lengths range from 10 m to 200 m with custom lengths available on request. Bulk packaging options include 50 m, 100 m, or 200 m reels for cut-to-length field deployment. Pre-connectorized drop cables can be supplied with custom branding, retail packaging, and operator-specific installation manuals. OMC's manufacturing capacity of 600,000 fiber-km per year for cables ensures reliable supply for national-scale FTTH rollouts. Contact our team for tender pricing, technical documentation, and certification support (CE, RoHS, CPR/Euroclass).