Optical Distribution Box – Commonly Used in FTTH Networks

While making fiber to the home accessible, optical distribution box (ODB) is generally installed on the second floor of a building for the connection of the distribution fiber cable and bow-type drop cable.

Commonly used optical distribution boxes have 12 fibers or 14 fibers. They are 370 mm in height, 290 mm in width and 68 mm in depth. When lay cable in the optical distribution box, its bending radius should be 16 times larger than the diameter. Inside an optical distribution box are several fiber splice trays whose in-built numbers depend on the number of fiber splice cores. And each splice tray has 12 fibers. Bow-type drop cable is directly linked with a connector and then connected to the fiber pigtail through an adapter. The following figure shows the configuration of an ODB.

FTTH ODB (optical distribution box)

Costs and Interests Analysis of Optical Distribution Box

An optical distribution box with 24 fibers cost RMB 490 in 2014, and each fiber valued RMB 20 after construction in shares. If there are only six subscribers for network access in the same building, then the fixed assets, RMB 360, could be set aside. This further explains the strategy encounters problems that are the imbalance of cable distribution and the lack of investment motivation in fixed-line networks. That strategy is broadband networks cover the whole China.