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FOA CFxT Course Description
Training
The FTTx Technicians
Needed By The Industry
Technology or finances are no longer the primary detriments to
FTTx deployment. Finding sufficient personnel trained and certified
to install FTTx networks has become a gating item as hundreds
of FTTx projects come online. Unlike large projects such as long
distance or metro networks that keep a small crew busy for weeks,
FTTx involves relatively short projects that can keep numerous
crews busy working in a small geographic area such as a neighborhood
or subdivision.
The Fiber Optic Association,Inc. (FOA), the nonprofit professional
society of fiber optics, became aware of this problem in late
2005. First some of our schools approached us for recommendations
on teaching FTTx. FTTx installers came to the FOA asking for help
in finding techs capable of doing FTTx installs. Next we received
calls from Verizon also looking for appropriately trained techs.
With 150 FOA-approved schools certifying thousands of CFOTs (Certified
Fiber Optic Technicians) each year, we were an obvious source
of capable technicians. As we talked to these companies, we realized
that we could greatly improve their efficiency by creating standards
for teaching techs in the FTTX specialty and a FTTx certification.
Snapshot
of A Moving Target:
FTTx Technology
While
we had many schools
that had been teaching fiber optics installation for years in
our group, few were yet proficient in FTTx. And, of course, FTTx
is a moving target, as implementers experiment with various topologies
and new technology develops. As FTTX is a moving target, we took
a snapshot of the current activity and created an annotated slide
presentation to be given to our schools as the basis of their
training and the FOA Certified FTTx Technician (CFxT) FTTX
certification
program. Providing the reference material for our certification
in the form of an annotated slide presentation shortens the time
for our schools to begin teaching a program.
The diversity of opinions today on what version of FTTH/FTTP/FTTC
is proper for any given project made developing training materials
more complex. And FTTx involves some different skills from traditional
OSP installations, depending on the installation methods chosen.
Traditional telco OSP installs has one crew pulling cable, one
splicing and maybe even another testing, then a final crew turning
up the equipment. A FTTX crew is often expected to do all this
themselves to keep costs to a minimum.
Making
Training and Certification
Meet Industry Needs
Rather
than try to cover
all the fiber optics associated with FTTx installations (cables,
terminations, installation, testing, etc.) as a single program,
we made the CFxT certification cover only FTTx, including marketing
issues (why FTTx now), technology, network architecture and
installation.
Techs would have the FOA basic fiber optic certification, CFOT,
as a prerequisite. The program could then be used to train not
only techs, but also non-technical personnel, such as customer
service representatives who need to understand FTTx in more depth
to deal with today's tech-savvy homebuilders and consumers!
Remember the FOA does not have a fixed curriculum that we provide
to our approved schools. We have our reference text, The
Fiber
Optic Technicians Manual, and we set standards for the
training.
But our approved schools develop their own programs, which allows
them flexibility to teach courses appropriate for different
applications,
whether it is OSP, premises, security, military, industrial, utitlity
or whatever is needed. In the case of FTTX, we decided the priority
associated with getting programs available quickly made it reasonable
for us to create the basis of a program which the schools could
modify as needed to fit the FTTx philosophy of their customers.
Feedback from our schools indicate they are incorporating materials
from their customers for training that customize the training
for the particular applications of FTTx in use by company or regionally.
One thing we know for certain is that the FOA CFxT program will
have to evolve as the industry tries and accepts or rejects various
FTTX solutions in the search for a final standard. Hopefully FTTX
will be more standardized by the time the 4th edition of The
Fiber Optic Technicians Manual comes out in 2009 or so!
Creating
a Workforce for FTTx
The
FOA has the world's
largest network of fiber optic trainers, which is why we were
approached about developing a FTTx program in the first place.
We at the FOA feel proud of our efforts to support FTTx and do
out part to help the FTTx industry grow as fast as it can. Our
contributions through this program and our other technical services
to the industry fulfill our goals of promoting fiber optic applications
worldwide.
FOA FTTx Certification Course Description
This course covers training personnel on Fiber To The Home/Premises/Curb (called FTTx). The course can be used to either train installation technicians already familiar with fiber optic installation (and FOA CFOT certified) or can be structured to train other personnel in support roles, including customer service.
Prerequisites:
For
technicians: CFOT
certification (understanding of basic fiber optics, components,
installation practice, testing)
For others not expecting to do actual installation work: none
Goals:
Students
in this course
will learn:
Why FTTx is being implemented today, including technical, marketing
and financial justifications.
The types of FTTx architectures being used, advantages and
disadvantages
of each and types of components required.
Technical details of specialized FTTx components like splitters
and wavelength-division multiplexers and requirements for cables,
connectors, splices and hardware.
Design and installation requirements particular to FTTx.
Testing and troubleshooting FTTx links.
Specialized safety requirements of FTTx.
Text
And Reference Materials:
FOT-FTTx
PowerPoint Furnished
by the FOA, supplemented with outside materials
Review the FOA website
for a long
list of FTTx information on the web!
Course
Outline
What
is FTTx (FTTH/P,
FTTC)
Why is FTTx just now becoming utilized?
Types of FTTx architectures and networks, advantages and disadvantages
FTTx components, options in types used
Designing FTTx networks
Installation
Testing and troubleshooting
Safety
Hands-On
Activities For Labs
Hands-on
activities for
FTTx labs must be structured for the requirements of the organization
being trained. Options in system architecture and installation
methods can lead to choices including these:
Traditional OSP installation: Cable installation, preparation
and splicing
Preterminated cable plant installation: Installing cables and
hardware using factory made cables and hardware.
New installation processes: preterminated/splice connectors,
installation
and assembly of PON splitters.
Testing: OLTS and OTDR testing of PON (passive optical network)
links, use of optical power meters to measure power outputs at
system turn-on to verify installation performance.