- FTTH
News
- "Fiber To The Home Summits"
Coming To New England And Mid-Atlantic States In June
- Following up on our highly successful
"Fiber To The Home" Summit
Meeting this January at LA Trade Technical College in Los Angeles,
the FOA has scheduled Summits in New England and the Mid-Atlantic
regions. On June 12, we'll be the guests of New Hampshire Technical
College at Pease near Portsmouth, NH, as the guests of Dave Miller
who teaches the FOA program there. On June 14, we'll be at West
Chester College in the NW Philly suburbs hosted by Arnie Harris
of ElA, a FOA approved training organization. For full details
on the meetings, watch the FOA website - and we'll send details
using our email list.
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- Want To Learn More About
FTTx?
- The FOA has created a special
FTTx resources
section of our website with a FTTx
links page with lots of links to news, market reports, technical
articles and vendor technical and product information. Here
is a great place to start learning more about FTTx.
-
- FOA's CFxT FTTx Certification Program
Explained
- Read the Broadband Properties article
about the FOA FTTx certification program.
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Google Enters Broadband Home
Connection Market
With Free FTTT* Offering Called
Google TiSP !
On April 1, Google announced
their new, free broadband service that connects to an in home
wireless router with a optical fiber that users can install themselves!
No more waiting for the telco to bring fiber to your home, no
expensive sign-up costs, no long term contracts. This is one
of the biggest FTTx developments this month. Google must be "flushed"
with pride!
- From the Google Press Release:
Users who sign up online for the TiSP system will receive a full
home self-installation kit, which includes a spindle of fiber-optic
cable, a TiSP wireless router, installation CD and setup guide.
Home installation is a simple matter of GFlushing™ the fiber-optic
cable down to the nearest TiSP Access Node, then plugging the
other end into the network port of your Google-provided TiSP
wireless router. Within sixty minutes, the Access Node's crack
team of Plumbing Hardware Dispatchers (PHDs) should have your
internet connection up and running.
Be sure to read the installation
instructions. PR
too.
More
on Google TiSP
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Without Further Comment:
The attached jpg is from page
3 of the new TIA 2007 Technology and Policy Primer.
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 Download
This!
-
- JDSU offers a free download
of their Testing Guide from the Lightwave website. This is one
great book which explains some basic fiber technology, but the
real value is the last half which deals with OTDR testing. Not
only does it give the usual info, but it covers important topics
like measurement uncertainties and anomolies like ghosts and
gainers.
-
- I was in the testing business
for 20+ years at Fotec and think this book is one of the best
fiber optic testing texts available. It's complete but comprehenisble!
I used to believe that premises techs did not need OTDR training,
but now OTDR manufacturers are pushing their use in premises
networks. Unfortunately, the limitations of OTDRs in premises
applications can cause extreme problems for those who are not
aware of their limitations. So knowing hows OTDRs work is essential
information to every tech.
JH
-
- Download yourself a copy
and read it!
- http://lw.pennnet.com/whitepapers/wp.cfm?id=665
-
 Now In Spanish: FOA Textbook
& Text For FOA Advanced Certifications
- The FOA's textbook, The
Fiber Optic Technicians Manual, is used by our approved
schools around the world to teach fiber optics. Book Details:
Manual Del Technico De Fibra Optica, Published by Thomson
Delmar Learning, ISBN 1-4180-6121-2
- If you are getting started
in fiber optics and Spanish is your native language, you can
download an introduction to fiber optics in Spanish here.
-
- Eric Pearson's book that is
used for the CFOS/I reference book, Successful
Fiber Optic Installation, is also now available in Spanish.
-
- Contact the FOA for more information.
-
-
-
-
-
- NEW-FOA Technical Bulletins/Tech
Topics
-
- Testing Update
- Are there really 5 different
ways to test optical fiber cabling after installation? Why so
many? How do the measurements - and more importantly the measurement
results - differ? What are the advanteages and disadvantages
of each method?
- Why
are there 4 ways (maybe 5) to test fiber optic cables?
- Do
OTDRs and OLTS tests give the same results?
-
- Technical Bulletins
- How do you design and manufacture
fiber optic systems? Choose and install one to serve your communications
needs? Troubleshoot problems? The FOA Fiber Optic Technical Bulletins
will provide step-by-step guidelines to help you. All are
PDF files you can download, print and use.
- Designing
and manufacturing fiber optic communications products for manufacturers.
- Choosing,
installing and using fiber optic producst for users.
- Troubleshooting
fiber optic cable plants and communcations systems.
-
- New Tech Topics
- Updated link
specs for fiber optic networks - now includes 10G Ethernet.
- FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
on General Topics and Testing
- Fiber Or Copper? Making decisions,
overview and LANs
- How
do you clean connections?
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Links:
Bob Ballard of FOA-Approved
School BDI Datalink
has a neat website with some good technical content. Be sure to pay particular attention
to these pages:
http://www.bdidatalynk.com/mythsoffiberoptics.html
and http://www.bdidatalynk.com/askdoctor.html
Like Good Technical Videos?
Try NECA/IBEW/JATC's
Electric TV.
- Job
Openings
-
- Verizon:
Fiber Network Field Technician (Outside Field Technician)
- Openings in the following areas:
CA, TX, WA, OR, VA, MA, NJ, RI
Take your career to new heights at a company that's a leader
in global communications: Verizon. We offer an unparalleled opportunity
to advance your career while contributing in an enthusiastic,
team-oriented environment.
- Primary duties include, but
are not limited to:
- Install, remove, rearrange,
program, test, troubleshoot and maintain fiber network services.
Install and configure routers, set top boxes. May assist
with installation of PC software as needed and ensure proper
configuration of the customer's PC. Interact with the Fiber
Solution Center as needed. May install appropriate inside
wire/cable.
Install, maintain and repair outside and inside fiber equipment/facilities
including inside wiring and fiber jumpers at the distribution
hub.
Interface with customer to negotiate the placement of equipment;
may assist with account registration, e-mail, and web access,
and training the customer on how to use the new equipment. Ensure
customer satisfaction. Respond to inquiries and provide
follow-up, as necessary.
Interpret schematic work order drawings to determine job specifications
and installation needs. Order and/or obtain required equipment.
Effect problem solving where appropriate.
Utilize various test equipment to analyze equipment trouble and
take appropriate maintenance action.
- Skills/Requirements:
- Requires high level of customer
contact to ensure customer satisfaction.
Climbing poles and ladders; lifting 75-100 pounds on a regular
basis; pushing, reaching, bending and stooping; manual dexterity;
good sense of balance; and good color vision.
Must have a current/valid California Drivers License and a clean
driving record.
Qualified candidates must pass all company required tests, a
pre-employment drug screen and a background check. In addition,
candidates will be required to successfully pass a legally required
DOJ Criminal Records Check/screening process (fingerprinting).
Candidates must be able to work any shift given, including days,
weekends, holidays and overtime as required.
- Verizon offers:
- Hourly rate for this position
is $12.87-28.55. Wage credit may be granted for related
work experience and/or college degree.
Benefits include medical, dental, life insurance, 401(k) with
Company match and paid vacation
- interested candidates should
go to https://www22.verizon.com/about/careers/fiberjobs.html
to apply AND schedule themselves for testing.
- Thank you for showing an
interest in Verizon!
Verizon is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer supporting
workforce diversity. m/f/d/v. Principals only!
- Global Business Director
Broadband/HFC
Reports To: Vice President,
Broadband Product Management
- General Summary:Plan, develop, organize, and direct
global product management strategies of the company's broadband
coaxial and fiber optic cable business to achieve sales, margin,
and market share goals and customer needs. Operates in a cross-functional
environment working with Sales, Operations, Finance, Legal, and
Engineering and Quality.
- Sales Volume: $400 Million
Supervises: Product Managers
and Product Specialists
Contact:
- Harry R. Sacks
Director, Business Development & Recruiting
Sterling Global HRC
2415 E. Camelback Road
Suite 1090
Phoenix, AZ 85016
800-350-8012 Ext. 118
602-470-8400
602-809-8730 - Cell
hsacks@sterlinghrconsulting.com
http://www.sterlinghrconsulting.com
-
-
- Technical Personnel Available
-Experienced In Manufacturing Fiber Optic Components and Systems
-
- Northrop Grumman decided to
close its Fibersense Technology facility in Canton, MA . The
facility employs 160 people, producing Fiber Optics Gyroscopes.
Fiber optic gyro is made of state of the art PM fibers, phase
modulators, splitters, light sources (fiber and diode sources),
receivers,
with advanced packaging and electronics implementation. The hardware
and production line are being transferred to the west coast plants.
This phase-out started already, and the tentative closure is
by July.
Expert resources are available and looking for alternative
employment in Massachusetts:
Optical technicians
Fiber optics sensor assembly technicians
Electrical technicians
Photonic R &D technician
All categories of engineers
If you have an interest in any of the above, please send me e
mail and I will ask the relevant people to contact you.
Ram Yahalom
R & D Manager
Northrop Grumman - Navigation System Division
Canton, MA
- Ram.Yahalom@NGC.com
781-232-2225 (w)
-
-
-
- Also Check Recent Job Openings
In Previous Issues of The FOA Newsletter
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-
-
- Tech Puzzler
- What is this? This OTDR trace
shows a common feature that confuses many new OTDR users. For
the answer, see below.
-
-
-
- Answer below
-
-
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- Understanding FOA Certifications
- To answer questions on FOA certifications,
we've created several new web pages:
- Overview
of FOA certifications
- CFOT
- CFxT
- AFOT
- CFOS
- Training
Requirements - What Schools Are Teaching
-
- Reading these will help you
understand what each FOA certification covers and how to prepare
for them.
-
- New Professional Society
for Structured Cabling Recognizes Importance of Fiber Optics
(and Wireless)
- The new Structured Cabling Association,
Inc. (http://www.scausa.org/)
is a professional society aimed at installers of "structured
cabling" or premises cabling. Structured cabling has been
focused on so-called "Cat 5" or UTP cabling for years,
while network speeds have left UTP behind. Now most backbones
for LANs are fiber optics and every network seems to have wireless.
The SCA, founded in part by FOA activists Tom Collins and Jim
Hayes, intends to make structured cabling training and certification
more relevant to today's world.
-
-
 FOA Logo Merchandise
- FOA has arranged with EmbroidMe
to provide FOA logo merchandies. Identify yourself as a FOA-certified
tech or instructor. The lab coats are super impressive for either
cabling techs and instructors. Check
out the selection.
-
-
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- FOA CFOT Renewals Get Free
Copy of NECA/FOA Installation Standard
- Every CFOT renewal will now
receive a free copy of NECA 301-2004,
Installing And Testing Fiber Optic Cables, produced by
The FOA in cooperation with NECA (The National Electrical Contractors
Association). This is an important reference document for defining
the installation and testing of fiber optic cable plants in a
"neat and workmanlike manner."
- The FOA feels this is such an
important document that we are giving a free copy (normally priced
at $15) to every active CFOT when they renew their active status.
- The FOA has also sent free copies
to all FOA-Approved schools. The new FOA CFOT exam to be used
after August, 2005, will include questions from the standard.
Schools should be including information from the standard in
their classes already.
-
-
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- FOA Certification Top Choice
The FOA CFOT and CFOS programs continue to gain momentum in fiber
optics. Over 20,000 CFOTs have been certified by over 160 schools
as the FOA enters its 12th year. Since our founding in July,
1995, we have dedicated ourselves to promoting fiber optics and
professionalism in fiber optics personnel, focusing on education
and certification. We are continuing to add new schools and more
CFOTs as users of fiber optics learn that a CFOT is the indication
of a professional, well-trained fiber optic technician. Now with
FTTH (fiber to the home) finally taking off, demand for CFOTs
is rising and schools are responding by expanding programs rapidly.
- The FOA now has approved programs
at 160+ organizations, welcoming new additions like the Joint
Apprenticeship and Training Committee of the International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers, Corning
Cable Systems and AFL
for their installation training programs and NASA's Goldstone
Tracking Station. The complete list of FOA-Approved schools is
at http://www.thefoa.org/foa_aprv.htm.
Your Name, CFOT - It pays
to advertise!
The FOA encourages CFOTs to use
the logo on their business cards, letterhead, truck or van, etc.
and provides logo
files on this site for that purpose. But we are also asked
about how to use the CFOT or CFOS certifications. Easy, you can
refer to yourself as "Your Name, CFOT" or "Your
Name, CFOS/T" for example.
Feel free to use the logo and
designations to promote your achievements and professionalism!
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Remember To Renew Your Certification
!
Remember to renew your FOA certification.
All current CFOTs have a ID Card with their certification data
and we keep a database of current CFOTs to answer inquiries regarding
your qualifications if needed. You must be a current FOA member
and CFOT to participate in our online
database of installers, contractors, technicians and consultants.
If you forgot to renew, use the online
application form to renew NOW!
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-
- To
Contact The FOA:
-
- The
Fiber Optic Association
- 1119 S Mission Road,
# 355
- Fallbrook, CA 92028
-
- Office Hours 10AM-5
PM Pacific Time
- Telephone: 760-451-3655
- Fax: 781-207-2421
- info@thefoa.org
Want to write for the FOA
Newsletter? Send us articles, news, anything you think might
be interesting to the rest of the membership!
Return
to The FOA Home Page
(C)1999-2007, The Fiber Optic Association, Inc.
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- Tech Puzzler: Gainer
The increase in backscatter
level causes a low-loss fusion splice to show a gain instead
of a loss. "Lennie":
has a complete explanation of gainers.
See the FOA Tech
Topics Connector ID page.
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