Delivery: Online | Est. Length: 4 Seat Hours | Price: $395.00 | Type: Fiber-only
Course Overview
The NCTI Fiber-Optic Maintenance I: Outside Plant course shifts the focus from construction to reliability. Once a network is live, the priority becomes maximizing uptime and minimizing Mean Time to Repair (MTTR).
This course equips technicians with the diagnostic skills needed to maintain the health of Outside Plant (OSP) networks. Students will learn to interpret network documentation to pinpoint common failure points in equipment rooms, aerial spans, and underground segments. The curriculum covers the essential Six-Step Troubleshooting Process, the use of specialized test equipment (OTDR, VFL, OLTS), and specific restoration strategies for Passive Optical Networks (PON).
Who Should Enroll:
- Fiber Maintenance Technicians
- Field Installers transitioning to Repair
- Network Operations Center (NOC) Staff
- Students pursuing a career in fiber optics
What You Will Learn
Upon completion, students will be able to execute a structured maintenance plan, cleaning connectors properly and restoring service efficiently using industry-standard tools.
Core Competencies:
- Troubleshooting Logic: Apply the Six-Step Troubleshooting Process to systematically identify, diagnose, and resolve network outages.
- Diagnostic Tools: Master the use of Visual Fault Locators (VFL), Optical Power Meters (OPM), and Optical Time Domain Reflectometers (OTDR) to locate faults.
- PON Maintenance: Describe the structure of a Passive Optical Network, identify common problem areas (splitters/distribution hubs), and verify successful resolutions.
- Hygiene & Inspection: Explain proper methods for cleaning and inspecting fiber-optic connectors—the #1 cause of network failure.
- Damage Control: Identify types of cable damage (macrobends/microbends) that occur post-installation and how to address them.
- Documentation: Utilize maintenance plans and system maps to improve network efficiency and simplify the troubleshooting workflow.
Certification and Benefits
Ensure Network Reliability
This course provides the “detective skills” required to find and fix invisible problems in the optical network.
Additional Benefits:
- Industry Recognition: Receive the NCTI Certificate of Graduation.
- Standards Compliance: Identify the main organizations that set industry guidelines for fiber maintenance.
- Next Step: Prepares students directly for Fiber-Optic Maintenance II: Outside Plant Activation.
Course Outline
Module 1: Fiber-Optic Network Maintenance
- Optical network awareness and standards.
- Failure identification in equipment rooms and OSP segments.
- Documentation: Maintenance plans and network maps.
Module 2: Troubleshooting Fiber Outages
- The Six-Step Troubleshooting Process.
- Equipment Requirements: VFLs, OPMs, OLTS, and OTDRs.
- PON Diagnostics: Locating and restoring faults in the Optical Distribution Network (ODN).
- Connector cleaning and verification.