FAT Fiber Access Terminal Box

A: A FAT (Fiber Access Terminal) is an outdoor fiber distribution enclosure positioned at the feeder-to-drop cable junction in an FTTH ODN network. It performs four functions simultaneously: fiber splicing (connecting the incoming feeder cable to the internal PLC splitter), optical splitting (dividing one incoming signal to multiple subscriber outputs), drop cable termination (providing SC/APC adapter ports for subscriber drop cable connection), and environmental protection (sealed housing protecting all internal components from outdoor exposure). In a pre-connectorized FAT like the GL-OTB-08A, the PLC splitter and pigtails are factory-installed and factory-tested before shipment - subscriber drop cables connect by plugging pre-terminated SC patch cords into the adapter ports without any on-site splicing.

A: These are regional naming conventions for the same product category at the same network position. FAT (Fiber Access Terminal) is the international standard term used globally. CTO (Caixa Terminal Óptica) is the Brazilian/Latin American term - a pre-connectorized FAT with hardened Mini-SC adapters where all subscriber connections use pre-terminated cables only (no fast connectors). NAP (Network Access Point) is the term used in European and South American networks. FDB (Fiber Distribution Box) is a generic term typically referring to a non-pre-connectorized enclosure with standard SC adapters. The GL-OTB-08A-A/B qualifies as all four: it meets the pre-connectorized CTO specification, functions as a NAP, and is technically an FDB. Specify the term that matches your procurement standards when ordering.

A: Choose GL-OTB-08A-A when deploying a cascaded FTTH distribution topology where a single feeder cable passes through multiple FAT nodes along a pole line or building facade. The A-model's 70/30 asymmetric splitter retains 70% power for downstream cascade while allocating 30% to local subscribers - enabling up to 128 total subscriber accesses per feeder in high-density urban scenarios. Choose GL-OTB-08A-B for terminal-node deployments where the FAT is the last node on a feeder - all 8 output ports serve subscribers directly with equal split power. If you are unsure, use the A-model: its cascade port can be capped unused at terminal-node positions.

A: IP65 (water-jet resistant from any direction) is sufficient for above-ground aerial pole, wall-mount, and messenger cable installations where the enclosure is exposed to rain and condensation but not submerged. IP68 (continuous submersion protection) is required for direct-burial applications, underground manhole installations, flood-prone locations, and coastal/riverside deployments where periodic submersion is expected. The GL-OTB-08A-A/B achieves IP68, covering both use cases. If your deployment is exclusively above-ground, IP68 provides additional safety margin at no cost penalty. For underground or submersion-risk environments, IP68 is the correct minimum specification.

A: The labor saving comes from eliminating on-site fiber splicing at subscriber port activation. In a field-splice FAT box, each subscriber activation requires: stripping the cable, cleaving, fusion splicing to the adapter pigtail, loading the splice into the tray, and routing excess fiber - approximately 20–30 minutes per subscriber port including test. In the pre-connectorized GL-OTB-08A, subscriber activation requires only plugging a pre-terminated drop cable into the SC/APC adapter port - approximately 2 minutes per subscriber. At 10 ports per FAT node and 40 nodes per project (400 subscribers), the labor difference is approximately 153 hours of splice-technician time saved. At $50–100/hr in emerging markets to $150–250/hr in developed markets, this translates to $7,500–$38,000 per 400-subscriber project - typically exceeding the material cost premium of pre-connectorized over field-splice enclosures.

A: The GL-OTB-08A is compatible with standard single-mode fiber types G.652D and G.657A in both loose-tube and ribbon cable constructions - covering virtually all GPON FTTH feeder cable designs from major manufacturers. The feeder cable entry ports accept cables from approximately 8 mm to 16 mm outer diameter, covering standard 4F to 12F distribution cables. Subscriber drop cables connect at the SC/APC adapter ports via pre-terminated patch cords - no cable entry is required at the subscriber port level. For feeder cable diameters outside the standard range, cable gland adapters are available. Contact our technical team with your feeder cable specifications for confirmation before ordering.

A: Standard MOQ is 20 units. Free samples (1–2 units) are available for technical evaluation and network qualification testing before bulk order commitment. Standard configurations ship within 15 business days. OEM/ODM orders - custom port counts, alternative splitter configurations, custom branding, housing colors, or IP-rating variants - are accepted with 25–30 business days from specification confirmation. Volume pricing tiers are available from 100 units. Full specification sheets, insertion loss test reports, and IP68 certification documentation are available on request. Contact sales@gloryoptic.com with your project requirements and annual volume estimate.

A: Yes - the GL-OTB-08A-A model includes a dedicated cascade outlet (Blue) that supports feeder cable continuation to a downstream FAT node. This is the standard architecture in linear FTTH distribution routes where a single multi-fiber feeder cable passes through multiple FAT nodes along a pole line, with different fiber subsets serving each node. The internal design allows selected fibers to be dropped at each node for local subscriber service while remaining fibers continue to the next node. The GL-OTB-08A-B terminal model does not include a cascade outlet and is intended for end-of-line deployments only.