LONDON, Feb. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- OFS, a leading designer, manufacturer and supplier of innovative fibre optic network products, introduces the FOX Solution™ SlimBox™ Drop System to the European, Middle East and African (EMEA) markets.  The SlimBox™ Drop System provides a versatile solution from a single platform for making the FTTH connection to SFU (Single Family Unit) or MDU (Multifamily Dwelling Unit) subscribers. 

"Service providers want to increase revenues and reduce costs by connecting customers faster, with lower skilled labor," said Jason Pedder, Director Product Marketing, EMEA Cable and Connectivity for OFS.  "The SlimBox Drop System is designed to meet this need by supporting plug and pay drop connections, splitters, and splicing, all within a common platform."

The SlimBox Drop Terminal can support up to 16 drop cable assemblies enabling speedy plug and play connections to customers – with standard non-proprietary connectors all sealed inside a single enclosure. A variety of compatible FOX Solution Drop Cable Assemblies are available – including EZ-Bend ® 4.8mm assemblies enabling sharp unmanaged bends for even faster installations where space is at a premium. The terminal can be configured for fusion spliced drops or drops with OFS field installable mechanical connectors. It may also be configured with either two 1x8 splitters or a single 1x16 splitter to support passive optical networks in addition to functioning as a drop terminal.

Distribution cable can be routed through the SlimBox terminal and directly spliced to drop pigtails, avoiding the cost of the additional splice closure and tether cable required by proprietary hardened drop solutions. The SlimBox drop terminal can be pole, pedestal, or aerially mounted. It may be easily entered and re-sealed through an innovative clamshell clamping system.

The Fox Solution™ SlimBox™ Drop System will be presented at the FTTH conference in London 20-21 February at OFS' Gold Sponsorship stand, G18, and will be generally available in June.

Key Features and Benefits of the Fox Solution ™SlimBox™ Drop System:

• Plug and play subscriber connections with factory connectorized drop assemblies for faster subscriber connections without the need for fusion splice equipment.
• Standard SC-APC Connectors for easier cleaning with standard cleaning kits. No O-ring seals to fail.  Simple push on installation.
• One terminal part number supports up to 16 drop connections with factory terminated or field installed mechanical connectors, or fusion splicing for reduced inventory and faster learning curve with one vs. multiple terminals.
• Mid-span splicing into distribution cable avoids the need for additional splice closures required by proprietary hardened connector systems.
• OFS AllWave® FLEX+ fibre standard in all drop, pigtail, and tether assemblies for lower bending loss and improved system performance and/or increased safety margins.
• OFS EZ-Bend ™ 4.8mm indoor/ outdoor drop cable assemblies allowing negligible loss on sharp unmanaged bends for faster installations where space is a premium.
• Single 1 x 16 or two 1 x 8 splitters available factory or field installable in terminal for lower cost – PON splitter and drop cable connection functionality from a single terminal.
• Labeling on inside of door for easy subscriber identification helping to enable accurate moves, adds and changes.

About OFS
OFS is a world-leading designer, manufacturer and provider of optical fibre, optical fibre cable, connectivity, FTTX and specialty photonics solutions.  Our marketing, sales, manufacturing and research teams provide forward-looking, innovative products and solutions in areas including Telecommunications, Medicine, Industrial Automation, Sensing, Government, Aerospace and Defense applications. We provide reliable, cost effective optical solutions to enable our customers to meet the needs of today's and tomorrow's digital and energy consumers and businesses. 

OFS' corporate lineage dates back to 1876 and includes technology powerhouses such as AT&T and Lucent Technologies. Today, OFS is owned by Furukawa Electric, a multi-billion dollar global leader in optical communications.

Headquartered in Norcross (near Atlanta) Georgia, U.S., OFS is a global provider with facilities in China, Denmark, Germany, Russia, and the United States.

For more information, please visit www.ofsoptics.com.

OFS PR Contact:
Sherry Salyer
Public Relations
shsalyer@ofsoptics.com
+1 770-798-4210

SOURCE OFS