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GR-1081 FIELDWhite Paper
INSTALLABLE CONNECTORSJUN 2019

GR-1081
Field Installable
Connectors
Dr. Bernard Lee

America
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GR-1081 FIELDINSTALLABLE CONNECTORS

GR-1081
Field Installable Connectors
Contents

4

Executive summary

4

FTTH Deployment Constraints

5

Introduction of Field Mountable Connectors (FMC)

8

Field Installable Connector Compatibility

9Connector Quality

12 GR-1081-CORE Reliability Assurance
13 Future Market of Field Installable Connector
13 Summary
14 Reference
14 Biography

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GR-1081 FIELD INSTALLABLE CONNECTORS

Executive Summary
The number of FTTH subscribers have been steadily
increasing since the new millennium. Asia pacific isleading the world in the number of connections with a major

Global internet users

milestone of 100 million subscribers by the end of 2014, according100

to the FTTH Council Asia-Pacific. The global consumption of optical

90

connectors and mechanical splices is forecasted to reach over 1.5
billion units by the end of 2015. The APAC region is forecasted to be

96,8
95,3

80
70
60

the fastest growing consumption with a CAGR of 25% followed by

50

EMEA with 19.5% and the Americas with 10.8%.

40

47,2
46,4
43,4

30

The global consumption of fiber optic connectors and mechanicalsplices reached $2.6 billion in 2013 with Multimode fiber optic
connectors having the majority market share at 64%. The consumption

20
10,8

10
0

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

is forecasted to increase at a rate of 14% per year. Multifiber fiber optic
connector has seen the fastest consumption growth with the increasein deployment of high speed Ethernet networks of 25Gbps or greater

Mobile-cellular telephone subscriptions
Mobile broadband subscriptions
Individuals using the internet

Fixed broadband subscriptions
Population covered by 2G mobile network
Households with internet

Source: ITU

in the coming years.
Field-installable connectors for indoor and outdoor use are increasing
in demand and thus are making a big-splash in the overall connector
product lines of several competitors. Fiber optic connector-types,
such as SC, ST, LC, FC and even the MPO and other possibilities are
finding their way to the marketplace. Both mechanical-splice andfusion-splice technologies are meeting the requirements in the fieldinstallable fiber optic product availability

FTTH Deployment Constraints
A typical FTTH network is made up of a distribution network from the exchange to a fiber terminal outside of a premise and a drop
network which connects the fiber terminal to the premise. The distribution network can be planned, installed and terminated in acontrolled manner where multiple cables and fibers can be spliced in a single visit. However, the drop network is usually connected on-demandwhen the premise owner requests for a fiber based service.
A small but critical part of the technician’s job to connect the customer is to terminate an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) to the distribution
network. Initially this was performed by fusion splicing to pigtails. However with increasing demand volume, network operators faced newchallenges such as the cost of equipping technicians with fusion splicers, training and the speed of deployment. To overcome such complexities,
mechanical splicing and field mountable connectors were introduced.
Mechanical splicing and FMC are commonly used elements for FTTH deployment in Asia-Pacific countries mainly Japan, Korea and China. It isalso deployed in the US and European market but it is usually restricted to network restoration and for temporary service activation.

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INSTALLABLE CONNECTORS

GR-1081 FIELD INSTALLABLE CONNECTORSIntroduction of Field Mountable Connectors (FMC)
Although the cost of the connector and equipment is

In addition, the epoxy has a limited shelf life which requires careful

not as high as a fusion splicer, the operation is delicate and requires
a highly skilled technician to produce a good quality connector.

from being contaminated, a clean environment for storage andMultiple parts and equipment such as a heating oven, epoxy, distilled

operation is required.

Measure and Strip Fiberto Correct Length

Insert Fiber into holder
and cutting

Push fiber into fiber holder

Set the cleaver for cutting

Insert assembly into connector holder

Remove wedge from connector

The connector is terminatedCheck the termination

Insert Fiber
into Connector & Settle

Check
Connector

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GR-1081 FIELDINSTALLABLE CONNECTORS

GR-1081 FIELD INSTALLABLE CONNECTORSThe FMC evolution is the introduction of a No Epoxy No Polish solution. The FMC is designed to have an optical fiber stub which is pre-cleaved
and pre-polished within the connector ferrule. A mechanical splice together with a fiber guide and clamp is incorporated within the connector
body. A prepared and cleaved fiber of a set length is pushed into the connector to make a physical contact with the fiber stub. Index matchinggel within the connector improves the fiber interface and prevents fiber grinding on contact. The performance of the FMC termination isfurther improved with the introduction of precision cleavers which replaces the Score-and-Snap cleavers.

The use of Snap-and-Score Cleavers reduces FMC loss performance

As the No Epoxy No Polish FMC proved to be a very reliable and easy to install solution, multiple variation of the connector for different
applications are introduced such as the FMC for 900μm, cords and drop cables. These included new boot designs for gripping Kevlar from cords
and the outer sheath of cables for improved connector retention strength.
With the increasing volume of data transmission of video and internet services, improved connector reflectance loss is required. APC polished
FMC is introduced, however due to the flat cleave connection within the FMC, the optical reflection performance is not compliant with a Grade
1 connector of -55dB. In order to overcome this issue, a mechanical splice with angle cleaved optical fiber is introduced. The fiber stub within
the FMC is cleaved at an 8o angle similar to the angle of an APC connector. By using an angle cleaver, instead of a flat cleave, the optical fiber
can be cleaved at an 8o angle to produce an angled mechanical splice with improved the optical reflection performance to less than -60dB.
Like any cleavers in the market, angle cleavers is not able to consistently produce 8o angle cleaves 100% of the time. The higher the cleaveangle, the greater the angle variation. For a precision cleaver with a nominal cleave angle of 8o, the cleave angle is normally distributed from
6.5o to 10o. This range of angle coupled with the potential keyed fiber rotation mismatch with the fiber stub in the FMC produces a core gap
that will result in poorer return loss stability.

Mismatched Angled Fiber Rotation

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GR-1081 FIELD

Although the angled connection improves return loss
performance, the quality of termination is still dependent

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GR-1081 FIELD INSTALLABLE CONNECTORS

Unique curved angle cleaveon many external factors such as the skill of the installer, maintenanceof the cleaver and the environment. In addition, an installation
mistake made during the insertion and reinsertion of fiber into the
FMC reduces the index matching gel and potentially introduce air
pockets at the fiber contact point.
Another development of FMC caters to further improve the returnloss performance of FMC by introducing a splice-on connector which
is usually used for connectorizing fiber cords. This is born out of therequirement for a higher performance connector and the introductionof lower cost handheld fusion splicers. The FMC is designed to havea cleaved fiber stub at the end of the connector which is presented
on a holder which fits into a fusion splicer. After splicing to the
FMC, a splice protection sleeve is heated over the splice point and aconnector boot is slid over the splice point.

8° degree

The latest development of FMC is the SENKO’s Q-XP connector whichenables a high return loss and insertion loss performance when usedwith a unique curved angle cleave. FMC with angled cleave fiber stubrequires accurate angular alignment of the cleaved fiber to maintainmechanical splice quality. The Q-XP FMC, fiber holder tool and unique

Key Aligned

curved angle cleaver are designed to enable an accurate anglealignment. During the manufacturing process, the curved angle
cleave of the fiber stub within the FMC is set to a specific orientation.
By using the fiber holder tool and curved angle cleaver, the curved
angle cleave orientation of the fiber to be inserted is aligned with theBest case scenario

fiber stub in the FMC which results in a low loss termination.
Although the use of the specific fiber holder tool is highly

Key NOT Aligned with standard angle cleaver

recommended, a high quality termination can still be obtained with
the Q-XP FMC even if the curved angle cleaved fiber is not alignedwith the fiber stub. In addition, the Q-XP FMC is also compatible withfibers with a right angled cleave without significant drop in connector
performance.
There are other FMC development such as the stripping-free FMC

Air Gap
Loss increase

Key Alignment not required with SENKO cleaver

and automated FMC assembly machine, however such FMC solutions
were difficulty in mass manufacturing or introduce a proprietaryconnector type which is not readily adopted by the industry.

Minimum Air Gap
Better Optical performance in any case8

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Field Installable Connector Compatibility
The deployment of bend insensitive fibers such as the G657.A2 fiber is increasing especially in the drop and internal premise cabling.
Although many fiber manufacturers are able to produce bend insensitive fiber that is compliant with the ITU-T recommendation,
manufacturers deploy different fiber designs and index profile to achieve the low bending loss feature. Some examples of fiber designs are thetrench assisted fiber, Nano structured design and a reduced core design. The Mode Field Diameter (MFD) for each of these fiber designs aredifferent and this causes the mechanical or fusion splicing of a different fiber type to have an effect on the optical reflection as well as Insertion
Loss performance. Another important point to note is that there are G657.B3 fibers which are not fully compatible with G652.D fiber, thus it isimportant to understand the type of fibers deployed in the network and the FMC fiber stub.

G652.D Fiber

Reduced Core

Nano Structure

Trench Assisted

Many fusion splicer manufacturers have developed selectable splice functions which changes the splice parameters such as arc duration andpower level depending on the type of fibers to be spliced. Some fusion splicers even have auto detection of the fiber type. Using such functions
will improve on the splice quality for a splice-on FMC. However it does not change the MFD profile of the fibers spliced and the fiber mismatch
will remain. A mechanical splice type FMC however is more susceptible to reduced splice performance due to fiber mismatch. In addition to
not having any fiber specific adjustment nor the micro alignment of the fiber core or cladding.

G652.D and G657.A2 Fiber in a Fusion Splicer

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GR-1081 FIELDINSTALLABLE CONNECTORS

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Connector Quality
GR-326-CORE (Generic Requirements for Singlemode Optical Connectors and Jumper assemblies) was initially created by Bellcore
and continues to evolve as one of the more popular standards in the telecommunications industry. GR-326-CORE was written as
part of Telcordia’s General Requirement series to be consistent with the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and it is intended to be the industrial
specifications for long haul high-speed applications such as telecommunications and cable TV.
With the introduction of FMC with increasing deployment in FTTH networks, part of the connector assembly process is passed on to techniciansin the field which expands the assembly variables such as installer skill level, external assembly environment and the introduction of opticalloss from an additional contact point. GR-1081-CORE (Generic Requirements for Field-Mountable Fiber Optic Connectors) is introduced tocomplete the assessment of variables with reference to the GR-326-CORE standard.
The tests outlined in GR-1081-CORE aims to determine the FMC performance, service life and reliability based on the Service Life Test andExtended Service Life Test outlined in the GR-326-CORE standard. Understanding that FMC is assembly, there is an increased Insertion Lossfrom the joining a fiber to a stub-fiber in a connector housing. Such an FMC is identified as a Multiple Jointed Connector Assembly. Referencing
the GR-326-CORE Service Life Test criteria, the Maximum Loss and Mean Loss threshold level is increased by 0.2dB. The Service Life Test outlinedin GR-1081-CORE is a series of test procedures and requirement.

GR-1081-CORE Service Life TestTEST TYPE

FMC Assembly

As the FMC is designed to be installed in the field, the quality of the connector will be affected by the technician’s level ofskill and care during the assembly process. As part of the assembly test, two operators, one designated by the FMC supplierand another designated by the testing house, are tasked to assemble at least 10 FMC at three different temperatures tosimulate a hot climate, cold climate and room temperature condition.
In addition, depending on the FMC assembly type, the time to install must not exceed the following:t 15 minutes for an FMC designed for termination to an optical cord or cablet 12 minutes for an FMC designed for termination to a 900μm or 250μm fiber.
All the assembled FMC are numbered with their install condition noted as they will be used for the subsequent tests.

Wavelength
Dependency

The wavelength dependency test is performed only on Multi Jointed Connector Assembly type FMC. This test is to ensure
the wavelength performance is not affected by the splicing of two fibers. Using the connectors from the FMC Assembly Test,
two assembled FICs are terminated and the Insertion Loss of the connection is measured from 1260nm to 1360nm in stepsof 5nm. The peak-to-peak variation in loss within the wavelength range must not exceed 0.2dB.
At least 10 FMC from each installation temperature condition must pass this test in order to have sufficient samples toproceed to the next test stages.

New ProductMeasurement

The New Product Measurement test is to randomly select samples submitted for testing to simulate normal product supply
rather than the supply of improved performance product for testing and qualification purposes. Two FMC are terminatedand the Insertion Loss is measured. The performance criteria is as follows:t Maximum Loss Requirement to be ≤ 0.60dBt Mean Loss Requirement to be ≤ 0.40dBt Reflectance Requirement to be:t ≤ -40dB for UPC connectorst ≤ -60 dB for APC connectors

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GR-1081 FIELDINSTALLABLE CONNECTORS

GR-1081 FIELD INSTALLABLE CONNECTORS

Thermal age

The Thermal Age Test is considered the least extreme of the environmental tests in terms of stress applied, and is intended
to simulate and accelerate the processes that may occur during shipping and storage of the product.
Connectors are subjected to a temperature of 85oC with uncontrolled humidity for a duration of 7 days. Insertion Loss andReflectance measurements taken before and after testing.

Humidity Aging

Humidity aging is designed to introduce moisture into the connector and to determine the effect that the moisture has on
the samples. This test is performed at the elevated temperature of 75oC for 7 days, while the connectors are exposed to
95%RH.

Thermal Cycle

During thermal cycling, the temperature fluctuates over an expansive range, subjecting the product to extreme heat andcold. Thermal cycling involves changing the ambient temperature of the connector from 75oC to -40oC over the course of 3hours. Heavy stresses and strains will be applied to each of the materials in the product.
Material that make up the FMC and the optical fiber will expand and contract with the changing temperature. This test
will also expose any weaknesses in the termination as well as the material design of the connector. Uneven expansion andcontraction can lead to fiber cracks or breakage.

Vibration

In a vibration test, the products being tested are mounted to a “shaker” which will vibrate along the principal axes of the
FMC. This simulates the vibration experienced when the connector is mounted on in a closure or cabinet which is close tosources of vibration such as traffic.
This test is performed for 2 hours with an amplitude of 1.5mm. A continuous sweeping frequency is applied between 10Hz
and 55Hz at a rate of 45Hz per minute.

Flex

The Flex Test is applied only for FMC designed for terminated to cords or cables. This test is not applicable to FMC that are
terminated to 900μm buffer tube fiber or 250μm fiber.
The flex test is performed to simulate stresses on the FMC boot which is designed to function as a strain relief when thecord or cable is flexed over the lifetime of the FMC. A poorly designed boot may be uncoupled from the connector body or
not provide sufficient strain relief to prevent fiber breakage.
A load is applied on the cord or cable and the FMC termination is subjected to flex rotation from 0o, 90o, 0o, -90o and backto 0o for 100 cycles.

Twist

The twist test puts a rotational strain on the fiber, which tests the strength by which it is coupled with the connector.
In addition, the adequacy of the crimp will also be tested. This, like the flex test, will help to identify weaknesses in thetermination process.
A load is applied on the cord, cable or fiber. The fiber is rotated about the axis of the fiber for a set amount of revolutions
back and forth for 9 cycles.

Proof

Proof testing simulates the occurrence of a sudden tug on the fiber in the field. This test ensures the strength of the latchingmechanism of the connector, as well as the crimp strength on the fiber, cord or cable to ensure that the assembly will not
break or detach from the adapter.
A load is applied to the fiber, cord or cable in the condition of a straight pull and a 90o side pull.

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GR-1081 FIELD

TWALTransmission with
Applied Tensile Load

INSTALLABLE CONNECTORS

GR-1081 FIELD INSTALLABLE CONNECTORSThe TWAL test is perform to reflect the effects of an applied load to the FMC transmission performance. This is to simulateloads that may be applied to connections in the field during network installation and operation such as opening andclosing of patch panel shelves.
TWAL testing will stress the samples by applying different weights at angles of 0o, 90o and 135o. The series of weights used
depends on the media type of the cordage, as well as the connector form factor. Small Form Factor (SFF) connectors are
subjected to a more extensive range of measurements.

ImpactThe Impact test is performed to simulate accidental dropping of the FMC during installation or operation and to verify thatthe connector is not damaged. The cord of the FMC is clamped at 1.5m from the connector. A concrete block is placed at thebottom of the clamp where the connector will come into contact with it when dropped. The FMC is lifted to the level of theclamp so that when it is released, it will swing towards the concrete block. This test is repeated for a total of 8 impacts

Durability

Durability testing is designed to simulate the repeated use of a connector. This test involves the mating and de-matingof the connector for a total of 200 times at different heights to simulate the FMC use on in a cross connect rack. Opticalmeasurements are taken at termination intervals without connector end-face cleaning and with end-face cleaning.
This test can potentially identify any problems with the design and/or material flaw in the connection, such that any part ofthe connector may experience heavy strain from repeated terminations.

Connector
Insallation

The connector installation test is performed to simulate a space constrained enclosure such as a cabinet. The FMC is
terminated onto an adapter which is mounted on a vertical plane. A panel is placed at 70mm apart from the and parallel tothe adapter mounting plane. The loss of the FMC is measured when the panel is in position.

Damage Criteria

At the end of the test sequence, the Wavelength Dependency Test is performed again to ensure consistent FMC loss
performance. The FMC is further for physical damage that might impair the performance of the connector. Visual inspection
is performed to identify any physical distortion, cracks, corrosion or debris.
Loss performance of the FMC after the completion of all tests must be as follows:t5IFQFSNBOFOU*OTFSUJPO-PTTJODSFBTFNVTUOPUCFNPSFUIBOE#t5IFQFSNBOFOU3FøFDUJPOJODSFBTFNVTUOPUCFNPSFUIBOE#12

GR-1081 FIELDINSTALLABLE CONNECTORS

GR-1081 FIELD INSTALLABLE CONNECTORS

GR-1081-CORE Reliability Assurance
To ensure the continuous performance and compliance of the FMC for the lifetime of the network and continuous supply ofcompliant product, Reliability Testing is to be performed every 2 years. The test regime is based on the Extended Service Life Test
as outlined in the GR-326-CORE standard.
The FMC is subjected to thermal aging, humidity and thermal cycle tests for an extended period of time of up to 2,000 hours (83 days) and up to
5,000 hours (208 days) for more FMC performance information. In addition, 5 additional tests are introduced which are the Salt Spray, Airborne
Contaminants, Dust, Groundwater Immersion, and Immersion/Corrosion Test.

Salt Spray

Salt Spray is performed to simulate the environment close to the ocean. This test involves the connector being exposed to ahigh concentration of Sodium Chloride (NaCl) over a period of 168 hours (7 days). After the test, the optical performance of
the FMC is measured and 5 connectors are disassembled to inspect for signs of corrosion

Airborne
Contaminants

The Airborne Contaminants Test is performed to simulate the FMC reaction and performance in a polluted environment.
Two sets of FMC is prepared with one set being mated and another set unmated but capped.
The FMC under test are stored in a chamber where 4 types of volatile gasses with varying concentrations is introduced andheld for 20 days to simulate prolonged exposure to these elements

Dust

Dust particles can seriously impair optical performance. A single speck of dust when positioned on the fiber core on theconnector end face can totally block optical transmission. In a worse case, dust particles can also be burnt from the lasertransmission to permanently damage the connector core.
Over time, dust particles will find their way onto the optical connection. While the dust particles are not difficult to remove,the cleaning process involves disconnecting the connector, which disrupts transmission as well as further expose theconnector to contaminants.
The dust test involves the intense exposure of dust of specified particle sizes in order to determine if there is a risk of any
particle contaminating the ferrule end faces.

Groundwater
Immersion

FMC deployed in underground plant may be exposed to immersion in a variety of fluids if the seals around the enclosure
fails. This test involves the exposure of mated and unmated but capped FMC to chemicals that are commonly found in
sewage treatment and agricultural fertilization. The FMC under test is introduced to chemicals such as detergent, chlorine,
fuels and ammonia for a period of 7 days. The optical performance of the FMC is measured before and after the test

Immersion/
Corrosion

This test sets out to determine the effects of prolonged immersion in water on the materials used to construct the FMC.
Both mated and unmated FMC are fully immersed in deionized or distilled water for 2 weeks. The reflectance of the FMC ismeasured after the test. In addition, the end face geometry of the ferrule is measured to detect any ferrule deformation.
If the ferrule is not geometrically stable during this test, it may be an indication of a flaw in the zirconia material used in
the ferrule. Unmated connectors are checked for Fiber Dissolution, which involves checking to see if the fiber core has notrecessed too far into the fiber cladding.

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GR-1081 FIELD INSTALLABLE CONNECTORS

Future Market of Field Installable Connector
With the increased deployment speed of high-speed enterprise networks and data centers, the requirement for optical fiber
terminations has significantly increased to provide tens of thousands of connections in a single data center. The traditionaltermination method of using single connectors becomes a barrier to expand the number of connections due to the physical space limitations.
In addition, the need to manage individual cables and cords becomes a management nightmare and are potential failure points which isdifficult to locate.
In 2010, high speed 10, 40 and 100GbE ports represents only 3% of all ports sold by manufacturers. This has increased to a 75% market shareby year 2015, with 40 and 100GbE ports accounting for 25% of the ports sold. To meet the increase in demand, MPO connectors are deployed
to increase the number of fiber connections while maintaining the physical footprint.
With the use of MPO connectors, the continuous connector performance is critical. Any single connector downtime may result in the loss of
a 100GbE port. Due to the critical nature of the port, the whole physical link must be subjected to minimal risk of damage which includes theproper management of cord length. The best way to manage cord slack is to not have any slack at all. This means having custom made MPO
patch cords with specific cord lengths.
Factory terminated MPO connectors will provide the best optical performance but the cost and lead-time to get a custom length patch cord
may take weeks. The process of getting custom made patch cords is as follows:t The technician will have to accurately measure the required cord length for every termination, ensure the correct polarity and quantityof patch cords to provide the correct order information to the supplier.
t The manufacturer will have to manufacture, test and ship the patch cords to the technician.
t The technician will have to sieve through the supply to ensure that the correct patch cord is terminated to the correct ports.
Any single mistake in the whole process may result in having to re-order new patch cords which will cause significant project delays.
The introduction of splice-on MPO connectors enables the technician to assemble their own custom length MPO patch cord on site. This
reduces the installation time and the risks from having a factory manufactured patch cord. Splice-on MPO connectors from reputable suppliers
have been tested to have relatively similar loss profile from a factory terminated connector and available for the different types of optical fibers
deployed such as singlemode, OM2, OM3 and OM4.

Summary
The adoption of the GR-1081-CORE standard provides an assurance of not only optical performance but also the reliability of the productthroughout the lifetime of the network. The use of quality material is only part of the process in producing a quality FMC. The detailed
FMC design and manufacturing process needs to be closely monitored to ensure quality. Ease of field assembly is also critical to enable
technicians of all skill level to be able to successfully assemble and terminate an FMC.
With the increase in FTTH subscribers, more reliable premise connections need to be established at a faster rate. There is clearly a needfor high quality and low cost Field Installable Connectors that are simple to assemble. Mechanical splicing and splice-on connectors is
successfully deployed in many Asia Pacific countries and have been in service for over 10 years. The introduction of FMC that employs amechanical splicing mechanism in Japan has seen the reduction in tooling cost by 90% and an overall reduction of installation cost by 50%.
Such experiences indicate that the proper deployment of reliable FMC helps network operators to achieve a higher penetration rate.
To support this increase in bandwidth consumption, data centers and enterprise network have seen a significant growth and migration to
40 and 100GbE ports. The deployment of splice-on MPO connectors will provide the technicians and managers with more control over their
optical fiber infrastructure to support this growth.

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References• GR-1081-CORE: Generic Requirements for Field-Mountable Optical Fiber Connectors• GR-326-CORE: Generic Requirements for Single Mode Optical Connectors and Jumper Assemblies• GR-1221-CORE: Generic Reliability Assurance Requirements for Passive Optical Fiber Components• GR-264-CORE: Generic Requirements for Optical Fiber Cleavers• GR-765-CORE: Optical Splices and Splicing Systems• TIA-568C.3: Optical Fiber Cabling Components Standard• FTTH Council APAC: http://www.ftthcouncilap.org• Jerry D. Jackson, “Mechanical Splice With Keyed Angle Cleave Fibers”, 3M business white paper.
• Makoto Iwamatsu, Manabu Tabata, Yuya Kurosaka and Masashi Ishihara, “Optical Fiber Angle Cleaver”, Fujikura Technical Review, 2011.
• Compatibility of Low Bend Singlemode Fibers, Huber Suhner white paper, October 2011

Biography
Dr. Bernard HL Lee is currently the Regional Technology Director at SENKO Advanced Components. He started his career in optical
2003, he joined Telekom Malaysia R&D where he has held various technical and management positions there including the Head of
Photonic Network Research and also Head of Innovation and Communications. Bernard then joined the parent company, Telekom
Malaysia (TM) in 2010 as the Assistant General Manager of the Group Business Strategy Division where he oversees the company’sbusiness direction. Bernard obtained his RCDD accreditation in 2016. Bernard is also a member of the International ElectrotechnicalCommission (IEC), the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) and was also the Director of the Board of the Fiber-To-The-Home
Council APAC. He is currently the Malaysia Country Chair for BICSI Southeast Asia.

Eric Staley is a Product Manager at SENKO Advanced Components and has been with the company since 2007. Prior to joining SENKO,
he was involved in Sales with a major cable assembly manufacturer, a national distributor of electrical and communication products andhas over 20 years of experience in the fiber optic industry.

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GR-1081 FIELDINSTALLABLE CONNECTORS