American Products fiber storage brackets are a great way to secure and store extra cable when building out a network. While fiber optic storage is the main purpose of the brackets, the American Products team designed H-frames to overcome a number of challenges network providers face. Let’s take a look at three common challenges and how the American Products H-frame solves them.
How H-Frames Solve Common Issues
Storage
One common challenge network providers face with any fiber optic equipment is storage, i.e., how do they efficiently store the solution until they need it? Fiber slack storage equipment can be big. When deployed, the American Products H-frame is more than 32” tall and 29” wide. That can take up a lot of room in the warehouse or company truck.
When designing our equipment, American Products engineers developed a three-piece solution so it can be broken down for storage, and then quickly assembled in the field for deployment. This allows techs to easily stow the box of frames (they are shipped two per box) in the back of the work truck until needed without taking up unnecessary space.
At the site, the tech can line up the threaded studs on the vertical bar with the holes in the cross bars. Then, they just have to secure it together with the included hardware, and the H-frame is ready to mount.
Mounting
When building out their fiber networks, providers often rely on the infrastructure already in place. In some areas, that may be the traditional wooden telephone poles. In other locales, though, the poles might be constructed of concrete, metal or a composite material.
The American Products team designed the H-frame to work with virtually all available options.
The center bar features a hole pattern for mounting the unit on a lag bolt on a wooden pole/structure. It also features strap slots down the sides of the bar for securing the H-frame to a pole without drilling.
Convenience
Network providers want to be as nimble and reactive as possible.
The H-frame provides that convenience in a number of ways.
First, it will keep up to 250’ of 144-count fiber optics cable ready to deploy at short notice. In an area where there are numerous poles and residences, this means the company can be ready to hook up customers in quick succession.
In addition, the H-frame features accommodations for mounting a splice enclosure, once again making sure the field techs have the tools they need at hand.
By using H-frames to store fiber slack, organizations also reduce the need for certified linemen when deploying fiber to the home. Instead, a tech can visit the site, do the splicing at the frame and then run the fiber to its destination.
The whole point is to make it as convenient as possible for network providers to store and deploy fiber to their customers.
In addition to solving challenges, American Products H-frames are designed to be extremely tough for long-lasting peace of mind. If you’d like to learn more about our fiber slack storage solution and how we can help you protect and expand your network right, contact the American Products specialists at 417.323.6312.