Clearfield® Introduces Small Form Factor FLATdrop Cable, Aimed to Accelerate FTTX Connections

October 11, 2021 at 08:00 AM EDT

Cost-effective, compact solution overcomes common fiber deployment challenges enabling quick turn-up of fiber-based services

Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD), the specialist in fiber management for communication service providers, today announced the addition of its new small form factor FLATdrop cable to its portfolio of FieldShield® fiber pathway solutions. This small form factor FLATdrop option is purpose-built to provide a flexible, compact, cost-effective method to connect the fiber access point in either buried or aerial fiber deployment scenarios. The reduced sheath jacket dimensions of the small form factor FLATdrop allows a one-third space savings in coil diameter—important for aesthetics at the installation site.

“Clearfield’s success stems from our focus on listening to customers and developing products that enable them to overcome the common challenges associated with fiber deployment,” said Kevin Morgan, Chief Marketing Officer at Clearfield. “We recognized the need to develop a smaller, more flexible yet self-supporting FLATdrop solution that reduces the environmental impact of fiber deployment, can be deployed in any environment, and enables more efficient inventory storage—saving contractors and installers time and space.”

Clearfield’s FieldShield Small Form Factor FLATdrop peelable cable contains a 900-micron subunit that can be terminated with either a hardened fiber optic connector (HFOC) assembly or a pre-connectorized SC pushable connector. Unlike other FLATdrops in the market, this product can be placed in any-and-all environments including direct bury, in conduit, aerial lashed, and even aerial self-supporting—which can reduce expensive real estate challenges such as pole usage. This peelable cable allows for tool-less, precise stripping of the outer jacket to remove excess material, easing storage of the 900-micron terminated ends onto FieldShield slack reels.

Clearfield’s small form factor FLATdrop is available for shipment October 2021. Learn more from the introduction video, data sheet at and www.SeeClearfield.com.

About Clearfield, Inc.

Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD) designs, manufactures and distributes fiber optic management, protection and delivery products for communications networks. Our “fiber to anywhere” platform serves the unique requirements of leading incumbent local exchange carriers (traditional carriers), competitive local exchange carriers (alternative carriers), and MSO/cable TV companies, while also catering to the broadband needs of the utility/municipality, enterprise, data center and military markets. Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, Clearfield deploys more than a million fiber ports each year. For more information, visit www.SeeClearfield.com.