RWDC Fiber Optic Technician – Outside Plant (R-FOT-OSP)
Mapped to: ETA® FOT-OSP Competencies (PON, ODN hardware, closures, OTDR advanced, outside-plant safety).
Course Summary
A professional OSP fibre program focusing on aerial, buried, and ODN-level FTTH/PON deployments including closures, splice trays, slack management, OTDR fault analysis, and acceptance testing.
Duration
60 hours (8 days)
Target Audience
- OSP fiber construction crews
- FTTH drop/feeder installers
- Network build & activation teams
Prerequisites
- Completion of R-FOI or equivalent
- Outdoor work readiness
MODULE BREAKDOWN
Module 1 — Principles of Light & SMF Transmission
- Light sources/wavelengths used in SMF
- CWDM/DWDM windows
- SMF G.652D / G.657 / G.655 characteristics
Module 2 — OSP Terminology & ODN Architecture
- OLT/ONT roles
- FDU, FDH, FAT, MST
- Split ratios, PON budgets
Outcome: Map an ODN using ITU FTTx standards.
Module 3 — OSP Cable Types & Construction
- Loose tube, armored, microduct cables
- Feeder, distribution, drop cables
- Dynamic vs static bend radius
Module 4 — Splicing & Closures (Advanced)
- Mechanical vs fusion in OSP
- GR-20 and GR-765 performance specs
- Closure configuration (butt, inline, dome)
- Mid-span access techniques
Module 5 — OSP Installation Methods
- Aerial (lashing, strand mounting, messenger)
- Buried (conduit, trenches, depth standards)
- Pulling grips, tension management
- NEC 770/NESC compliance
Module 6 — OSP Hardware
- FDH buildout
- FAT/MST deployment
- Slack loops & hub management
Module 7 — Fiber Link Engineering
- Power budgets
- “Not-to-exceed” loss budgets
- Attenuators & reflectance testing
Module 8 — OTDR & Field Testing (Advanced)
- Pulse width & deadzone management
- Bi-directional testing
- Ghost events, reflectance, splitter signatures
- Acceptance testing
Outcome: Students interpret complex OSP traces.
Practical Labs
- Closure assembly and mid-span access
- Outdoor cable placement (aerial & buried mockups)
- Advanced OTDR next-gen PON testing
- Slack storage and FDH/FAT setup
- Power budget calculation exercises
Assessment
- Written exam
- Hands-on OSP build project
- OTDR trace interpretation exam
Certification
Completing this course will prepare the participant for sitting the ETA FOT-OSP certification exam.
