What should the technician verify before beginning a fiber optic installation?

Before beginning a fiber optic installation, it is critical for a technician to verify the cleanliness of the optical connections. Clean fiber optic connectors and cables are crucial to ensuring that the light signal can properly transmit through the fibers without significant loss or distortion. Dust, dirt, or other contaminants on the connection points can lead to increased attenuation, which compromises the overall performance of the fiber optic system.

Maintaining cleanliness is part of standard best practices in fiber optic installations, as it helps to prevent potential issues that can arise post-installation, saving time and resources that would otherwise be spent troubleshooting signal problems or performing rework due to contamination. Proper cleaning techniques and materials should be used before connecting fibers to guarantee optimal performance.