Earning Criteria

• Earners of the Light Brigade Broadband Fiber Optic Technician Level 1 badge have completed a foundational level theory focusing on fiber optic fundamentals, Passive Optical Networks (PON), Active Ethernet (AE), and other related areas as it relates to installation, testing, troubleshooting, restoration, and maintenance of FTTx networks. Other areas covered include safety, terminology, trends in fiber optics, FTTx fundamentals, and an introduction to air blown fiber and fiber characterization.
• Earners of the Light Brigade Broadband Fiber Optic Technician Level 1 badge have demonstrated competency in cable preparation, mid-entry of OSP loose tube cable and stranded cables, and performed closure preparation, panel dressing, splice tray routing, and splitter installation of their respective closures.
• Earners of the Light Brigade Broadband Fiber Optic Technician Level 1 badge have demonstrated understanding and hands-on competency of fiber optic strip and cleave process, inline and pigtail splicing using fixed v-groove and core alignment fusion splicers.
• Earners of the Light Brigade Broadband Fiber Optic Technician Level 1 badge have demonstrated competency in upstream and downstream testing, troubleshooting, and identifying key test results in an FTTX network, as well as familiarity with various test equipment and limit values and how to properly document an FTTX installation.
• Earners of the Light Brigade Broadband Fiber Optic Technician Level 1 badge have demonstrated understanding of OTDR setup and use as it applies to the FTTX environment, interpreting OTDR traces and results (distance, loss, reflection), troubleshooting spans to identify areas or loss or failure, testing optical splitters, and FTTX restoration practices.
• Hands-on Fusion and Mechanical Splicing | Earners of the Light Brigade Broadband Fiber Optic Technician Level 1 course completion badge can discuss and demonstrate various optical fibers, cables, cleaving tools, techniques, and disciplines associated with optical splicing. The learner demonstrates an understanding of fusion and mechanical splicing of optical fibers in temporary, permanent, and emergency restoration applications.
• Hands-on Connectorization | Earners of the Light Brigade Broadband Fiber Optic Technician Level 1 course completion badge are able to demonstrate proper connectorization of various connector types and optical fibers in the field. Specific areas of focus are connector styles, bonding techniques, cleaving tools, and termination methods including epoxy polish, mechanical, and fusion splice varieties. The earner will also understand related testing, cleaning, and inspection procedures and equipment.
• Theory - Earners of the Light Brigade Broadband Fiber Optic Technician Level 1 course completion badge have demonstrated knowledge retention by scoring at least 80% on a comprehensive course examination proctored by the instructor at the end of the theory portion of the class.
• Earners of the Light Brigade Broadband Fiber Optic Technician Level 1 also receive the Sumitomo Fusion Splicing Fundamentals digital badge for demonstrating theoretical and hands-on proficiency in the operation, troubleshooting, and maintenance of fusion splicing.
• Earners of the Light Brigade Broadband Fiber Optic Technician Level 1 have completed a comprehensive hands-on assessment of connector termination, optical loss testing, operation of OTDR, splicing, and span loss characterization.