PARALLEL OPTICS POLARITY

April 2024 Rodney Casteel RCDD/NTS/OSP/DCDC, CBRS-CPI

System Engineer Manager – Great Lakes & SE Region
 PARALLEL OPTICS A METHOD A – ARCHITECTURE DEPENDENT

POLARITY OPTIONS
B METHOD B- ARCHITECTURE INDEPENDENT

There are 5 primary

options for deploying
parallel optics C METHOD C – ARCHITECTURE DEPENDENT

U1 METHOD U1 – ARCHITECTURE DEPENDENT

U2 METHOD U2 – ARCHITECTURE INDEPENDENT

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 PARALLEL SCHEMES

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 Type-A adapters
Method A Overview and Type-A trunk
create topology dependence
in parallel channels.
• Method A uses an “A” type cable with a one for one
configuration throughout the link.
• All MPO adapters are type “A” or Opposed Key
(Key Up to Key Down).
• Requires two types of patch cords, a standard
patch cord at one end, a crossover patch cord
at the other end.
• Good for Simplex applications
• Designed to maintain a 1:1 fiber position
• Patch cords should be consistently deployed.
(e.g. standard patch cord placed consistently
at one end of the link, the crossover patch cord
at the other end)
• Polarity must be maintained on an operational
ongoing basis.

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 Method B Overview Type-B adapters
and Type-B trunk
create topology independence
in parallel channels.
• Method B uses a “B” type trunk cable,
in a 1 - 12 configuration

• All MPO adapters are type “B” or Aligned Key

(Key Up to Key Up).

• An MPO module is inverted at one end of the link

and the duplex adapters are re-labeled so that;

- Fiber #12 appears in the adapter labeled #1,

- Fiber #11 appears in the adapter labeled #2, etc…

• Uses standard duplex patch cords at both ends.

• Polarity is handled one time during installation not

during daily operations

• Only adapter method recognized by EN50174-1,

ISO/IEC 14763-2 and TIA568 Standards

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 Type-A adapters
Method C Overview and Type-C trunk
create topology dependence
in parallel channels.
• Method C uses a “C” type trunk cable
with reverse pair positioning.

• All MPO adapters are type “A” or

Opposed Key (Key Up to Key Down).

• One MPO module for both ends

• Uses standard duplex patch cords at

both ends for duplex applications.

• Creates topology dependence

• Polarity must be maintained on an
operational ongoing basis.

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 Method U1 Overview
• Method U1 uses a “B” type trunk cable,
in a 1 – 12 configuration

• All MPO adapters are type “A” or

Opposed Key (Key Up to Key Down).

• One MPO module for both ends

• Uses standard duplex patch cords at

both ends for duplex applications.
• Type-U1 transition cannot be used in
a direct breakout application (as a
fanout cable), it will require an additional
A-to-A patch cord on the LC end.
• Creates topology dependence
• Polarity must be maintained on an
operational ongoing basis.

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 Method U2 Overview
CommScope Method B Enhanced
• Method U2 uses a “B” type trunk cable,
in a 1 – 12 configuration
• All MPO adapters are type “B” or Aligned Key
(Key Up to Key Up).
• One MPO module for both ends
• Uses standard duplex patch cords at both ends.
• Uses only Type-B components throughout the
channel – Type-B array, Type-B adapters and
Type-U2 fiber transition
(CommScope Method B Enhanced)
• Migration path from a direct breakout scenario
to interconnect/cross-connect is more seamless
comparing to Method U1.
• Creates topology Independence
• Polarity is handled automatically during
install regardless of topology.
• Does not require operational dependence

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 Type-U1 vs Type-U2 Transition
Type-U1 Transition - No Support of Direct Breakout Type-U2 Transition - Supports Direct Breakout

Type-U1 transition fiber routing sequence Type-U2 transition fiber routing sequence
MPO End MPO End
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Fiber Number Fiber Number
Fiber Color Bl OR GR BR SL WH RD BK YL VI RO AQ Fiber Color Bl OR GR BR SL WH RD BK YL VI RO AQ
LC End LC End
1 3 5 7 9 11 12 10 8 6 4 2 2 4 6 8 10 12 11 9 7 5 3 1
Connector Number Connector Number

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 Type-U1 vs Type-U2 Transition in breakout application
Type-U1 Transition Channel is
inoperable in a
breakout
application.

Channel is
operable in a
Type-U2 Transition breakout
application.

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 Polarity Summary
• Methods A, B, U2 (CommScope Enhanced B) and U1 solutions provide ultra
low-loss performance
• Methods A and U1 requires reversing a patch cord for port level
(Ethernet connections) operation
• Methods A, C, U1 requires two styles of patch and/or array cords which increases
operations complexity
- Requires inventories of two styles of patch and/or array cords
- Requires training and practice to ensure proper installation practice for fast
and efficient moves, adds and changes
• CommScope Enhanced Method B (U2) only requires a single type patch and/or array
cord for port level (Ethernet Connections) operation
• Method A simplifies simplex application (SMPTE Connections) patching
• CommScope Enhanced Method B (U2) Simplifies Parallel Connections (Base-8)
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 Polarity Summary
• CommScope Enhanced Method B (U2) is the preferred polarity choice of
Data Center Operators
• Specific to broadcast data centers, over the last 5 years 7 have adopted
Enhanced Method B, and one Method A (legacy SDI Facility)
• CommScope Enhanced Method B (U2) becomes the dominant choice
as it reduces patching complexity, regardless of architecture (point-to-point
or cross-connect). Additionally, as higher bandwidth switches and routers
transition to MPO8 (Base-8) connections, Enhanced Method B combines the
transmit and receive pairs of these parallel ports
• Design, testing and labeling of each polarity method is the same. The Day-2
operations team will have an easier time with MAC work with CommScope
Enhanced Method B.

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 APC vs UPC MPO
• All single-mode MPO connectors, regardless of polarity, will have an Angled
(8 degree) polish.
• APC connections provide better back reflection properties (Optical Return Loss),
but oftentimes have higher insertion loss (IL)
• All pre-terminated solutions (LC and MPO) are polished in highly automated
manufacturing facilities. Each manufacturer has their proprietary procedures to
produce a connector with the best physical (cleanliness and lack of scratches) and
optical (Insertion and Return Loss) characteristics
• Due to variations within polishing processes and internal controls, mixing components
from different manufacturers can lead to poor RL performance and BER issues.
• 400GBASE-SR8 is the first IEEE standard for multimode to use PAM4 encoding.
Due to the nature of PAM4 and the sensitivity to amplitude noise it is being
recommended that multimode MPO connectors adopt angled polish similar to SM.
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 Rodney Casteel
RCDD/NTS/OSP/DCDC, CBRS-CPI
rcasteel@commscope.com

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