MTP® Elite Female-Female Patch Cord | Base-12 | Single Mode G657.A2 | 3.0mm

Overview

This Base-12 Female-to-Female MPO/MTP® Single Mode Patch Cord serves as a high-performance extension piece for structured fiber optic cabling. Its design is dedicated to coupling two Male (pinned) MPO/MTP® trunk cables together, effectively lengthening a high-density link. The Female connectors at each end are unpinned, ensuring a precise and secure mate with the alignment pins found on Male connectors for a stable connection.

Engineered with 12 strands of G.657.A2 bend-insensitive single mode fiber, this cable is exceptionally resilient and maintains signal integrity even in tight installations with sharp bends. Paired with MTP® Elite connectors, it guarantees ultra-low insertion loss, making it an essential component for extending long-haul backbone runs in data centers and telecommunication networks.

Key Features

• Terminated with two Female (unpinned) MTP® Elite connectors for extending Male MPO/MTP® trunks.
• Features a Base-12 fiber configuration in a single connector.
• Constructed with premium G.657.A2 bend-insensitive single mode fiber (9/125µm).
• A yellow jacket (OFNP/LSZH) provides clear visual identification for single mode cabling systems.
• Robust 3.0mm cable diameter offers durability while retaining flexibility.
• 100% factory-terminated and interferometrically tested for guaranteed low-loss performance.
• Fully backward compatible with standard G.652.D single mode fiber.

Applications

Unlike Male-ended cables designed for direct equipment connections, this Female-to-Female cable is a specialized extension cord. Its sole purpose is to join two pre-existing Male-ended MPO/MTP® trunk cables. This is critical in scenarios where a backbone cable is too short to reach its destination, such as connecting between distant racks or linking two separate Main Distribution Areas (MDAs) in a large data center.

Specifications

Cross-Platform Compatibility

This cable acts as a high-density coupler, bridging the gap between two Male MPO/MTP® connectors. The Female (unpinned) ends accept the guide pins from Male connectors, establishing a secure and precisely aligned 12-fiber link. It is vital to understand that this cable cannot be plugged directly into equipment like transceivers or adapter panels, as those ports are also typically Female and require a Male connector for a proper mate.

FAQ (Technical & Product Questions)

1. What is the main purpose of a Female-to-Female MPO/MTP® cable?

Its primary purpose is to function as an extension cord. It connects two separate MPO/MTP® cables that both have Male (pinned) connectors, effectively joining them into a single, longer cable channel for backbone applications.

2. Can I plug this cable directly into my 100G PSM4 transceiver?

No. Transceivers like the QSFP28-PSM4 have Female (unpinned) MPO/MTP® ports. You cannot connect a Female cable to a Female port. For a direct transceiver connection, you must use a Male (pinned) MPO/MTP® patch cord.

3. What is the benefit of G.657.A2 fiber in this cable?

G.657.A2 is a bend-insensitive fiber. It allows the cable to be routed around tight corners and in crowded cable trays with a much lower risk of signal degradation (macrobending loss) compared to standard single mode fiber, ensuring link reliability.

4. Why is Type A polarity used for extension cables?

A Type A (straight-through) polarity maintains the original fiber mapping (pin 1 to pin 1, pin 2 to pin 2, etc.). When extending a trunk, you want to preserve its polarity scheme, not change it. This ensures the end-to-end connection remains correct.

5. Is this cable compatible with standard MPO connectors and G.652.D fiber?

Yes. MTP® is a high-performance brand of MPO connector and is fully backward compatible with any standard MPO. Additionally, G.657.A2 fiber is fully backward compatible with the common G.652.D single mode fiber used in most networks.