What are the main causes of noise in OSP copper telecommunications cables?
This response addresses “noise” as indicated by test set measurements and primarily related to power influence. Keep in mind that moisture or water is absolutely the major cause of noise audible to the customer. Conductor deterioration from water in a cable, water on the faceplate of a terminal or condensation causing current flow between two splice connectors will cause noise. Water is public enemy number one when it comes to copper cables. That is why we go to the lengths that we do to fill, flood, encapsulate and generally seal the cables from water intrusion. The primary cause of noise is proximity to electrical power cables. Proximity does not mean that the power and communications cables are touching. High voltage transmission lines can and do induce fields at great distances from their physical location. Transformers and some electrical equipment can generate “noise” in an improperly grounded cable. The electrical fields generated by these power cables induce unwanted harmonics
