A splitter will reduce a Cat 5e throughput from its rated 1000Mb (gigabit) speed to a paltry 100Mb. By dividing a single optical signal from a central Optical Line Terminal (OLT) into multiple outputs for Optical Network Terminals (ONTs) at users' homes, splitters eliminate the need for dedicated fibers to each residence—slashing infrastructure costs while scaling network reach. Typically, but not always, there is one input in and multiple outputs. Light power goes in and light power coming out of the various legs is reduced in. The splitter ratio refers to how many outputs the splitter has compared to its input. For example, in a 2 way 0° power. How it works: The taper causes light to leak from the input fiber into the adjacent output fibers, with power distribution determined by the length and thickness of the taper.
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