SC Fiber Optic Cable Connector Overview

The SC (Subscriber Connector) style has numerous types of standards recognizing simplex and duplex connectors and adapters. Standards recognizing the SC are FDDI, Fibre Channel, broadband ISDN, ATM and Gigabit Ethernet.

 

As you can tell the SC fiber optic connector has a square style front face and is easily confused with it’s smaller relative the LC connector. Let’s take a look at some of the advantages of the SC connector.

 

Available as a simplex connector that can be converted to a duplex connector using a clip.

Recommended by a large number of standards.

Offers pull-proof feature.

Great packing density, design reduces the chance of the fiber face damage during connection.

Keyed, low loss, pull and wiggle proof.

Terminated using quick cure epoxy, cleave and crimp and hot melt. 

 

Typically what you’ll find at a subscribers location is the bulk horizontal or backbone cable side ends it’s run in the facilities telecommunications closet. Your SC connectors will then be managed in a fiber optic enclosure. Let’s check out one of my favorites by Corning. 

 

Then the information technology manager, will manage his end using fiber optic patch jumpers that plug into an adapter panel that sits in the fiber optic enclosure. 

 

The SC interface is very commonly used when using media converters to convert copper to fiber, then fiber to copper. The big disadvantage of the SC interface is it does not feature an SFF (Small Form Factor) design.

 

The SFF design commonly uses the LC interface, so if you have an application where the backbone cable needs to be plugged directly into a switch the LC connector will be required. It’s still recommended that you use a fiber enclosure, you could just get a fiber jumper with SC on one end and the LC on the other.