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Clearfield Unveils the FieldSmart Flex Box; Sets New Benchmark for MDU Fiber Deployments

CLFD | September 13, 2017

Clearfield Unveils the FieldSmart Flex Box; Sets New Benchmark for MDU Fiber Deployments

Unique Wall Box Design Simplifies Fiber Design for Multi-Dwelling Unit (MDU) Deployments

Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLFD), the specialist in fiber management, optical pathway and connectivity platforms for communication service providers, today introduces the FieldSmart Flex Box. The flexible wall box affords service providers a quicker path to subscriber revenue with easier installation by interconnecting different types of media and pathways into a single fiber distribution and aggregation point. The Flex Box is Clearfield’s latest expansion of its FieldSmart Small Count Delivery (SCD) line of wall boxes.

Building upon the FieldShield pushable fiber and microduct pathway product line which links thousands of consumers to their broadband networks today, the FieldSmart Flex Box extends the Clearfield building block design philosophy to the Multi-Dwelling Units (MDU) or Multi-Tennant Units (MTU) environment — and will greatly benefit carriers looking to deploy fiber services in both dense urban environments and suburban developments.

“MDU/MTU environments are very challenging as every apartment, condo or commercial building is unique. Designers face a constant challenge of how to architect universal and flexible solutions that simplify project planning, lower the cost of deployment and accelerate turn-up time,” said Johnny Hill, Chief Operating Officer at Clearfield. “The features of the Flex Box dramatically simplify installation and reduce start-up times, helping deliver a faster time to market and lowering the barrier to entry for new service introduction.”

The FieldSmart Flex Box efficiently integrates and distributes different types of media with a single, modular connection point. With removable aggregator plates, different fiber types pass through ports where fiber cascading or custom media applications are required.

The FieldSmart Flex Box accommodates direct connection of FieldShield Microduct that provides a fiber delivery pathway to quickly connect and deploy pre-terminated, factory-tested pushable and pullable FieldShield Fiber, via the Clearview Cassette, SmartRoute Plate, or the newly developed Drop Wheel technology. With the FieldShield Drop Wheel, service providers can now deliver multiple 900 µm fiber distribution lengths of up to 200 feet with a single SKU, removing the requirement of fiber slack management while still maintaining end-to-end, plug-and-play functionality.

Reversible door and dual side lock security options provide dual-direction mounting options to suit the desired pathway. This simplified approach will help reduce technician time on-site for installs, and with its reduced complexity, will require less technical training with field service teams. With the ability to house optical splitters and a variety of additional connectivity options, the Flex Box can be configured for point-to-point, centralized split, and distributed split applications. The Flex Box has a flammability rating of 5VA (UL 94) as well as NEMA 4 rating for indoor and outdoor environments.

Clearfield will be showcasing the FieldSmart Flex Box at the SCTE Cable Tec Expo 2017, October 18-20 in Denver, CO, as well as at the rescheduled ISE EXPO in November 2017. Watch the introduction video, and for more information, contact a Clearfield Representative sales@clfd.net or visit the website at www.SeeClearfield.com.

About Clearfield, Inc.

Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD) designs, manufactures and distributes fiber optic management, protection and delivery products for communications networks. Our “fiber to the anywhere” platform serves the unique requirements of leading incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECS), competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs), Wireless operators, and MSO/cable TV companies, while also catering to the broadband needs of the utility/municipality, enterprise, data center and military markets. Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, Clearfield deploys more than a million fiber ports each year. For more information, visit www.SeeClearfield.com .