Clearfield launches fiber sensing cables for infrastructure monitoring

Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD) announced the expansion of its fiber portfolio with new distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS) cables designed to monitor temperature, acoustic activity, and strain across fiber routes and facilities.

The Minneapolis-based company said the cables allow operators to continuously monitor outside plant fiber routes, central offices, data centers, cell sites, and other infrastructure. The technology can detect digging activity, unauthorized access, tower climbs, temperature changes, and cable strain before they result in a fiber cut or service outage.

The portfolio includes three cable types: temperature sensing cables that identify hot spots, acoustic sensing cables that detect digging and intrusion, and strain sensing cables that monitor stress from ground movement and shifting poles.

The cables connect to an interrogator that analyzes data and alerts operators to changing conditions. They can integrate with Clearfield's active cabinets, central office infrastructure, and its NOVA platform. Non-metallic options support aerial applications, while steel-armored Fiber-in-Metal-Tube cables are designed for buried and conduit environments. The passive cables require no power along the route and meet IEC 60794-1-2 standards.

According to Uptime Institute's 2026 Annual Outage Analysis, cited in the press release, 57% of respondents said their most recent major outage cost more than $100,000, while one in five reported costs above $1 million.

"Broadband, data center, and wireless operators manage significantly different infrastructure, but they all face the same challenge: limited visibility into conditions across critical assets," said Anis Khemakhem, Chief Commercial Officer of Clearfield.

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