What is UPC polishing and what’s the difference between PC, UPC and APC?

What is UPC polishing and what’s the difference between UPC and PC or APC polishing?

Answer: UPC is the acronym of “ultra polished contact” and means that the tip of a fiber optic connector is particularly well polished which results in particularly low insertion loss and particularly high return loss. UPC is a very high quality polishing of connectors with a slightly domed tip (PC, “physical contact”). APC is the acronym of “angled physical contact”; the tips of APC connectors are polished at an angled for even higher return loss.

Nobody knows everything. A comprehensive topic like IT cabling inevitably raises questions. This column gives answers to questions which reached Telegärtner’s Technical Helpdesk and which we consider interesting for everyone. Please do not hesitate to send us your questions, we will be happy to answer them. The questions will be published anonymously, of course.