Clearfield, Inc., a Minneapolis-based fiber-optic solutions provider, announced it has shipped more than 2 million ClearPass Connector Cleaning Dust Caps to operators worldwide, marking a significant milestone for the company and its customers.
The milestone highlights broad adoption of ClearPass across the fiber network spectrum—from central offices and data centers to outside plant and fiber-to-the-home deployments. Each Clearfield patch cord and cable assembly with an SC connector now includes a built-in, one-time-use cleaning tool designed to keep the end-face free of contamination before connection.
In real-world deployments, ClearPass delivers more than 94% cleaning effectiveness, helping to prevent one of the most common causes of fiber network failures. By removing particles from the fiber endface prior to mating, the solution reduces the likelihood of signal loss and service disruptions arising from dirty connectors.
Midco, a leading broadband provider serving more than 385,000 residential and business customers across the Midwest, described ClearPass as a small but powerful time- and cost-saving addition to field work. According to Jeremy Billings, Midco’s construction and engineering planning manager, the dust cap eliminates the need for technicians to carry extra tools or hunt for a separate cleaner — they simply peel, clean the fiber, and connect, saving trips to the truck and reducing consumable costs while ensuring a clean, high-performing connection.
Clearfield notes that dirty connectors have long been a major reliability risk in fiber networks. ClearPass simplifies the cleaning step, helping operators keep networks online and deliver consistent customer service from activation onward.
Looking forward, Clearfield plans to expand the adoption of the ClearPass dust cap in accelerated broadband deployments and explore new market opportunities. Anis Khemakhem, Chief Commercial Officer at Clearfield, emphasized a installer-first approach: while the dust cap may be small, its impact is large in saving time, lowering costs, and keeping networks running at peak performance.
About Clearfield, Inc. Clearfield designs, manufactures, and distributes fiber optic management, protection, and delivery solutions that help broadband operators close the digital divide. The company, listed on NASDAQ as CLFD, deploys more than a million fiber ports each year and serves a wide range of customers, including community broadband providers, MSOs, data centers, and municipal networks.
