Cable plant loss should be estimated during the _ phase.

• A. Design
• B. Installation
• C. Testing
• D. Troubleshooting

Answer: (A)

Loss estimation is done during the design phase so the plan can account for all expected attenuation from fibers, splices, connectors, and components. By forecasting how much signal will be lost along the cable plant, you can verify the link budget early and choose appropriate cable types, connector types, and the amount of headroom needed to meet performance requirements. If you wait until installation or testing, you’re simply measuring what’s already built or operating, not predicting what the system will need, which can lead to over- or under-specification and costly fixes. Measuring actual losses during installation and testing helps confirm the design, but the critical planning step to ensure the system will meet targets is the design phase.