Fusion splicing is most widely used as it provides for the lowest loss and least reflectance, as well as providing the most reliable joint. Virtually all singlemode splices are fusion. This is where fiber optic cable splicing—the process of creating a permanent, high-performance join between two fiber ends—becomes critical. For network managers and technicians, a poor splice can lead to significant signal degradation, network downtime, and costly troubleshooting. Either joining method must have three primary characteristics. Infield installations, splicing is a faster and more efficient method and is used to restore fiber optic cables when a buried cable is accidentally severed.