Fiber optic cabling can be pre-terminated to connectors by your cabling supplier, or they can be terminated in the field using fusion splicing with pigtails or splice-on connectors or using mechanical splice or traditional epoxy/polish connectors. When you build or upgrade a fiber network, the same four words pop up everywhere— fiber optic (bare fiber), pigtail, patch cord, optical cable. They're related, but they are not interchangeable. Mixing them up drives costs higher, increases loss, and slows your rollout. In this article, we will discuss the differences between fiber pigtails and fiber optic cables and provide insights into splicing methods. Can a patch cord. The term "pre-terminated" generally means omitted or neglected.