Interconnect enclosures for optical fibers including cross-connect modules and methods for using the same

An interconnect device for optical fibers, comprising:

• an enclosure;
• a first termination panel mounted in the enclosure and having a plurality of optical fiber connection members, ones of which are associated with respective subscriber locations;
• a second termination panel mounted in the enclosure and having a plurality of optical fiber connection members, ones of which are associated with respective input optical fibers associated with a service provider;
• a splitter and cross-connect module mounting member mounted in the enclosure that is configured to interchangeably receive a plurality of optical fiber splitter and/or optical fiber cross-connect members;
• a cross-connect module mounted in the mounting member and having a loop of an optical fiber retained therein with a first and opposite second connectorized end of the optical fiber extending from the cross-connect module, wherein the optical fiber retained in the cross-connect module extends continuously without any splicing therein from the first connectorized end to the second connectorized end and wherein the first and second connectorized ends of the optical fiber extend to a length sufficient to allow cross-connection of a selected pair of the connection members of the termination panels by connection of the connectorized ends thereto;
• a splitter mounted in the mounting member proximate the cross-connect module that is configured to optically couple a plurality of optical fibers to a single optical fiber and having a plurality of optical fiber connectorized pigtails extending therefrom, each of the connectorized pigtails being optically coupled by the splitter to an optical fiber feeder cable to be coupled to a central office;
• and
• a pigtail routing path in the enclosure, wherein both the connectorized pigtails and the connectorized ends extending from the cross-connect module are routed through the pigtail routing path to a corresponding selected one of the first termination panel or the second termination panel.

A method for configuring an interconnect enclosure for optical fibers for outside plant management of subscriber optical fiber connectivity, comprising:

• providing a first termination panel in the enclosure having a plurality of optical fiber connection points;
• optically splicing the plurality of optical fiber connection points of the first termination panel to respective subscriber locations;
• providing a second termination panel in the enclosure having a plurality of optical fiber connection points;
• optically splicing the optical fiber connection points of the second termination panel to an optical fiber feeder cable coupled to a central office;
• mounting a cross-connect module in the enclosure, the cross-connect module having a loop of an optical fiber retained therein with a first and opposite second connectorized end of the optical fiber extending from the cross-connect module, the connectorized pigtails have a cable length sufficient to allow connection to the plurality of connection points without a jumper therebetween;
• connecting the first connectorized end to a selected one of the optical fiber connection points of the second termination panel;
• and
• connecting the second connectorized end to a selected one of the optical fiber connection points of the first termination panel to cross-connect the selected one of the optical fiber connection points of the second termination panel to the selected one of the optical fiber connection points of the first termination panel.