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ETA · Last updated November 2026

ETA Broadband Fiber Technician (BFT): free practice test

BFT is ETA's next-level broadband certification after BFI, for technicians handling more complex FTTx and outside plant work: PON generations, WDM systems, dispersion, reflectance and OTDR fault finding. The written exam has 75 questions in 2 hours with a 75% pass mark, and a current BFI plus a hands-on BFT course at an ETA-approved school are required first. This prep covers only the written exam.

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About the ETA BFT exam

BFT is ETA's next-level broadband certification after BFI, for technicians handling more complex FTTx and outside plant work: PON generations, WDM systems, dispersion, reflectance and OTDR fault finding. The written exam has 75 questions in 2 hours with a 75% pass mark, and a current BFI plus a hands-on BFT course at an ETA-approved school are required first. This prep covers only the written exam.

What's on the exam

ETA BFT
WDM, Wavelength Bands and Light Sources
7 key facts
Single-Mode Fiber, Dispersion and Standards
7 key facts
PON Generations and Coexistence
8 key facts
Cabling, Installation and Damage Prevention
7 key facts
Connectorization and Splicing
7 key facts
Splitters, Link Budgets and Attenuators
6 key facts
OTDR Analysis and Acceptance Testing
8 key facts
Safety and ONT Power
6 key facts

Each branch is a topic in the official outline. Members see every key fact on the full mind map. Read the free study guide →

How to pass the ETA BFT exam

  • BFT adds WDM and next-generation PON to the BFI syllabus. Learn the wavelength plans for GPON, XG-PON, XGS-PON, 10G-EPON, NG-PON2 and RFoG, and how they share one fiber.
  • Expect calculations: DWDM spacing in nm, chromatic dispersion in ps, splitter excess loss, bidirectional averages and whether a design fits a PON optics class.
  • ETA's BFT list names standards by number (G.983, G.984, G.987.1, G.9807.1, G.989.2, IEEE 802.3ah, 802.3av, 802.3cs, SCTE 174). Match each number to the technology.
  • 75 questions in 2 hours is 96 seconds each and you need 75%. Review the BFI fundamentals too: ETA says much of the primary content comes from BFI.

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Create a free account after the test: your score by topic, a mistakes bank, the complete study notes for the first topic, flashcards and the RCDD Numbers & Formulas Sheet.

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What's in the premium ETA BFT prep

Premium ETA BFT prep is studied one topic at a time. Each step starts with that topic's key notes and flashcard deck, then its own question sets of 25, so you master one topic before you move to the next. When every topic is strong, the 6 full mock exams show you're ready.

3,000practice questions, every answer explained
6full-length mock exams, 75 questions each, timed
800flashcards with spaced repetition, sorted by topic
60comprehensive key notes across 8 topics

Your step-by-step study path

  1. 1
    WDM, Wavelength Bands and Light Sources8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Notes free with an account
  2. 2
    Single-Mode Fiber, Dispersion and Standards8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  3. 3
    PON Generations and Coexistence8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  4. 4
    Cabling, Installation and Damage Prevention8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  5. 5
    Connectorization and Splicing7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  6. 6
    Splitters, Link Budgets and Attenuators7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  7. 7
    OTDR Analysis and Acceptance Testing7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  8. 8
    Safety and ONT Power7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  9. Final step: 6 full mock exams75 questions each, timed like test day. Pass them, then book your exam.
    Premium
Free with an account

Read the complete ETA BFT study notes for “WDM, Wavelength Bands and Light Sources”

Our first full set of comprehensive notes, about 14 minutes of reading: Bands and windows · CWDM and DWDM · WDM in FTTH and PON · Sources and filters, a worked exam example, the traps examiners use and a one-minute recap. Create a free account to read it and see how premium notes work before you decide.

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Study tools included

3,000 practice questions

3,000 exam-style questions per exam, organized topic by topic in sets of 25. Every answer explained, with the rule it comes from.

6 full mock exams

6 full-length timed mock exams per exam, with real question counts and time limits, so test day feels like practice day.

Exam Readiness Score

One 0 to 100 number that tells you when you're ready to book. Reach 80 and you're covered by our Pass Guarantee.

800 flashcards + spaced repetition

800 flashcards per exam, in a deck for each topic, that come back right before you'd forget them. Five minutes a day keeps every number fresh.

60 comprehensive key notes

60 key notes per exam, split across its topics and each explained in full: the concepts, worked exam examples, the traps examiners use and a quick recap. Your first set is free with an account.

Mind maps

See the whole exam on one screen: every topic and the facts under it.

Sample questions with answers

These are the questions in the free test above, with answers. Try the test first. You'll learn more by getting some wrong.

1. A customer wants to light an 18-channel CWDM system on a 1990s G.652 fiber route that is not low-water-peak. Which channels are most likely to have too much loss?
Answer: 1371 and 1391 nm, beside the water absorption peak near 1383 nm. CWDM (ITU-T G.694.2) uses 18 channels from 1271 to 1611 nm at 20 nm spacing. Older fiber has an OH absorption peak near 1383 nm, so the E-band channels around it suffer; G.652.D low-water-peak fiber fixes this. The 1271 nm channel is above the cutoff wavelength of standard single-mode fiber.
2. A DWDM system in the C-band uses 100 GHz channel spacing on the ITU-T grid. About how far apart are adjacent channels in wavelength?
Answer: About 0.8 nm. Near 1550 nm, spacing in nm = wavelength squared x frequency spacing / c = (1550 nm)^2 x 100 GHz / c, about 0.8 nm. 50 GHz spacing is about 0.4 nm and 200 GHz about 1.6 nm, while 20 nm is CWDM spacing. The DWDM grid (G.694.1) is anchored at 193.1 THz.
3. A long-haul route will carry many closely spaced DWDM channels at 1550 nm through optical amplifiers. Why is G.655 non-zero dispersion-shifted fiber often chosen?
Answer: Its small, non-zero dispersion at 1550 nm limits four-wave mixing. G.655 shifts dispersion so it is low but not zero across the C-band. Some dispersion keeps channels from staying phase-matched, which limits four-wave mixing crosstalk, while low dispersion stretches regenerator spacing. Zero dispersion at 1550 nm (G.653) makes four-wave mixing worse; bend insensitivity belongs to G.657.
4. A 10 Gb/s signal at 1550 nm has a source spectral width of 0.1 nm and runs 80 km on G.652 fiber with 17 ps/(nm x km) dispersion. What is the pulse spreading from chromatic dispersion?
Answer: 136 ps. Chromatic dispersion spread = dispersion coefficient x spectral width x length = 17 x 0.1 x 80 = 136 ps. Dropping the length factor or misplacing the decimal gives the other values. Narrow-line DFB lasers, G.655 fiber or dispersion compensation reduce it.
5. An operator wants to add XGS-PON to an existing GPON network without replacing splitters or drops. What makes this possible?
Answer: XGS-PON uses different wavelengths, combined with GPON through a WDM coexistence element. XGS-PON (ITU-T G.9807.1) uses about 1577 nm down and 1270 nm up, while GPON uses 1490 and 1310 nm. A coexistence element (a WDM filter) at the central office combines both OLTs onto the same ODN, and each ONT's filter passes only its own wavelengths. A new XGS-PON OLT port is needed.
6. A cable operator runs RF over Glass (ANSI/SCTE 174) on the same fiber as a GPON service. Which wavelength is used for the RFoG return path?
Answer: 1610 nm. SCTE 174 RFoG sends the forward RF signal at 1550 nm and the return at 1610 nm when it shares a fiber with PON, because 1310 nm is GPON upstream. When no PON is present, a 1310 nm return can be used. 1490 nm is GPON downstream and 1577 nm is 10G PON downstream.
7. A crew plans to directionally bore a new drop across a front yard. What must happen before boring starts?
Answer: Notify the 811 one-call center within the state's notice period and wait for locates. Damage prevention laws require excavators, including boring crews, to notify the one-call center (811) a set number of working days before digging, as set by each state, and to respect the marked tolerance zone. No depth or crew experience removes that duty. Potholing is used to expose marked utilities, not to replace locates.
8. A crew must splice a 432-fiber rollable ribbon cable. Compared with single-fiber fusion splicing, what changes in preparation?
Answer: A heated ribbon stripper and ribbon cleaver prepare all 12 fibers at once. Mass fusion splicing prepares and splices a whole ribbon (usually 12 fibers) at once: a thermal stripper removes matrix and coating together, a ribbon cleaver cleaves all fibers, and a ribbon splicer aligns them in V-grooves. This is much faster than single-fiber work, with slightly higher typical loss per fiber.
9. An OTDR trace shows a small reflective spike with about 0.3 dB of loss at a drop restoration point. What kind of joint is most likely there?
Answer: A mechanical splice, with index gel at the fiber gap. Mechanical splices hold two cleaved ends in alignment with index matching gel in the gap. The gel's index is close to the glass but not identical, so a small reflection remains. Fusion splices, bends and MFD gainers are non-reflective events with no spike.
10. A power meter reads -2.0 dBm at 1490 nm at the input of a 1:32 splitter and -18.6 dBm at one output leg. What is the splitter's excess loss on that leg?
Answer: 1.6 dB. Measured loss is -2.0 - (-18.6) = 16.6 dB. The theoretical loss of a 1:32 splitter is 10 log 32, about 15.0 dB, so the excess loss is about 1.6 dB. Using the 1:16 value (12 dB) gives 4.6 dB, and 16.6 dB is the total, not the excess.
11. A GPON design calculates 30.2 dB of ODN loss on its longest path, but the installed optics are class B+ (13 to 28 dB). What is a valid fix?
Answer: Change to class C+ optics (17 to 32 dB) or cut the path loss below 28 dB. Each GPON optics class defines a minimum and maximum ODN loss; B+ covers 13 to 28 dB and C+ 17 to 32 dB. If the path exceeds 28 dB, use C+ optics or reduce loss (fewer connectors, a smaller split or a shorter route). Attenuators add loss, and sensitivity is a hardware limit.
12. An OTDR at a 1 µs pulse shows two fusion splices known to be 40 m apart at about 1.2 km as one merged event. What setting change will separate them?
Answer: Use a shorter pulse width and add averaging to restore the signal-to-noise ratio. A 1 µs pulse fills about 200 m of fiber, which limits two-way resolution to about 100 m, so events 40 m apart blur together. A shorter pulse improves resolution and narrows dead zones, at the cost of dynamic range, which averaging partly recovers. A longer pulse or wider range lowers resolution, and the index setting only scales distance.
13. An acceptance contract requires Tier 2 (extended) testing on new FTTx feeder fibers. What does Tier 2 add to Tier 1 testing?
Answer: An OTDR trace characterizing every splice, connector and segment. Tier 1 is OLTS insertion loss, length and polarity against a loss budget. Tier 2 adds an OTDR trace (ideally bidirectional) that shows the loss and location of every event and the attenuation uniformity of each segment. It does not replace Tier 1, and endface inspection is good practice in both.
14. A fiber break lies somewhere between two closures 300 m apart. With the OTDR in real-time mode, what can a second technician do at a suspect handhole to tie the trace distance to that point?
Answer: Gently bend a slack loop and watch for a matching change on the live trace. Real-time mode refreshes the trace continuously, so a bend applied at a known point appears instantly as a loss at that distance, tying the trace to the physical route. A VFL wavelength isn't detected by the OTDR, and cutting a fiber to test it adds damage.
15. A customer complains that their fiber phone service stopped during a power outage, even though the network was working. What is the likely cause?
Answer: The ONT's battery backup (UPS) was missing or discharged. A PON is passive between the OLT and the home, so the fiber keeps working, but the ONT needs local power. Without a working UPS or battery, the ONT and its voice ports, including 911 calls, stop during an outage. Splitters are passive and need no power.

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ETA BFT exam FAQ

How many questions are on the ETA BFT exam?

75 multiple-choice questions, with a time limit of 2 hours. Format: closed book; scratch paper and a non-programmable calculator are allowed. candidates must hold a current eta broadband fiber installer (bfi) certification and complete the bft course with hands-on training at an eta-approved school, so this prep covers only the written knowledge exam.

What is the passing score for ETA BFT?

75%.

How much does the ETA BFT exam cost?

US$155 for the exam, with one free retake within one year of the first sitting; course fees are set by the school. Certification term 4 years, with maintenance required. ETA offers a Journeyman CET upgrade (US$55) to BFT holders who later pass the Associate CET and have two or more years of training or experience. BICSI fees can change without notice, so confirm on bicsi.org before you apply.

Which languages is the ETA BFT exam offered in?

English. ETA does not list other languages for BFT; confirm with ETA or your school.

Where do I take the ETA BFT exam?

ETA-approved fiber training schools with an ETA Course Approval, which run the required BFT (next level) course and hands-on training; the written exam is proctored by an ETA Certification Administrator online (Trapeza) or on paper.

Is this ETA BFT practice test free?

Yes. The 15-question practice test on this page is free, with an explanation for every answer and no signup. A free account also unlocks the complete study notes for the first topic. The full ETA BFT prep is Premium at $147 a month for this exam.

What's in the premium ETA BFT prep?

3,000 practice questions organized topic by topic (WDM, Wavelength Bands and Light Sources: 375; Single-Mode Fiber, Dispersion and Standards: 375; PON Generations and Coexistence: 375; Cabling, Installation and Damage Prevention: 375; Connectorization and Splicing: 375; Splitters, Link Budgets and Attenuators: 375; OTDR Analysis and Acceptance Testing: 375; Safety and ONT Power: 375), 6 full-length timed mock exams of 75 questions, 800 flashcards and 60 comprehensive key notes split across all 8 topics, plus a mistakes bank and the Readiness Score.

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Exam details are summarized from the official candidate information available in October 2026. BICSI changes formats and fees, so confirm with ETA International (Electronics Technicians Association), accredited by ICAC under ISO/IEC 17024 before you book. RCDDQuizBank is not affiliated with BICSI or Pearson VUE.

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