Fiber-optic pigtails are used to connect fiber-optic cables using fusion or mechanical splicing. By combining factory-installed connectors with spliced bare fiber, pigtails ensure that network installers can create fast, reliable, and cost-effective terminations. Get the wrong connector type, the wrong polish, or skip proper fusion splicing technique—and you're looking at elevated signal loss, increased back reflection, and a. 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.