Such an arrangement is known from No.EP-A 250 900. In this arrangement the shunting lines are inseparably spliced at one end to the individual light waveguides of the LWGs of the outgoing optical cables terminating in the termination units. The connector element of the free end of the shunting lines can be connected as desired to plug connector elements of the LWGs of the incoming optical cables which also terminate in the termination units. The shunting lines are freely suspended. They form loops corresponding to the excessive length which is not necessary for a switching path.
In particular in building up a LWG local area network switch, boxes must be available by means of which a multiplicity (for example 100) of LWGs of incoming optical cables (main cable) can be connected in a free combination possibility to a usually larger number (for example 200) of LWGs of outgoing optical cables. It must be possible to change the connections as frequently as posssible.
Such connections are customarily produced by means of the shunting lines. However, the shunting lines are subject to considerable mechanical stresses. It is particularly difficult to prevent damage in those cases when the shunting lines are provided in a disordered and freely suspended manner.
Moreover, having a number of freely suspended disordered shunting lines impedes the subsequent connection activities.
When a spliced connection of the shunting lines to the LWGs of an optical cable is made on one side, it is necessary to make a new splice place when it is required to exchange the shunting line. As a result, the length of the LWGs of the optical cables is automatically reduced. It is not possible to perform such after-splice-processes unrestrictedly and, moreover such after-splice-processes adversely affect the substance of the optical cables which are very expensive.