What should a technician do if the optical power into a receiver is too high but the loss budget is acceptable?

When the optical power into a receiver is too high, it can lead to distortion, saturation, or potential damage to the receiver despite the loss budget being acceptable. In this context, installing an optical attenuator is the most appropriate action.

An optical attenuator is a device that reduces the power of the optical signal. By doing this, it protects the receiver from excessive optical power, thereby ensuring it operates within its optimal range and maintains signal integrity. This approach is more effective than simply replacing the optical receiver or increasing the optical power, as those actions could exacerbate the issue rather than resolving it. Adjusting the electrical interface may also not address the root cause of the problem, which is the excessive optical power being fed into the receiver. Therefore, the correct choice is to install an optical attenuator to manage the power levels appropriately.