Many types of optical attenuators (especially gap loss types) have the common problem of high reflectance, so they can adversely affect transmitters just like highly reflective connectors. When too much light passing through fiber cables reaches a fiber optic receiver it will overload. Overloads are usually evident in distorted signals, intermittent data, or in many cases, no operation at all. The cost of laying fiber optic cables can be prohibitively expensive, especially for small. Fiber optic attenuators, also called optical attenuators, are passive devices used to reduce the power level of an optical signal.