What could be a consequence of improper optical splice alignment?

Improper optical splice alignment can lead to increased signal loss as the light signal transmitted through the fiber optic cable becomes misaligned at the point of the splice. When the fibers are not aligned correctly, some of the light can be lost due to scattering and reflection at the splice interface. This misalignment disrupts the smooth passage of the light signals between the two splice points, resulting in diminished signal strength. Consequently, the integrity of the signal diminishes, which can hinder communication quality and reliability in optical networks.

In contrast, options suggesting improvements in transmission speed or signal integrity would be incorrect because poor alignment hampers performance rather than enhancing it. Similarly, stating there would be no impact on transmission ignores the fundamental physics involved in fiber optics, where proper alignment is crucial for maintaining the efficiency of signal transmission.