Final answer:
FTTX applications, which utilize optical fibers, are more susceptible to signal loss caused by macro- and microbends because these bends allow light to escape from the fiber core, leading to attenuation and reduced transmission quality.
Step-by-step explanation:
FTTX applications, which stands for Fiber-To-The-x, are more susceptible to the adverse effects of macro- and microbends compared to typical transmission applications because they rely on optical fibers, which are sensitive to bending. Macro-bends are large scale bends that exceed the specified bend radius, causing significant signal loss, while microbends are small scale distortions due to imperfections or pressure on the fiber. These bends can cause light to escape from the fiber core, leading to attenuation and reduced transmission quality, which is particularly critical in fiber optics as they transmit data at very high speeds and any signal loss can greatly affect performance.