Which of the following describes a consequence of a defective cover plate in a splitter?

A defective cover plate in a splitter primarily leads to signal leakage. The cover plate serves as a protective barrier that helps maintain the integrity of the signal by preventing external environmental factors from affecting the splitter's performance. When it becomes damaged or defective, it can allow signals to escape, thus causing leakage.

Signal leakage is detrimental in telecommunications as it can result in a variety of issues, including the potential for interference with other signals and degradation of service quality. While increased power loss, signal interference, and complete signal loss can occur from various other issues within the system, the specific and immediate consequence of a defective cover plate is the risk of signal leakage. This phenomenon can exacerbate other problems within the network, affecting overall performance.