Exfo Electro-Optical Engineering has introduced a new capability to its DSL testers that allows installers to determine the data rates a copper loop can sustain.
The new software-based feature is available as an option for any of the company’s AXS-200/600 series testers. Service providers who already have any of the Exfo testers can purchase the software as an upgrade.
Traditional test methodologies require services to be deployed before there is any visibility into the reliability and quality of the service offering, Exfo explained. With the new capability, field technicians can determine what xDSL data rates the copper loop can support prior to actually connecting or provisioning the circuit. The same test suite can also determine the level of IP video service that can be provisioned, Exfo said.
Exfo’s AXS-200/600 series testers offer multi-layer analysis and fault correlation that allows field technicians to accurately pinpoint not just what the problem is, but also where in the network it’s located. The AXS-200/600 series provides a single-end testing capability, which eliminates the need to have two technicians to qualify a copper pair.
Building on this approach, this latest software suite allows one field technician to perform a quick data rate qualification test from one end of the loop. The same test will also indicate the number of IPTV streams that can be deployed on the loop. These latest features greatly enhance the AXS-200/600 series offering and increase the efficiency of field technicians.