Test, Inspection Tools from EXFO Increase Efficiency of Fiber-to-the-Home Installations

EXFO recently introduced two fiber-optic test tools the company says “make EXFO-quality testing accessible to all technicians supporting today’s expansive FTTH [fiber-to-the-home] deployments.” The company introduced the FIP-200 Connector Checker and the AXS-120 mini-Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR) at the Connected Britain event earlier in September. According to EXFO, the FIP-200 “ensures trouble-free broadband activation in one click,” and the AXS-120 “improves field testing of last-mile FTTH access networks.”

“A known and ongoing challenge to seamless connectivity is dirty connectors—the number-one cause of network issues,” EXFO explained when showcasing the products at Connected Britain. “With just one click, EXFO’s new FIP-200 connector checker can validate connections on the spot during FTTH service activation. Even inexperienced technicians can properly perform fiber inspection. Increased efficiency and accuracy translate to savings in time, money, and staff training for network operators, along with improved compliance and reduction in the effort to analyze results.”

Similarly, EXFO pointed out that “operating OTDRs is a task frequently assigned to expert technicians because the device requires expertise to operate and OTDR traces can be challenging to interpret. But with the expanding scope of today’s broadband network builds, expert technicians are in high demand. The AXS series addresses the expertise and availability challenge by providing highly accurate and reliable results, with built-in trace analysis delivered by a compact, easy-to-use lightweight device. With patented Swap-Out connectors—a unique feature of EXFO field equipment—investment in equipment maintenance is reduced.”

“With the huge growth in FTTH deployments and investment by numerous governments in broadband expansion, ensuring that all technicians have access to and know how to use field test equipment has never been more important,” commented Sophie Legault, director of network deployment and operations for EXFO. “We’ve extended our product lines with the simple-to-use tools that make fiber testing available to all field teams, regardless of crew size or experience.”

In addition to these product introductions, EXFO has entered a partnership with IQGeo that it says “will enable integration of specific workflows at the planning, design, and operational stages of network deployment and management. This will deliver complete end-to-end workflow integration, including network readiness validation leveraging EXFO’s test expertise.”

IQGeo provides geospatial network management software that models any network requirement, integrates every system and data source, and supports field as well as office teams. It supports users globally in the telecommunications, fiber, and utilities sectors.