EXFO (NASDAQ:EXFO) has released its "PON-aware" passive optical network (PON) power meter. The PPM-350D PON Power Meter is designed to automatically detect and adapt test parameters for the PON technology in use at the customer premises. The new capabilities are intended to eliminate guesswork by field technicians during the service activation phase.
"With next-gen PON upgrades underway in every region, seamless upgrades require the overlaying of new wavelengths on existing fibers as operators combine existing PON with next-gen PON solutions," said Julie Kunstler, principal analyst, Ovum's Next-Gen Infrastructure Practice. "EXFO's PON meter enables technicians to accurately test and thereby fix any customer connections during service activation for legacy and next-gen PON technologies such as GPON, EPON, XG-PON1, XGS-PON, 10G-EPON and NG-PON2, without needing to know an operator's specific upgrade roadmap."
"We developed the PON-aware power meter to tackle two key challenges for CSPs dealing with multiple legacy and next-gen technologies," said Stephane Chabot, EXFO's vice president, Test and Measurement. "First, field technicians can't fix problems that older power meters can't see. Second, it can be difficult to select the right test parameters for the technology, which increases the risk of meaningless test results and false positives. By using automation to solve both problems, the PPM-350D helps CSPs avoid the high costs of sending tech teams back to fix problems for frustrated new customers."
The meter is compatible with GPON, EPON, 10G-capable and NG-PON2 networks as well as RFoG.
