EXFO Inc. recently launched the MaxTester 945 Telco OLTS, a tablet-inspired fiber-optic test solution that the company says further consolidates its test solution portfolio for FTTx construction, telecommunications and outside plant networks. EXFO explained, “Designed to help telco field technicians achieve faster, first-time-right system acceptance, this direct replacement for EXFO’s market-leading FOT-930 brings unmatched user experience and efficiency together with optimal cost of ownership in the latest tablet-inspired form factor.”
The MaxTester 945 Telco OLTS “delivers outstanding speed and optical performances and has an advanced suite of user-assistance features,” the company said. “With its step-by-step reference wizard and intelligent fault diagnosis, the MAX-945 provides expert guidance throughout the test process to ensure immediate efficiency by first-time users while removing risk of errors—a common source of issues when testing low-loss fibers. Thanks to these added features, along with the retesting capabilities which reduce the number of steps from eight to only three, a test job that traditionally required around 8 hours can now be done in only 2.5 hours.”
The MaxTester 945 incorporates EXFO’s one-cord reference method for automated bidirectional testing. That, combined with its highly accurate optics, enables the OLTS to test short links—such as drop fibers in FTTH networks—with extreme precision and very low loss, the company noted. The OLTS also features on-board PDF reporting and singlemode distance range of 200 kilometers. The MAX-945 also performs on-board diagnostics to deliver real-time information about the test cord’s health, as well as pass/fail results according to preset or custom criteria throughout the referencing and testing processes.
The tablet-inspired design features a 7-inch high-resolution touchscreen and a Windows-like interface, as well as integrated WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. The OLTS supports EXFO Connect cloud-based test asset management. “Moreover,” EXFO said, “its on-board reporting capabilities allow technicians to document their work live from the field with no need for post-processing back at the office. This means technicians can close jobs, get paid and move to the next one faster. With 12 hours of battery autonomy and an internal memory capacity for 150,000 test results, the MAX-945 also ensures a full day of work in the field.”
The MAX-945’s main and remote units both have full-fledged feature sets and are compatible with the FIP-400B automated inspection probe series to inspect connector endfaces at both ends. “Now both technicians can see, understand and act on the results while removing dirty or damaged connectors from the equation,” EXFO said.
Stephane Chabot, vice president of EXFO’s physical layer test division, commented, “Continuing our mission to reduce customers’ operation expenses, EXFO has remodeled its already market-leading solution to provide users with an even better, faster and more-precise test set. Once again, EXFO revolutionized the OLTS testing industry by reducing the average cable characterization time by more than 60 percent for standard large-count fiber-optic cables.”