AUSTIN, Texas -- For telecom installation and repair technicians looking for an easy-to-use diagnostic test tool for POTS, IPTV and Internet services, the Dynatel Triple Play Customer Service Test Set INS970 from 3M enables line testing and qualification from the central office all the way to the set-top box.
According to 3M, the INS970 test set can use test leads or RJ11 jacks to test access from the central office to the premises. Dual RJ45 GigE Ethernet jacks permit troubleshooting subscriber equipment and network cabling problems, including inline testing with a customer's set-top box or set-top-box emulation. Modem emulation enables testing at the network interface device for sectionalizing faults in the outside plant before the customer's modem is delivered and an IPTV service truck roll is dispatched.
To help troubleshoot problems with active and inactive pairs, the INS970 test set can also run advanced diagnostics, including dual ended line tests (DELT), single ended line tests (SELT) and spectral analysis. These additional diagnostics increase the accuracy of the tests by reducing the "false rejection rate" and accurately identifying lines that can be fixed and lines that cannot, claims 3M. In addition, line pairs that are currently not in service can be "pre-qualified," saving technicians time as well as unnecessary truck rolls. More information on advanced diagnostics software options for the INS970 test set is available online at the 3M site.
The rugged design of the INS970 test set withstands temperature extremes, rain and accidental drops. A backlit transflective color LCD provides improved visibility in most lighting conditions for easy interpretation of results. Using Windows CE, the INS970 test set supports easy plug and play interoperability with external memory devices and laptop computers. The included 12-volt vehicle power adapter enables the battery pack to be recharged between jobs. Support for auto testing with multi-tone test lines is also available.
"Growing digital data rate requirements and new applications place increased demands on our copper cable making line performance and signal transmission diagnostics tools like the INS970 from 3M an important tool for our technicians," said Mike Cannon, area service manager with Consolidated Communications. "3M's new INS970 test set enables our technicians to quickly deploy or repair our IPTV, Internet and POTs services."
In addition to qualifying service levels and signal integrity, the INS970 test set can also perform a full suite of service assurance tests which are used to detect marginal copper pairs before they begin to affect quality of service.
"Tools like the INS970 test set from 3M position telco providers for success in tight markets," noted Olga Yashkova, Frost and Sullivan industry analyst. "With line-testing capability from the central office to the set-top box, telcos can pre-qualify lines as well as test services, saving truck rolls and time in the field. With the competitive landscape of today's market, that time saved is a strategic advantage."
The 3M Dynatel Triple Play Customer Service Test Set INS970 will be on display at the 3M booth, #407, at the OSP Expo, Oct. 13-14, 2010 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio Texas.
MORE INFO: www.3m.com/telecom