The TS100 Pro from Fluke Networks is a field-test tool capable of testing the entire length of an average Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) cabling loop for bridge taps, which the company says are a major source of DSL network-performance issues. Bridge taps are extra lengths of cable generally found in the network's last mile. Fluke says that quickly and efficiently detecting and removing bridge taps is critical to service providers as they install new DSL service on existing networks. The TS100 Pro has a feature called PowerBT Bridge Tap Detection. The tester includes a one-button interface that can detect taps to 3,200 feet as well as open/short circuits to 8,000 feet.
Other features of the TS100 Pro include the following.
- AC/DC voltage detector
- Built-in toner
- SmartTone, which enables exact pair identification
Ed Sztuka, vice president of Fluke Networks, explains, "Today's increased demand for broadband, combined with cost pressures, has service providers working to optimize existing network infrastructure and new rollouts. Unfortunately, constant upgrades over time have resulted in bridge taps on a significant number of today's cable lines. Until now, no field technician tool could, in one step, easily detect these taps on the entire standard DSL field length."
Kit prices for the TS100 Pro begin at $799.
Our Online Buyer's Guide includes a section on Protocol-Specific Testers and lists manufacturers of testers for DSL.
