EXFO launches versatile and flexible OTDR line

New OTDR D-series delivers best-in-class field-testing and dramatic efficiency gains, building on EXFO’s leading position of fiber optic test solutions.

EXFO, the communications industry’s test, monitoring and analytics experts, announced its new D-Series of OTDR solutions, advanced field-testing tools that deliver highly accurate measurements to characterize and validate fiber links. These tools support critical fiber deployments and network operations in FTTH and RAN Mobile networks, and data centers.

EXFO’s new OTDR series combines several advanced and unique features within a single solution to bring dramatic efficiency gains to OTDR field tests. Building on EXFO’s leadership in OTDR solutions, these advanced field-testing tools enable versatility and flexibility, critical to field technicians for fiber network construction, activation, and maintenance.

Continuous testing of critical fiber links often results in worn device connection ports over time, which can degrade the quality of test results – an issue that can only be addressed by returning the device to the manufacturer for repair. EXFO’s D-Series features an optical port connector health monitoring wizard, and field-swappable optical port connectors that can be simply replaced in the field once worn. This patented innovation allows operators and contractors to benefit from EXFO’s first class optical performance throughout the entire life of the product without the extra cost and down time linked to returning units for changing worn connection ports. This translates into significant cost of ownership savings.

EXFO’s D-Series OTDR also combines both optical link mapping and power measurement (optionally a dual-channel PON power meter) through the same optical connector port, allowing technicians to move between power checking to troubleshooting mode without having to disconnect the fiber under test to swap to a separate power meter unit. This feature again substantially improves testing efficiency.

“The urgency to build out higher capacity networks requires appropriate testing tools that support network construction, activation, and maintenance. In pursuit of these needs, customers around the world have come to rely on our industry-acclaimed OTDRs, it is important to us that we continue to innovate and evolve our solutions as our customers’ needs change,” said Étienne Gagnon, Senior Vice President, Test & Measurement, EXFO. “Today’s announcement of best-in-class D-series OTDRs expands EXFO’s leadership in this category, delivering more efficiency, versatility and time saving than ever before.”

Alongside these new and unique technical features, EXFO’s OTDR D-Series is part of a full ecosystem that connects to EXFO Exchange, a collaborative cloud-based software platform that unifies, automates and optimizes field-testing, reporting, workflows, troubleshooting processes and more. All test plans, data and reports can be stored, shared and analyzed collaboratively in real-time, bringing yet more field-test efficiency.

EXFO’s OTDR D-Series features five models. Three are dedicated OTDR models in EXFO’s MaxTester range, the 715D for last mile, the 720D for PON/access, and the 730D for PON/metro. Two further models are swappable FTB modules, the 720D for PON/access, and the 730D for PON/metro.

Contact CN Rood for more information