EXFO, a provider of test and service assurance solutions for wireless and wireline equipment manufacturers and network operators, announced the inclusion of additional test functionalities to its FTB-880 NetBlazer Multiservice Testers.
The test functionalities to be included are optical transport network (OTN), open base station architecture initiative (OBSAI) and common public radio interface (CPRI).
The Vice-President of Test and Measurement Division at EXFO, Étienne Gagnon, said that his company has simplified a field technician’s job and made it more productive by the introduction of the OTN and CPRI/OBSAI test functions in the NetBlazer testers. He also said that his company is keen on popularizing the FTB-880 NetBlazer Multiservice Tester by including additional test functionalities and software upgrades.
The OTN technology used in the NetBlazer series has the combined advantages of the bandwidth-expansion capabilities provided by dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) and SONET/SDH. A standard multiplexing hierarchy, end-to-end optical transport transparency, a universal container that supports any service type, maintenance and administration processes, and enhanced operation are some of the other benefits of OTN. The NetBlazer series offers the features of simplicity and powerful capabilities to a frontline technician through a single handheld unit.
The protocols to be applied between the remote radio heads and the eNodeB are defined by the CPRI/OBSAI standards. These standards enable the installation of the base station on compatible locations where power availability, climate and size factors can be managed in a comfortable manner. Network operators can increase their revenue and enhance their customer satisfaction by providing OTN service, which enhances network performance, and using new technologies which increase the efficiency of the mobile network.