EXFO intros optical spectrum analyzer for CWDM applications

November 17, 2004 Quebec City, Canada -- EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering Inc. today introduced the FTB-5230 Optical Spectrum Analyzer for CWDM test applications in metro and access networks.

CWDM transport systems, which are typically based on wide spacing (20-nm) over the entire singlemode wavelength range (1260 to 1620 nm) and on the use of un-cooled lasers, enable the delivery of multiple services within a metro or access network at a fraction of the cost of the DWDM setups that are more typically seen in long-haul systems.The FTB-5230 OSA, a plug-and-play test module housed inside the rugged FTB-400 field-testing platform, covers the entire CWDM range. Since CWDM systems utilize lasers that are prone to wavelength and power drift, EXFO's FTB-5230 offers complete drift mode analysis with alarms and thresholds for all channels. Like its counterpart for long-haul and ultra long-haul optical networks, the FTB-5230 OSA offers what EXFO claims are best-in-class optical specifications, but it provides only the necessary functionalities for testing CWDM systems."EXFO is the undisputed leader in field-portable optical spectrum analysis through its state-of-the-art FTB-5240 OSA design that can easily handle ultra-dense wavelength-division multiplexing, DWDM, and less-demanding CWDM test applications," asserts �tienne Gagnon, EXFO's vice president of Optical-Layer Product Management. "But as a truly customer-driven partner for network service providers, it only makes sense for us to offer a cost-effective solution for testing CWDM systems since they don't present the same level of technical complexity as DWDM systems," he adds.