February 23, 2006 San Jose, CA -- Aimed at the power utility market, Sunrise Telecom has launched its Sunset MTT-45 (SSMTT-45 ) module for testing the IEEE's C37.94 standard. As part of the SunSet MTT handheld test platform, the company says the module enables all-in-one test capability for xDSL, SONET/SDH, E1/T1, Ethernet, ISDN, VoIP, data communications, optical fiber, and copper wire testing.
The IEEE's C37.94 standard defines an Nx64 Kbps multimode optical fiber interface between teleprotection and digital multiplexer equipment, up to two kilometers. The IEEE standards committee defined the C37.94 standard to allow interoperability between different vendors of teleprotection and multiplexer equipment. Teleprotection equipment is used to quickly isolate faults in power transmission systems and is crucial for preventing damage to the network and power outages (blackouts). Sunrise says that teleprotection equipment is being aggressively deployed on communication links residing in harsh high-voltage substation environments. According to the company, the optical data link in these systems that replaces existing electrical interfaces provides immunity to intra-station electromagnetic interference (EMI) and reduces data errors while transmitting data at speeds up to 12 x 64 kilobit per second.
Sunrise says its SSMTT-45 module is designed specifically to assist technicians as they turn up a new network or work to isolate problems on both sides (teleprotection and multiplexer) of an existing network using this technology. According to the company, the module's bit error rate testing (BERT) capabilities allow engineers to check the performance of IEEE C37.94 links prior to turning up the circuits, ensuring consistent and reliable network performance once deployed. The unit's alarm monitoring and optical power measurement capabilities enable technicians to easily verify connectivity and power levels for the optical fibers, to assure uninterrupted operation. Using the system, engineers can also measure propagation delay (the round-trip time of a digital signal on the C37.94 teleprotection communication line), which the company says is a critical element of the overall time required for a protection system to automatically and successfully respond to failures and to prevent outages in a power transmission network.
"Sunrise Telecom developed the SSMTT-45 module, leveraging both our advanced, proprietary technology and more than 10 years of expertise in the telecom test industry," comments Charlie Song, product manager at Sunrise Telecom. "Not only does this system fill a void created by evolving technical standards like IEEE C37.94, but it clearly demonstrates our commitment to bringing leading-edge test systems to new markets and working with new technologies."