At OFC 2002, NetTest Introduces Breakthrough Automation and Optimization Solutions That Reduce the Total Cost of Test and Measurement.

Business/Technology Editors

Optical Fiber Communications 2002

Booth #4043

ANAHEIM, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 19, 2002

NetTest Showcases Industry-First Solutions for Measurement, Test

Automation and Network Monitoring Which Reduce Testing Costs and

Increase ROI 

NetTest, a leading worldwide provider of testing, monitoring, management and optical component solutions for advanced and converged networks, today announced, at OFC, a series of superior solutions to help the world's optical fiber and component manufacturers, network installers, and carriers reduce their total cost of measurement in all aspects of network testing.

"NetTest is committed to providing customers with solutions that deliver greater automation and optimization to significantly reduce the total cost of test and measurement. These new offerings are essential to an industry in transition, where only NetTest is uniquely positioned to provide cutting-edge solutions that reduce total cost of measurement in all aspects of network testing. NetTest is excited to be in a position to introduce industry-firsts at OFC that help our customers reduce costs and save time in order to help them ultimately be more competitive in their own markets " said Bill Rozier, vice president of worldwide marketing, NetTest.

Major additions to NetTest's industry-leading test and measurement solutions include:

--1200 Automated Fiber Handler - The Automated Fiber Handler is the first fiber preparation product that enables optical fiber manufacturers to significantly reduce the cost of production measurements by automating the critical optical fiber stripping, cleaning, cleaving and temporary coupling processes. This solution prepares fiber in a fraction of the time traditionally required by manual methods, thus increasing labor productivity and reducing manufacturing costs.

--TUNICS-Evolution - The TUNICS-Evolution is the highest-performance complete solution for POC characterization empowering engineers to achieve extremely fast and accurate measurements to validate designs and ensure product quality. This solution is the first to combine the laser source and power meters into a single instrument, enabling engineers to speed up set-up and testing time.

--TUNICS-Reference - The TUNICS-Reference is the new benchmark in tunable sources for testing applications offering the best specifications for all types of WDM measurements. By offering the highest accuracy, the largest tuning range, high output power and excellent stability, optical fiber and component engineers save time, reduce costs and ensure performance and quality when developing their own products.

--WALICS-Reference - The WALICS-Reference sets the new standard for DWDM characterization offering best-in-class resolution with high dynamic range. Designed specifically for DWDM transmission optical characterization, WALICS-Reference empowers engineers to perform detailed analysis of next generation DWDM systems transmission channels.

--metroWATCH - The industry's only surveillance solution that automatically monitors the status of metropolitan fiber optic networks, locating fiber problems in the network and alerting you for immediate response. This is a breakthrough service for the metropolitan network managers, historically plagued by the inability of their traditional network monitoring tools to alert them when problems arise. Featuring remote Web access, network managers can also access network status from anywhere they choose to be, thus eliminating the requirement for a central telecommunications office when managing metropolitan networks.

--Trans'Expert - The Trans'Expert Field SONET/SDH Analyzer introduces Round Trip Delay measurements for SDH/SONET networks. Operators and carriers can now run Round Trip Delay measurement during installation and validation of long haul links with a 100ns resolution.

--X-TRACT - X-Tract is a new tunable optical channel drop unit that is able to accurately isolate a DWDM channel for BERT or Q-factor measurements. Ready for next generation networks, it offers a clean channel extraction and covers the S- to L-band.

--FIBERAMP - NetTest announces a new line of high-power fiber amplifiers featuring up to 30 dBm output power. They offer a flat gain or single channel operation in the C- and L-bands with AGC and APC modes.

--POWERLASE - NetTest also introduces POWERLASE, a new line of high-power Raman laser sources that feature up to 5 W of output power. Offering an excellent power and wavelength stability, they are compact with low power consumption.

These new solutions will join the existing family of NetTest offerings, including the award-winning CMA4000i Optical Test System for network commissioning, maintenance and DWDM spectral analysis. This system helps customers reduce test time via the industry's best performance specifications, such as the highest OTDR dynamic range and OSA resolution. Also on exhibition, customers can learn more about QUESTfiber, the next step in Remote Fiber Test Systems. QUESTfiber is the first monitoring system that's designed to address the needs of full service, emerging and next generation network operators. By focusing on the network, QUESTfiber provides a proactive, real time monitoring solution extending the traditional Remote Fiber Test System model.

About NetTest

NetTest is a leading worldwide provider of testing, monitoring and management systems across both the optical and network layers of communications networks. NetTest provides network operators, network equipment manufacturers, component manufacturers and enterprise service providers with the network testing solutions they need. These solutions troubleshoot and optimize performance in today's most complex and hybrid networks, as well as those planned for tomorrow.

NetTest is represented through business centers in Denmark, USA, Canada and France and through sales subsidiaries and distributors all over the world. NetTest's products are sold in over 70 countries. NetTest has a staff of approximately 1,500 worldwide and is a wholly owned subsidiary of GN Great Nordic, a multi-million dollar Danish company.