HP Introduces Dual-Standard Portable Test Set for OC-48/STM-16; Provides "One-box" Installation and Maintenance Testing for North American and European Transmission Standards.

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 24, 1996--Hewlett-Packard Company today at Supercomm '96 introduces the HP 37778A STM-16/OC-48 test set, a dual-standard portable test instrument designed to meet the installation- and maintenance-testing requirements of the rapidly growing, global 2.488 gigabit-per-second (Gb/s) SONET/SDH transmission market.

The HP 37778A is an ideal "one-box" solution for service providers such as long-distance carriers, who require installation- and maintenance-testing capabilities for both North American- and European-standard equipment. It can be used to perform functional testing on synchronous-line multiplexers, line regenerators and digital cross-connects, providing overhead analysis, error and alarm generation, pointer generation and analysis and frequency offset and measurement.

The durable HP 37778A provides users with a portable test solution for a variety of installation and maintenance applications. For example, test personnel can use it in the field to perform stress tests on newly installed STM-16/OC-48 2.488 Gb/s network elements to verify performance prior to service turn-up. Once the network is up and running, they can perform in-service performance monitoring of live 2.488 Gb/s traffic to ensure that proper quality-of-service levels are being maintained.

The HP 37778A STM-16/OC-48 test set is based on proven measurement modules from HP's Series 90 test system. The modules plug into the rear of the instrument, enabling users to change configurations quickly and easily. For example, it takes only a few moments to add electrical or optical interfaces at 1,310 nanometers (nm) or 1,550 nm. The interchangeable modules also make it simple to configure the HP 37778A for jitter generation and measurement at 2.488 Gb/s with graphical automatic jitter tolerance and transfer testing to ITU-T G.958.

The HP 37778A provides bulk-mapped concatenated payloads for STS-16c and OC-48c and includes payload mapping for 2, 34 and 140 Mb/s PDH applications plus 155 Mb/s (STM-1) transmit/receive capability. STS-3 drop-and-insert ports are provided for SONET, DS1 and DS3 payload testing using ancillary test equipment such as the HP 156MTS CERJAC SONET Maintenance Test Set, which also is being featured by HP at Supercomm '96.

U.S. PRICE AND AVAILABILITY

The HP 37778A STM-16/OC-48 is $14,400. The overhead and BER testing at 1,310 nm option (option UST) is $95,050. The overhead and BER testing at 1,550 nm option (option USU) is $104,900. The STM-1e overhead and 2/34/140 Mb/s PDH option (option A1T) is $10,500. The HP 37778A and its options are available now. HP estimates delivery at about eight weeks after receipt of order.

Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global manufacturer of computing, communications and measurement products and services recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 108,300 employees and had revenue of $31.5 billion in its 1995 fiscal year.

Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com. Additional information on products from HP's Test & Measurement Organization can be obtained on the World Wide Web via http://www.tmo.hp.com. -0-

SONET -- Synchronous Optical Network. The North American standard for optical transmission of digital information at rates of DS3 (45 Mb/s) and above.

SDH -- Synchronous Digital Hierarchy. The European standard for optical transmission of digital information at rates of 155.52 Mb/s and above.

ITU-T -- International Telecommunications Union-Telecommunications. A unit of the International Telecommunications Union that develops recommendations for all aspects of international telecommunication and public data network implementation. -0-

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