HP Introduces Industry's First Portable Jitter Tester for Mixed PDH, SDH and ATM Networks.

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 4, 1996-- Hewlett-Packard Company today introduces the industry's first portable installation and maintenance tester that combines in one instrument all the jitter-generation and measurement tests for PDH, SDH and ATM networks up to 622 megabits per second (Mb/s). New modules for the HP 37717B/C communications performance analyzers provide comprehensive tests to the latest ITU-T recommendations, including G.825 jitter and wander compliance for SDH, G.823 for PDH, G.958 for SDH optical-line systems and G.783 for tributary jitter in the presence of predefined SDH pointer movements.

"During the transition from PDH to mixed PDH/SDH/ATM hybrid networks, tight control of jitter levels is essential, especially as new sources of jitter -- caused by imperfect network synchronization -- emerge," said John Wotherspoon, a product marketing manager for HP's Queensferry Telecom Operation. "In particular, frequency offsets caused by wander or cross-connection of SDH payloads from different systems create SDH pointer movements that can generate large jitter transients at PDH tributary outputs. Until now, many jitter testers could not measure these accurately."

The HP 37717B/C jitter solution has many new features not previously available in a portable jitter test set, allowing installation and maintenance engineers to evaluate and trouble-shoot new hybrid networks.

ISOLATING SYNCHRONIZATION PROBLEMS

In addition to automatic jitter tolerance tests according to ITU-T G.823/958 standards, the analyzer can simulate low-frequency wander impairments down to 10 microhertz (G.825) to isolate troublesome network-synchronization problems. The test set also can measure wander on a synchronizing signal with reference to a master clock.

The HP tester can generate all the SDH pointer sequences specified in ITU-T G.783 for stress-testing network elements and can accurately measure the resulting PDH tributary jitter while meeting the very low intrinsic jitter specified in the latest ITU-T O.171 measurement standard.

On the SDH-line side, the HP 37717B/C can check output jitter at optical and electrical interfaces up to 622 Mb/s (STM-4) with high accuracy due to its low internal residuals. The jitter transfer function, or "jitter gain" of regenerators, is measured automatically, using selective measurement filters for accurate and repeatable results.

This broad range of measurement capability is easily accessed by the operator through the graphical user interface. Many of the jitter tests can be run automatically to the ITU-T standards. Test results can be printed to an optional internal printer.

U.S. PRICES AND AVAILABILITY

Customers have the choice of a wide range of measurement configurations in the modular HP 37717B/C to suit different requirements, and prices vary accordingly. Base prices start at $10,550 and $13,880 for the HP 37717B and 37717C models, respectively. The price for a fully configured PDH/SDH/ATM jitter tester with optical interfaces to STM-4 is $74,600.

HP estimates customer delivery to be 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 110,800 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-

PDH -- plesiochronous digital hierarchy 

SDH -- synchronous digital hierarchy 

ATM -- asynchronous transfer mode 

STM-4 -- synchronous transport module-4, the SDH term for 622Mb/s hierarchy

ITU-T-- International Telecommunications Union-Telecommunications standard

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