Fiber networks are everywhere, long gone are the days when we were introduced to the first fiber network with the phrase “It’s so quiet you can hear a pin drop” (Thank you Sprint).
With the voracious demand for bandwidth it would be hard to find a provider without some sort of fiber offering in their service portfolio.

The deployment of fiber has brought with it new challenges for testing especially since each iteration of FTTx  (Fiber To The Node, Home, Antenna, Curb, etc,) has its own unique set of requirements. For example,  methods and procedures used to test GPON (FTTH-Fiber To The Home) would not be the same as the testing methodologies for fiber to the antenna (FTTA).
Along with the varying testing methodologies we are also challenged with interpreting the results and working any issues we find to resolution. Your company spent multiple thousands of dollars on the newest, latest greatest, do it all, piece of test equipment to make your test process more efficient. So the question is this…Why isn’t it?

Why are we still getting failed connectors even after multiple cleanings? Why are the splices failing after multiple burns? Is the machine set properly? Are my test parameters correct? Is my fiber attenuation correct? What are the failed results telling us to do? How do we get the fiber to pass?

If you’re asking any of these questions there is only one solution and that solution is proper training. I know, I know,  the salesman told you the machine will do it all, it will make any technician an expert. We have all fallen into this trap, we get a  bad result and we have to go out and buy the newest latest greatest gadget to end all gadgets, Guaranteed to make our life easier…until the next gadget to end all gadgets comes along.

Your test equipment is a tool, it will do exactly what you tell it to do, no more, no less, it does not think for itself, you’re the one doing the thinking so you need to understand the technology you’re testing, the customer requirements, how to make the best decisions for the environment you’re testing in, how to setup the test and how to interpret the results. Once you understand the key fundamentals your costs will go down and your productivity and success rate will go up.

VanTek Consulting offers the training you need to to give your team the skills they need to make this happen.

Call to day and see how VanTek Consulting can help you overcome your challenges.