Optical Zonu launches fault detection and localisation

These new capabilities give telecommunications operators and enterprises improved visibility into their RFoF network performance, enabling faster and more accurate identification of fibre faults to address issues and minimise downtime.

At the core of the ZONUConnect platform is an embedded micro optical time domain reflectometer (uOTDR) within its pluggable modules, allowing for fibre fault detection with precision down to a few meters. Previously, accessing and utilising the uOTDR data for network troubleshooting was not fully streamlined with the NMS. The latest updates to the CloudView NMS now provide operators with a visual representation of the fibre path overlaid on terrain maps. This allows users to see fibre faults and reflection events, pinpointing their exact locations on the map, making it easier to track and resolve network issues.

Meir Bartur, Co-Founder and CEO of Optical Zonu, highlighted the growing importance of these developments: “The growing reliance on high frequency over-the-air communication, such as 5G, has placed great importance on RFoF networks to transport these frequencies over long distances with no signal loss. By integrating ZONUConnect’s CloudView NMS with data from our innovative uOTDR modules, it is easier and quicker than ever before to install and maintain increasingly complex BTS to DAS connections and efficiently locate faults and other imperfections.”

The enhanced NMS offers the added benefit of detecting potential fibre issues beyond just fibre breaks, such as imperfections in connectors or patch panels, which can significantly impact network performance. Even when fibre connections appear clean, these components can introduce signal loss equivalent to a kilometre or more of fibre. By identifying and addressing these issues, operators can reduce overall fibre loss and optimise the performance of BTS to DAS links.

These advancements in fault detection and localisation are a critical step forward in maintaining and improving RFoF network reliability, ensuring smoother and more efficient telecommunications infrastructure for the increasingly complex needs of modern communication systems.