OSNR capabilties upgrade optical spectrum analysers

The new capabilities also include automation of OSNR measurements based on the channel turn off method, saving time and reducing risk of human errors, and availability on the FTB-200 and FTB-500 platforms for easy portability.

With more and more operators deploying 40G or 100G coherent systems on metro and long‑haul dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) networks to meet the ever-increasing demand for bandwidth, Pol-Mux OSNR and the use of a Pol-Mux OSA have become essential requirements for commissioning and troubleshooting networks. That’s because recent 40G/100G coherent systems featuring polarisation multiplexing have made it impossible to carry out OSNR measurements with traditional methods like the IEC method (out-of-band) or in-band methods.

These new Pol-Mux capabilities are available as a software option that can be added to EXFO’s existing in-band OSAs (FTB/IQS-5240S-P and FTB/IQS-5240BP) to easily transform them into Pol-Mux OSAs.

“This approach is the first and only 100G-ready coherent Pol-Mux OSNR method available in the industry. These newly launched capabilities provide network operators with the ability to resolve some of their biggest high speed challenges, such as reducing OPEX, thereby removing the uncertainty of test results for first-time-right testing,” added Etienne Gagnon, Vice-President of EXFO’s Test and Measurement Division.