The business benefit of Fast Light is evident simply by looking at the example of handling even a single OLT port failure. A single PON fiber failure can result in 64 customers losing their TV or internet access. Fast Light allows service providers to remotely identify all customers who may be affected by a failure, in a matter of minutes, and sometimes even before a single call reaches the customer service center. This enables the operator to meet service restoration expectations while simultaneously drastically reducing operating costs.“Fast Light will dramatically change the business model for FTTH – the impact is considerable. Before achieving this, everyone thought it was impossible. We not only developed an OTDR that could see through 128-to-1 splitters, but also an access optical test switch, at a really low cost, which changes the business model for this technology from ‘difficult’ to ‘a piece of cake,’” says Frank Kaufhold, CEO of UTEL.
“Other solutions currently trying to solve the same problem rely on service providers mounting a wavelength-dependent mirror in front of each customer’s ONT (optical network termination). This adds an extra cost of €20 per customer connection, so one million customers equals €20 million in additional expense.” Fast
Light can detect faults before customers are even aware of them by establishing an automated OTDR fiber test. Alternatively, the customer can raise the alarm. Each trace can be compared to a previous, good version archived in a file, allowing for instant and remote detection of the problems each customer is experiencing. Fast Light can also automatically reconnect the fiber to a free OLT port in the event of an OLT port failure.
