The strength of your network depends on the quality of the network you have built. ICL provide full certification on the performance and quality of the network through various testing methods (based on the specifications required by the project in question). This testing allows for the detection of any problems with the performance of the existing fibre links:
- OTDR Testing
- ILM Testing
- ORL Testing
- iOLM Testing
- PMD & CD Testing
OTDR Testing
This is carried out on the PON networks (Point to Point) and FTTH networks (Fibre to the Home) – Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR) is useful for testing the integrity of fibre optic cables. It can verify splice loss, measure length and find faults. An OTDR test allows discovery of issues along the length of a channel that may affect long term reliability.
ILM Testing
Insertion Loss Measurement testing is a measurement of the loss, or attenuation, of a fibre optic cable component or system. This is normally measured with a light source and an optical power meter, or alternatively a loss test set that incorporates both a light source and power meter.
ORL Testing
ORL testing measures the back reflection of connectors and components in high-speed digital and analogue system applications.
iOLM Testing
Intelligent Optical Link Mapper is an innovative OTDR-based application that uses multi-pulse acquisitions and advanced algorithms to deliver detailed information on every element on the link.
PMD & CD Testing
Polarization Mode Dispersion is a form of testing to check the capacity of the fibre cable showing the integrity of the network. (PMD) testing is becoming essential in the fiber characterization process, but still one of the most difficult parameter to test, due to its sensitivity to a number of environmental constraints.
Chromatic Dispersion is a term used to describe the spreading of a light pulse as it travels down a fibre when light pulses launched close together (high data rates) spread too much and result in errors and a loss of information.