EXFO Launches Next-Generation Automated Loss Test Set

Business Wire, Feb 18, 2004

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

OFC 2004

Booth 2213

QUEBEC CITY, Canada--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 18, 2004

New handheld tester can include as many as eight instruments inside a

single unit

EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering Inc. (NASDAQ:EXFO) (TSX:EXF) announced today the launch of the FOT-930 MaxTester, a next-generation, multi-function optical loss test set for network service providers, installers and contractors, as well as cable television operators.

Designed as a major enhancement above and beyond the technological leadership of the original MaxTester, this all-in-one handheld tester delivers fully automated, bidirectional loss test results in an industry-leading 10 seconds at up to three wavelengths on a singlemode port or two wavelengths on a multimode port.

The FOT-930 MaxTester can include as many as eight instruments inside a single unit: insertion loss (IL) meter, power meter, optical return loss (ORL) meter, visual fault locator, multimode and singlemode light sources, digital talk set, fiber length tester and fiber inspection probe.

The MaxTester is a flexible test unit. Its five-wavelength multimode and singlemode configurations meet the requirements of installers and contractors for all test situations, while the 1310/1490/1550 nm three-wavelength configuration is ideal for fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network testing.

Through a single touch of a button, field technicians can test ORL, IL and fiber length. The technology behind the FOT-930 MaxTester is covered by multiple patents to support the powerful FasTesT concept created by EXFO in collaboration with Tier-1 service providers.

This latest product introduction from EXFO, designed with a high-resolution color display for enhanced ease of use, will be showcased at OFC, booth 2213, from Feb. 24 to 26 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

"It's no secret that carriers are increasingly looking for test solutions that help them reduce capital (CAPEX) and operating (OPEX) expenditures without sacrificing performance," said Etienne Gagnon, EXFO's Vice-President of Physical-Layer Product Management. "The MaxTester delivers on all counts. Its all-in-one design provides significant cost savings in terms of carry-on equipment (CAPEX), while the automated features lessen testing time and the need for trained personnel (OPEX). In addition, we continue to expand the leadership position of the MaxTester by providing an optional connection to a fiber inspection probe for quick and accurate connector inspection."

About EXFO

EXFO is the recognized test and measurement expert in the global telecommunications industry through the design and manufacture of advanced and innovative solutions as well as best-in-class customer support. The Telecom Division, which represents the company's main business activity, offers fully integrated and complete test solutions to network service providers, system vendors and component manufacturers in approximately 70 countries. One of EXFO's strongest competitive advantages is its modular platform design, providing PC-based, Windows-centric test solutions that maximize technology reuse across several market segments. The Photonics and Life Sciences Division mainly leverages core telecom technologies to offer value-added solutions in high-tech industrial manufacturing and research sectors. For more information about EXFO, visit www.exfo.com.