Tollgrade takes performance testing to the edge

Tollgrade combined the old and new at Supercomm last week by introducing a recovery crash kit for its legacy loop test system and a next generation broadband test platform called DigiTest EDGE.

The LTS Crash Kit is a portable solution that supports the old Lucent Technologies’ MLT/LoopCare test system, which has been discontinued by Lucent but is still deployed in every major RBOC is often the only test interface for thousands of local loops. The test system runs automated tests on subscriber lines from within the central office and is generally used prior to dispatching on trouble cases.

Tollgrade acquired Lucent’s MLT/LoopCare test system in Sept. 2001 for $60 million and began integrating it with its DigiTest product.

“The Crash Kit provides the ideal scenario for a business case to augment or replace the old system,” said Greg Quiggle, executive vice president of marketing for Tollgrade.

The crash kit consists of Tollgrade’s DigiTest Digital Measurement Units and connectors for wiring test head callback lines and no-test trunks. It also can be used to restore testing capabilities in the event of a data communications network (DCN) equipment failure.

The new DigiTest EDGE combines a narrowband and wideband testing platform with DSL, ATM, IP and HTTP performance tests. It helps isolate DSL problems at various access points in the service including between the end user’s device and the modem and between the local loop and the DSLAM. Testing is managed by the Tollgrade LoopCare Test OSS and supports multiple DSLAMS and digital loop carrier.

The system also can be used for batch provisioning and pre- and post-service testing. “Because we are so involved in overall DSL testing, we have great data on the common causes of network failures,” Quiggle said.