Skip to main content

FTTx Lifecycle testing

Scalable test process automation—one step at a time

Description

EXFO’s FTTH Lifecycle Solution brings stepwise automation, combining best-in-class field testing, cloud-hosted automation via EXFO Exchange, and remote fiber testing to streamline every phase—from construction to activation and beyond.

Making an impact on Opex and Brand

Real Results from FTTH process automation driving efficiency.

Less activation failure

US FTTH wholesale operator reduced activation failures from 40% to under 10% during construction by using the integrated solution.

What are customers saying about the EXFO FTTH Lifecycle Solution?

Learn how City Fiber cut testing time tenfold, significantly accelerating time to revenue.

Read the Press Release

Phases of the FTTH network lifecycle

Deploying fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) networks at scale is a multi-phase journey, each with its own set of challenges and complexities :

20250028_Fig_FTTx_Solution page-Lifecycle_V1.png

1. Build phase

The foundation of a network’s reliability is laid during construction. Precise fiber testing ensures that quality standards are met before activation. 

2. Activation phase

Turning up services should be seamless, but activation failures can lead to costly rework, delays, and frustrated customers. 

3. Operations/Maintenance phase

Without proactive monitoring, service disruptions and degradations become difficult to pinpoint, leading to excessive truck rolls and reactive troubleshooting. 

4. Upgrade phase

As networks grow, integrating new technology with legacy systems requires a seamless approach to testing and validation to avoid performance issues.

Pitfalls of conventional FTTH deployment

Too often, operators rely on traditional testing and validation methods that are not interconnected. This inefficiencies and hidden risks, undermining deployment success. Common challenges include:

High activation failure rates

Insufficient or inadequate testing during the build phase results in failure rates reaching up to 30%, forcing costly truck rolls and customer churn. 

Manual, error-prone processes

Field technicians are often tasked with manual data entry and siloed testing procedures, leading to inconsistencies and inefficiencies.

Lack of real-time visibility

Delays in test data availability prevent project managers from tracking network progress, validating MoP compliance and ensuring alignment with contractors. 

Workforce turnover and training gaps

A constantly shifting workforce means costly onboarding and inconsistent testing quality. 

Network degradation between Build and Activation

When fiber is left unchecked between construction and service activation, performance issues emerge, impacting reliability and customer satisfaction. 

A stepwise, scalable and automated approach to FTTH test and monitoring

To overcome these challenges, operators need a connected, automated, and data-driven approach to FTTH testing and deployment. The EXFO FTTH Lifecycle Solution enables operators to automate and optimize each phase of the network through a flexible, stepwise approach, integrating: 

Best-in-class field testing instruments

Including handheld OTDRs, optical fiber multimeters, power meters, residential service testers and inspection probes with built-in automation for real-time pass/fail validation. 

Real-time dynamic digital copy of your network

Every test result is automatically captured, timestamped, and linked to the physical infrastructure, creating an accurate, continuously updated digital representation of the network.

This closed-loop approach ensures that every test contributes to a more complete, actionable dataset—enhancing future troubleshooting, reducing time-to-repair, and improving network lifecycle management.

Solution’s stepwise evolution  

By adopting the EXFO FTTH Lifecycle Solution, operators can: 

  • Reduce overall deployment time by 35%. 
  • Improve technician efficiency and reduce training time. 
  • Gain real-time visibility into rollout progress and fiber validation. 
  • Ensure long-term network quality and reliability. 
  • Continuously document the network for easier operations and faster troubleshooting. 

The EXFO FTTH Lifecycle Solution can seamlessly integrate with existing workflow management, GIS or inventory tools through APIs. Read about our partnership with IQGeo.

Why EXFO? Helping you get the competitive edge

Many vendors offer standalone testing solutions, but only the EXFO FTTH Lifecycle Solution provides a fully integrated, stepwise automation approach designed specifically for large-scale FTTH rollouts. FTTH is just one part of a broader FTTx landscape, with each deployment scenario requiring specialized testing solutions. Explore how our dedicated FTTx solutions support various network architectures and use cases.

Purpose-built for FTTH

EXFO’s testing instruments and cloud ecosystem are designed for fiber networks, ensuring superior accuracy and efficiency.

Scalable at your pace

Whether starting with simple pass/fail automation or full process automation, EXFO lets you evolve at your own speed.

Seamless field-to-cloud integration

EXFO Exchange unifies field testing, remote monitoring, and cloud-based analytics into a single ecosystem.

Proven results

Operators leveraging EXFO’s FTTH solution have accelerated time to revenue while reducing activation failures and truck rolls.

Global leader in fiber testing

With decades of expertise, EXFO is the trusted partner for network operators worldwide.

Resources

All resources
User manual
PPM1 - Italiano (June 09, 2025)
User manual
PPM1 - Español (June 09, 2025)
User manual
PPM1 - Deutsch (June 09, 2025)
User manual
PPM1 - 中文 (June 09, 2025)
User manual
PPM1 - English (June 09, 2025)
User manual
PPM1 - Français (June 09, 2025)
First page Previous 1 2 3 Next Last page