Seven Tips to Installing, Deploying and Testing G.fast

With today’s newest services, such as 4K UHD TV delivered via IPTV or over-the-top (OTT) video directly to subscribers’ homes, network speed, particularly on the physical layer, needs to be substantially boosted to ensure optimal quality of service (QoS) and quality of experience (QoE).

G.fast, or ITU-T G-Series recommendation for fast access to subscriber terminals (G.9700 and G.9701), is a rapidly growing ultra-broadband technology that offers significantly higher data rates of up to 1 Gbit/s—much higher than traditional ADSL2+ or VDSL2. Even more compelling, G.fast enables these aggregate data rates by leveraging the existing copper infrastructure, rather than pursuing more costly FTTH deployments in brownfield environments.

As with any innovation, network operators will not simply replace existing ADSL2+ and VDSL2 circuits with G.fast overnight. Technologies actually can co-exist.

However, the setup is not without its challenges, including faults on the copper circuit (bad splices, wet splices, split pairs, bridged taps, impact from impulse noise, crosstalk and more). Technicians will be required to install, maintain and repair all ADSL2+/VDSL2 and G.fast circuits with a single test and measurement solution.

EXFO’s approach to automated G.fast testing and performance measurements is highlighted in our latest white paper, Completing the G.fast Puzzle: The Right Kind of Testing Makes It Easier.

It provides seven practical tips and best practices to help you weed through the G.fast testing puzzle and determine the best methods your field technical can adopt to ensure stellar G.fast network performance.