Amplified submarine cables are undersea fiber-optic cable systems that use repeaters equipped with optical amplifiers to extend signal reach over long distances. These repeaters amplify optical signals along the cable, supporting long-distance subsea transmission.

Testing amplified submarine cables helps operators verify cable integrity during deployment and commissioning, locate faults during operation and validate completed repairs. Fast fault localization provides the information needed to assess damage and coordinate repair work sooner.

EXFO’s USO-1618 submarine OTDR uses co-propagation optical time-domain reflectometry (C-OTDR) to locate faults on amplified submarine links in only 3 minutes per fiber pair.