PDF of this tutorialRapid growth of Internet access by consumers is motivating LECs to add capability to test IP–based services and higher bandwidth over copper. Service organizations will need to be able to provide cost-effective network-testing solutions to support calls related to plain old telephone service (POTS), Internet, analog modems, and integrated services digital network (ISDN). This will eventually grow to other IP–based services and digital subscriber line (xDSL). The first priority for LECs, however, is to support narrowband Internet access—defined as analog modem (56 kbps) and basic rate ISDN speeds—because millions of consumers already own and are using 56-kbps (or lower) analog modems to access the Internet in the United States and both modems and ISDN in Europe (see Figure 1).
Figure 1. United States Internet Usage by Technology
These new service offerings will introduce an expanding number of potential network failure points. In addition to speed-related faults on the copper-access network, LECs will have to contend with user cockpit errors and IP–backbone problems. Test systems will need to be able to provide end-to-end network coverage including the following features.
- "Looking out" ensures that there is network integrity over the copper twisted pair from the central office (CO) to the customer premises, including customer connection to the network.
- "Looking at" verifies that there is network integrity from the CO to the remote-access server (RAS) in the POP.
- "Looking in" ensures that there is network data integrity from the RAS to the Web site.
Included in the following are tools to help receptionists perform their job quickly and accurately.
- Guided fault isolation is expert-system technology that will be required to help less technologically-skilled receptionists gather information from the consumer in a standardized, time-efficient manner. The information will then be used by an expert system—in combination with data and physical network measurements—to segment accurately where in the network a fault has occurred.
- Guided repair may be used if testing indicates that the user cannot connect to the network (indicating a possible user or configuration problem); expert system technology will be required to help less technologically skilled receptionists guide the consumer on how to correct the problem.
The advantages of providing ICCC testing for LECs and Internet service providers (ISPs) will be higher levels of customer satisfaction, more rapid penetration of new services, and lower overall costs of network maintenance. The ultimate benefits will be higher market share, lower customer churn, and higher profitability.
