Spirent Communications, the provider of proactive service assurance solutions, has unveiled the Tech-X Flex (Flex) Wi-Fi In-Home Test Suite for automating installation and troubleshooting of next-generation in-home Wi-Fi services. Service providers are leveraging Wi-Fi technology to transform the home network and deliver anytime, anywhere access to high-quality voice, video and data services.
However, Wi-Fi adds significant complexity to home network installation and troubleshooting processes, making it more difficult to achieve consistent QoE levels for customers. The new Wi-Fi In-Home Test Suite, available in release 6.50 of Spirent’s Flex In-Home Service Assurance System, provides an innovative and unprecedented ability to certify the quality and performance of new installations and to automate complex troubleshooting processes, leading to fewer service calls and truck rolls, reduced on-site troubleshooting time and improved customer satisfaction.
The Wi-Fi In-Home Test Suite provides comprehensive Wi-Fi testing capabilities, enabling technicians to verify the quality of the Wi-Fi interface, view connected devices, identify rogue clients and select optimal channels in environments with congestion or excessive interference.
Furthermore, the Wi-Fi Test Suite enables identification of non-802.11 interference including the unique ability to isolate highly-problematic sporadic interference. The Wi-Fi In-Home Test Suite integrates seamlessly with MoCA and Ethernet Test Suites for Flex, delivering a comprehensive in-home test capability in a single handheld solution.
The combined test suites include video and data service quality tests as well as Wi-Fi, MoCA and Ethernet network performance tests. In addition, the test suites help address the need to learn complex home networking technologies on the job by providing automated step-by-step guidance for tests, ensuring methods and procedures are followed consistently.
“Wi-Fi is becoming the face of the service provider to customers,” said Des Owens, general manager of Spirent’s Service Assurance business. “That means next-gen voice, video and data services over Wi-Fi need to deliver a great quality of experience regardless of the device used or location in the home.
However, assuring QoE is much harder with Wi-Fi because it operates in shared spectrum and enables services to be consumed anywhere in the home. Our goal is to automate assurance workflows across the Wi-Fi lifecycle, from installation through to operation, so that providers can deliver a consistently excellent service experience at the lowest possible operational expense.”
To learn more about Spirent’s suite of service assurance solutions including the Flex solution, please visit: http://www.spirent.com/Solutions/Service-Assurance.
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