EXFO
EXFO is a provider of test and service assurance solutions for wireless and wireline network operators and equipment manufacturers in the global telecommunications industry. The Telecom Division, which accounts for about 90% of the company’s revenues, offers a range of products to assess fixed and mobile networks, from the core to access, as well as next-generation IP infrastructures and related triple play services. The Life Sciences and Industrial Division offers solutions in medical device and opto-electronics assembly, fluorescence microscopy and other life science sectors. EXFO is headquartered in Quebec City, Canada. As of July 2010, the company has over 1600 employees worldwide.
Technology expertise and market coverage
EXFO’s products include wireless network simulators and protocol analyzers, transport and datacom, optical, xDSL, copper, IMS and VoIP test instruments, as well as and service assurance systems. network service providers and network equipment manaufacturers use these products to design, deploy and monitor their network architectures and the services that they support. The company serves over 2000 customers in 100 countries.
Network design
Throughout the research and development and production cycles, network equipment manufacturers must measure the performance of their systems and components against network operator requirements. EXFO’s test instruments cover:
* 2G, 3G and 4G network simulation, load testing and protocol analysis
* IP Multimedia Subsystem and Voice over IP testing
* 40 Gbit/s SONET/SDH testing
* 100 Gigabit Ethernet testing
* Optical Transport Network and Fibre Channel testing
* Advanced optical testing
Network deployment
Throughout network construction, activation and maintenance, operators and service providers must run tests to validate the performance of their architectures. EXFO’s test instruments cover:
* 40 Gbit/s SONET/SDH and OTN testing
* 100 Gbit/s Ethernet and Fibre Channel testing
* Fiber characterization
* Advanced optical testing
* Copper-based xDSL and triple-play testing
Service assurance
Once networks are operational, service providers must monitor them to verify that subscribers get the level of performance that is expected. EXFO’s service assurance systems enable:
* Service assurance correlation and analysis
* VoIP call performance analysis
* IPTV service assurance
* End-to-end service assurance
* Advanced analytics and reporting
Foundation
EXFO was founded in 1985 in Quebec City (Canada) by Germain Lamonde and Robert Tremblay. Its original products were field-portable testing products for the installation, maintenance, monitoring and troubleshooting of optical networks. In 1996, EXFO supplemented its product portfolio with an extensive line of high-end products that are mainly for research and development as well as manufacturing activities of optical component manufacturers and system vendors.
Over the past several years, EXFO has enhanced its competitive position through acquisitions of wireless, protocol, copper/xDSL and service assurance test businesses.
Acquisitions
On March 12, 2010, EXFO acquired 91% of all issued and outstanding shares of NetHawk Oyj. In addition, on March 15, 2010, EXFO made a voluntary offer to purchase the remaining issued and outstanding shares. Headquartered in Oulu, Finland, NetHawk Oyj was a privately held company providing 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE protocol analyzers and simulators aimed mostly at network equipment manufacturers and network operators.
In February 2009, EXFO closed the acquisition of Sweden-based PicoSolve Inc., a supplier of ultra-high-speed optical sampling oscilloscopes for 40G and 100G R&D, manufacturing and deployment applications.
In April 2008, EXFO acquired all issued and outstanding shares of Brix Networks Inc. (renamed EXFO Service Assurance Inc.). Brix Networks, a privately held company located in the Boston, MA area, offers VoIP and IPTV service assurance solutions across the three areas most affecting the success of a real-time service: signaling quality (signaling path performance), delivery quality (media transport performance) and content quality (overall quality of experience). Brix Networks’ service assurance solutions are mainly designed for network service providers (NSPs) and large enterprises.
In March 2008, EXFO acquired all issued and outstanding shares of Navtel Communications Inc. This privately held company based in Toronto, Canada, is a leading provider of Internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) and VoIP test solutions for network equipment manufacturers (NEMs) and NSP labs. Navtel Communications specializes in testing next-generation IP networks that are increasingly combining wireline and wireless technologies. Subsequent to the acquisition, Navtel Communications was merged into the parent company.
In January 2006, EXFO acquired substantially all the assets of Consultronics Limited (now merged with the parent company), a leading supplier of test equipment for copper-based broadband access networks. Above and beyond copper/xDSL test solutions, Consultronics had a rich product portfolio for testing next-generation technologies, such as IPTV and VoIP, which are critical for NSPs in their deployment of triple-play services (voice, data, video) over optical and copper links in access networks.
In November 2001, EXFO acquired Avantas Networks Corporation (renamed EXFO Protocol Inc. and now merged with the parent company), a supplier of protocol-testing and optical-network performance management equipment for NSPs. This transaction enabled EXFO to combine optical and protocol test modules inside a single field-portable test platform in order to help customers increase revenues and reduce operating costs.
In October 2002, EXFO’s wholly owned subsidiary, EXFO Gnubi, purchased substantially all the assets of gnubi communications, L.P., a supplier of multichannel telecom and datacom testing solutions for the system manufacturer market. EXFO Protocol and EXFO Gnubi were consolidated in Montreal, Canada, in fiscal 2004.
Previously, EXFO had completed two acquisitions to bolster growth in the optical component manufacturing market. The company acquired Burleigh Instruments, Inc. (renamed EXFO Burleigh Products Group Inc.) in December 2000 for its wavelength measurement instruments and nanopositioning alignment systems. It also added EFOS Inc. (renamed EXFO Photonic Solutions Inc.) in March 2001 for its precision light-based, adhesive spot-curing technology. EXFO has since exited the optical component manufacturing automation business, and the remaining operations of EXFO Burleigh have mostly been consolidated with those of EXFO’s Life Sciences and Industrial Division in Toronto, Canada.
Competitors
# JDSU
# Fluke Corporation
# Anritsu
# Kingfisher International Pty Ltd
# Southern Photonics
Technology expertise and market coverage
EXFO’s products include wireless network simulators and protocol analyzers, transport and datacom, optical, xDSL, copper, IMS and VoIP test instruments, as well as and service assurance systems. network service providers and network equipment manaufacturers use these products to design, deploy and monitor their network architectures and the services that they support. The company serves over 2000 customers in 100 countries.
Network design
Throughout the research and development and production cycles, network equipment manufacturers must measure the performance of their systems and components against network operator requirements. EXFO’s test instruments cover:
* 2G, 3G and 4G network simulation, load testing and protocol analysis
* IP Multimedia Subsystem and Voice over IP testing
* 40 Gbit/s SONET/SDH testing
* 100 Gigabit Ethernet testing
* Optical Transport Network and Fibre Channel testing
* Advanced optical testing
Network deployment
Throughout network construction, activation and maintenance, operators and service providers must run tests to validate the performance of their architectures. EXFO’s test instruments cover:
* 40 Gbit/s SONET/SDH and OTN testing
* 100 Gbit/s Ethernet and Fibre Channel testing
* Fiber characterization
* Advanced optical testing
* Copper-based xDSL and triple-play testing
Service assurance
Once networks are operational, service providers must monitor them to verify that subscribers get the level of performance that is expected. EXFO’s service assurance systems enable:
* Service assurance correlation and analysis
* VoIP call performance analysis
* IPTV service assurance
* End-to-end service assurance
* Advanced analytics and reporting
Foundation
EXFO was founded in 1985 in Quebec City (Canada) by Germain Lamonde and Robert Tremblay. Its original products were field-portable testing products for the installation, maintenance, monitoring and troubleshooting of optical networks. In 1996, EXFO supplemented its product portfolio with an extensive line of high-end products that are mainly for research and development as well as manufacturing activities of optical component manufacturers and system vendors.
Over the past several years, EXFO has enhanced its competitive position through acquisitions of wireless, protocol, copper/xDSL and service assurance test businesses.
Acquisitions
On March 12, 2010, EXFO acquired 91% of all issued and outstanding shares of NetHawk Oyj. In addition, on March 15, 2010, EXFO made a voluntary offer to purchase the remaining issued and outstanding shares. Headquartered in Oulu, Finland, NetHawk Oyj was a privately held company providing 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE protocol analyzers and simulators aimed mostly at network equipment manufacturers and network operators.
In February 2009, EXFO closed the acquisition of Sweden-based PicoSolve Inc., a supplier of ultra-high-speed optical sampling oscilloscopes for 40G and 100G R&D, manufacturing and deployment applications.
In April 2008, EXFO acquired all issued and outstanding shares of Brix Networks Inc. (renamed EXFO Service Assurance Inc.). Brix Networks, a privately held company located in the Boston, MA area, offers VoIP and IPTV service assurance solutions across the three areas most affecting the success of a real-time service: signaling quality (signaling path performance), delivery quality (media transport performance) and content quality (overall quality of experience). Brix Networks’ service assurance solutions are mainly designed for network service providers (NSPs) and large enterprises.
In March 2008, EXFO acquired all issued and outstanding shares of Navtel Communications Inc. This privately held company based in Toronto, Canada, is a leading provider of Internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) and VoIP test solutions for network equipment manufacturers (NEMs) and NSP labs. Navtel Communications specializes in testing next-generation IP networks that are increasingly combining wireline and wireless technologies. Subsequent to the acquisition, Navtel Communications was merged into the parent company.
In January 2006, EXFO acquired substantially all the assets of Consultronics Limited (now merged with the parent company), a leading supplier of test equipment for copper-based broadband access networks. Above and beyond copper/xDSL test solutions, Consultronics had a rich product portfolio for testing next-generation technologies, such as IPTV and VoIP, which are critical for NSPs in their deployment of triple-play services (voice, data, video) over optical and copper links in access networks.
In November 2001, EXFO acquired Avantas Networks Corporation (renamed EXFO Protocol Inc. and now merged with the parent company), a supplier of protocol-testing and optical-network performance management equipment for NSPs. This transaction enabled EXFO to combine optical and protocol test modules inside a single field-portable test platform in order to help customers increase revenues and reduce operating costs.
In October 2002, EXFO’s wholly owned subsidiary, EXFO Gnubi, purchased substantially all the assets of gnubi communications, L.P., a supplier of multichannel telecom and datacom testing solutions for the system manufacturer market. EXFO Protocol and EXFO Gnubi were consolidated in Montreal, Canada, in fiscal 2004.
Previously, EXFO had completed two acquisitions to bolster growth in the optical component manufacturing market. The company acquired Burleigh Instruments, Inc. (renamed EXFO Burleigh Products Group Inc.) in December 2000 for its wavelength measurement instruments and nanopositioning alignment systems. It also added EFOS Inc. (renamed EXFO Photonic Solutions Inc.) in March 2001 for its precision light-based, adhesive spot-curing technology. EXFO has since exited the optical component manufacturing automation business, and the remaining operations of EXFO Burleigh have mostly been consolidated with those of EXFO’s Life Sciences and Industrial Division in Toronto, Canada.
Competitors
# JDSU
# Fluke Corporation
# Anritsu
# Kingfisher International Pty Ltd
# Southern Photonics
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