naxtlab

2023.04.14

NEXTLab has succeeded in developing a new technology with the help of TTA (Telecommunications Technology Association) and its ICT (Information and Communications Technology) Standards Advisory Services. It was also selected as one of the best practices among the companies that received the services, and the CEO, Sungmin Kim, spoke at “Global ICT Standards Conference” in November, 2022, elaborating the company’s achievements and sharing valuable experience.

NEXTLab’s outcomes were great, because it successfully developed a new technology as well as applying it to new product R&D (research and development). The new product is called “netMeter CTD (Cable Test Dongle)”, featuring the all-new telecom cable line segment measurement function. It is scheduled to launch during the 2nd quarter of 2023, and during the development process, NEXTLab was able to harness TTA’s advisory services well.

First and foremost, what is the ICT Standards Advisory Service? To answer that question, ICT standards should be explained. They refer to an agreed-upon protocol necessary for mutual compatibility of information and communication products and services. It is important to set an international and domestic standard, so that consumers would be able to integrate all their high-tech products, such as IoT (internet of things), cell phone, etc. It helps companies too. Companies seeking to enter the global market should develop their new products with this standard in mind, so that their products and solutions would be compatible with other existing products.

This isn’t the first time that NEXTLab has received TTA advisory services. During 2016~2017, it successfully developed IPTV QoE (quality of experience) measurement and analysis technology, and applied it to create one of its key products, the “STB Multimeter.” After its development, NEXTLab customized it for the Korean domestic market and delivered it to Korea’s 3 major telecom giants. This time, TTA offered its services from August 2021. They connected NEXTLab with Hyeongsoo Kim, an Engineering Director from LGU+, a leading company in the telecommunications field. His advice and TTA’s support really helped a lot in developing on-site communication cabling transmission performance testing technology.

So, what is the background behind this development? Well, the need for measuring telecom cable line performance by each section rose regarding NEXTLab’s product, the “netMeter.” Currently, the netMeter can measure internet speed and IPTV quality, providing field engineers with a quantitative quality guide when doing network installation and maintenance work. Many Korean field engineers already use netMeter to verify their work on customer premises. However, there was one minor problem. When the network speed was lower than the expectation, it was difficult to find the cause. Thus, the need for a new solution that would detect the cause of network quality deterioration and help solve it was recognized.

With concrete advice from Mr. Kim, NEXTLab succeeded in developing a solution that would quench the thirst of locating network quality drop causes. It utilized the TDR (Time Domain Reflectometry) technology, which shoots specific wave signals into cable lines, then measures and analyzes the reflected signals. Software algorithm such as virtual sampling were also used to analyze the signal’s wave forms. After the development of new technology, with the help of TTA and Mr. Kim, vigorous field tests were conducted to verify the solution’s versatility.

One example of these field tests was a case study of an apartment complex located in Songpa-Gu, Seoul. The residents complained that the internet speed was lower than the SLA (service level agreement) of the telecommunication company, and NEXTLab was counted on to find the cause. Soon, the answer was clear. A specific section from the cable lines connected to the exterior wall of the apartment was to blame. By switching the cable lines of the damaged section, the field engineer could solve the problem quickly.

As illustrated above, it is safe to say that when the new version of netMeter hits the market, finding the cause of network service quality deterioration and resolving it would be much easier and faster compared to before.

This would surely increase the work efficiency of field engineers, saving their time. There are benefits for the telecom company as well. By upgrading the level of premises work, it can save revisiting costs and time, not to mention saving costs of resources wasted to replace entire cable lines when it was hard to find the cause of quality drops. Such jaw-dropping results must have contributed greatly in NEXTLab being selected as a top example of the TTA advisory service!

TTA’s advisory services and its consultant, Mr. Kim, helped NEXTLab especially in providing decent field test environments and evaluating the future solution’s performance and applicability. Checking the schedule and communicating constantly also helped speed up the development process. Here’s a direct quote from Mr. Kim. “NEXTLab’s TDR-based probe was developed with a perspective focusing on customer premises from the very beginning, so I expect that it will be applicable immediately when the new product is introduced in the market.” What a great way to prove its practicality!

The netMeter CTD is expected to revolutionize field engineers’ work on customer premises. Please wait just a little more for it to hit the market!