Home
Up
Training Course Descriptions
Course Schedule

 

Training Course Descriptions

The following courses are no longer offered.

The following is only a summary of the courses that we offer. Please contact us for course brochures or to ask about scheduling.  Most courses are scheduled on demand and are not offered on a regular basis.  Click here for information on courses that are currently scheduled.  Sorry, we do not have online registration for any of our courses at this time. 

3M Dynatel™ 965DSP Subscriber Loop Analyzer Short Course - 2 days

Intended For: Engineers and technicians

Overview: Comprehensive hands-on course modeled after the 3M Dynatel™ 965DSP factory training course.  All functions of the test set are covered and students perform a series of twenty laboratories to become familiar with the test set, analyze good and faulted pairs in cable simulators, analyze crosstalk interference from other digital loops, and perform testing on ADSL circuits.  

Note:  This course covers only the 965DSP Subscriber Loop Analyzer and NOT the 965 "Classic."  Although a few of the functions and setups in the 965 "Classic" are very similar to the 965DSP, the "Classic" has no wideband capability.

Test sets are provided but students should try to bring their own 965DSP to the course.  The 3M Far End Device (either model 1342 or 1343) is indispensable for wideband and ADSL testing.  We will have the 3M model 1342 FED II available in class but students should try to bring their own (the model 1342 or 1343 FED II may be ordered from any 3M distributor).  If students plan to use the infrared port on the 965DSP to upload test results to a PC, they should plan to bring their own laptop PC as well (but we will have PCs available for this purpose).  Click here for information on how to obtain the necessary software and hardware.

A comprehensive set of course manuals is provided to each student.  One manual contains all procedures, tables and illustrations used in the presentations and labs and a second manual contains reference procedures, flow charts, tabulated cable pair and operational data and illustrations for field use.  Also included are handouts describing FED applications and use, a paper on ADSL deployment problems and an HDSL/HDSL2/HDSL4 deployment guide.  We also have permission from 3M to pass out free copies of the "3M Dynatel™ Training DVD," which contains high-quality how-to-use videos of the Resistance Fault Locate (RFL) and Time Domain Reflectometer (TDR) functions of the 965DSP (both subjects are taught in the course, and the DVD is provided as a supplement).

The 965DSP hands-on course is limited to six students per session and normally is delivered in Anchorage, AK; however, the course is portable and can be delivered anywhere in the United States (please contact us for a quote).

Prerequisite: General familiarity with modern access network systems including twisted cable pairs, POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service), Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexers (DSLAM), and other twisted pair digital transmission technologies and a basic knowledge of dc electricity including voltage and resistance.

Module 1 - Test Set Description

  • Basic Test Philosophy

  • 965-Series Description Models Software versions 

  • 965DSP Familiarization Test functions Tool box Initial Setup 

  • 965DSP General Operating Tips 

  • Uploading Test Results to a PC 

  • Laboratories

  • Initial setup 

  • Calibration 

  • Talk set 

  • Custom cable setups

Module 2 - Basic Outside Plant Testing 

  • Outside Plant Description 

  • Cable Pair Parameters Capacitance Resistance 

  • Cable Pair Length Capacitance Resistance 

  • Faults Capacitance Resistance 

  • Fault Locating & Analysis Procedures 

  • Resistance Fault Locate Function Hookups Procedures 

  • Miscellaneous Procedures 

  • Laboratories 

  • Resistance function 

  • Capacitance (Open) function 

  • Water effects on Capacitance measurements 

  • Analyze 12 cable pairs

Module 3 - Time Domain Reflectometer (TDR) 

  • Twisted Pair Transmission Line 
  • Time Domain Reflectometer Description 
  • TDR Rules 
  • Trace Examples 
  • TDR Controls 
  • Pulse Widths and Dead Zones 
  • Maximum Range & Velocity of Propagation 
  • Laboratories 

  • TDR Single Trace function 

  • Dual Trace function 

  • Differential Trace function 

  • Crosstalk Trace function 

  • Peak Trace function 

  • Analyze split cable pairs

  • Masking effects of upstream faults

Module 4 - Transmission Testing 

  • Subscriber Loop Components 
  • POTS Transmission Testing 
  • Far End Device (FED) Hookups 
  • Inactive/Active Pair Tests 
  • Wideband Transmission Testing 
  • Laboratories 

  • Test POTS-Only cable pairs 

  • Test POTS+DSL cable pairs 

  • Test HDSL cable pairs with FED (2 pair testing)

Module 5 - Spectrum Analysis & ADSL Testing 

  • Spectrum Analysis 

  • Description

  • Test setup

  • Interference signatures

  • ADSL Testing

  • Description

  • Test setup

  • Interpreting test results

  • Common problems & tips

  • Laboratories

  • Analyze T1 interference

  • Test ADSL line using 965DSP modem 

 

AFC UMC1000/DMAX1120 Access System Overview - 1 day

Intended For: Engineers and technicians

Overview: Overview training course covering the most common applications of the Advanced Fibre Communications UMC1000A (and similar DMAX-1120) digital loop carrier system.  Emphasis is on switched and special access digital loop carrier (DLC) and Digital Cross-Connect System (DCS) applications. Students learn basic configurations and applications using fiber optic, DS1 rate and subrate DDS (dedicated digital services) interfaces.  This course includes one-half day of presentation covering general system description, installation and test overview, and craft interface overview and one-half day of hands-on provisioning work including system startup and acceptance testing.  

Students will provision of a pair of UMC1000A terminals using fiber optic transceivers and then setup POTS circuits, customer-to-customer circuits using T1 transceivers and DS-1 CSUs and using OCU-DP channel units for 56/64 kb/s connection to customer DSUs.  This course does not cover the UMC1000A in as much depth as AFC's longer factory course but it gives a good overview for people wishing to become familiar with the equipment and its capabilities.  This course will be expanded in the future to cover digital subscriber line provisioning.  This course usually is offered as a 2-day or 3-day combo with the Testing DS-1 Interfaces and UMC1000/DMAX1120 Access System Advanced short courses.

Prerequisite: Technical background and familiarity with access network equipment and ability to use a laptop or desktop PC and terminal emulator programs.

Morning Session - Presentation

Part 1 - System Overview

  • System description

  • Configurations and applications

  • Basic components

  • Transport media

  • Powering

  • Plug-in cards

Part 2 - Installation Overview

  • Installation materials

  • Channel Bank Assembly (CBA)

  • Remote Subscriber Cabinet (RSC)

Part 3 - Craft Interface

  • Overview

  • Menus

  • Provisioning examples

Part 4 - Troubleshooting

  • Common problems

  • Interpreting plug-in card LEDs

Afternoon Session - Hands-On

  • Power-Up familiarization
  • Craft Interface familiarization using common terminal emulator programs
  • Provision POTS channel unit and test using single-party line with dialtone
  • Provision 1/0 digital cross-connect application using T1 Transceivers and test channel continuity using DS-1 testers
  • Provision 56 and 64 kb/s OCU-DP Channel Units and test using Data Service Units

 

AFC UMC1000/DMAX1120 Access System Advanced - 1 day

Intended For: Engineers and technicians

Overview: The Advanced course picks up where the Overview course lets off.  Students will learned advanced topics including detailed digital cross-connect system (DCS) applications for DS-0 hubbing and grooming for Fractional T1 and trunking services, various transport services including T1, HDSL, fiber and DS-3, channel unit applications for analog and digital line services, and timing configurations.  This course includes a large number of hands-on laboratories that students may choose from, and the course manual includes a laboratory handbook that is approximately 60 pages long.

This course normally is offered as a 2-day combo with the AFC UMC1000/DMAX1120 Access System Overview short course.

Prerequisite: UMC1000/DMAX1120 Access System Overview Short Course

Morning Session - Presentation

Part 1 - Applications

  • Channel and plug-in cross-connects

  • Hubbing and grooming

  • Simple analog and digital channel unit cross-connects

  • Universal digital loop carrier cross-connects

  • Dedicated Digital Services (DDS)

  • Trunking cross-connects

  • Circuit Associated Signaling (CAS) and Robbed Bit Signaling (RBS)

  • Digital trunking applications

  • Direct Inward Dial (DID) applications using the UVG channel unit

  • Inter-terminal transport

  • Twisted pair technologies with T1, T1X and T1HD transceivers

  • Wireless technologies using the DS3i and Spread Spectrum transceivers

  • Optical fiber technologies using the DS3i, fiber optic and OCx transceivers

  • "Survivable Transport" technologies

  • Asynchronous connectivity

  • T1A and T1AX transceiver applications

  • T1HD applications

  • System synchronization

  • Potential timing problems

  • Synchronization Supply Unit (SSU), or BITS interfaces

  • Best timing scenario

  • Workable timing scenario

  • Unworkable timing scenario

  • GR-303 Integrated Digital Loop Carrier

  • Host-Remote configurations

  • Timing configurations

  • Provisioning - General Procedures

Afternoon Session - Laboratories

Part 2 - Laboratories

  • Channel and plug-in cross-connects

  • Trunking cross-connects

  • Inter-terminal transport

  • Asynchronous connectivity

  • System synchronization

  • GR-303 Integrated Digital Loop Carrier

DC Power System Design for Telecommunications - 2.5 days

Intended For: Engineers and technicians

Overview: This is a presentation-type short course covering all aspects of dc power system design for telecommunications systems.  The methods include the design of dc powerboards, rectifier systems, primary and secondary distribution circuits and stationary battery systems for central office applications.  See outline below for scope of instruction and topics covered.  Most course modules include design problems to be solved by students.  This course can be delivered anywhere in the United States and also is available through the University of Wisconsin - Madison, Engineering Professional Development.  A complete course manual is provided to each participant to keep.  The manual includes all design procedures, tables and illustrations used in the presentation.  A calculator also is provided to each participant to keep for working the design problems.

Prerequisite: Coverage of all topics begins at basic levels and proceeds to more advanced levels, so previous dc power system design experience is not required.  However, students are expected to have some knowledge of basic electricity and students are expected to already know what voltage, current and power are.  A basic electricity review is provided but it is not detailed enough for people with no prior experience or knowledge of basic electricity.  Those already having knowledge or experience with dc circuits will receive maximum benefit.

Module 0 – Scope of Instruction

  • Topics Covered
    • Conventional DC Power Systems
      • 24 vdc
      • 48 vdc
      • 130 vdc (mentioned only for completeness)
    • Component Selection
    • System Design
    • Review of Installation & Maintenance

  •  Topics Not Covered

    • Counter EMF Cells and End Cells
    • Alternate AC Power Sources except Conventional Engine-Generator Sets
    • Audio Tone and Ringing Systems
    • AC Uninterruptible Power Systems (UPS)

Module 1 – Introduction

  • Basic Requirements for Telecommunications Power Systems
  • Quick Overview
  • Applications Review
  • Standards, Practices and Codes

Module 2 – DC Electricity Review

  • Basic Electrical Components
  • Ohm’s Law
  • Kirchhoff’s Voltage and Current Laws
  • Power
  • Electrical Conductors
  • Design Problems

Module 3 – Components Review

  • Definitions and Terminology
  • Nominal System Voltages
  • System Components
    • Rectifiers/Chargers
    • Powerboard and Distribution

    • Cable Bus

    • Rigid Bus

    • Overcurrent Protection

    • Fuses

    • Circuit Breakers

    • Voltage Conversion

    • DC-DC Converters

    • Inverters

    • Batteries

    • Vented Lead-Acid

    • Valve Regulated Lead-Acid

  • Design Problems

Module 4 – Power System Grounding

  • Purpose of Grounding
  • Polarity Bonded to Ground
  • Definitions
  • Common Bonding Networks
  • Isolated Bonding Networks
  • DC Power System Grounding Methods
  • Design Problems

Module 5 – System Design

  • Guidelines
  • Load Characteristics
    • Circuit-Switching Systems
    • Wireless Radio Frequency and Switching Systems
    • Transmission
    • Ancillary Systems
  • Component Selection and Calculations
  • Circuit Conductors
  • Code Requirements
  • Effects on Building Systems
  • Spares Provisioning
  • Costs
  • Design Problems

Module 6 – Installation & Maintenance

  • Safety Considerations
  • Physical Requirements
  • Circuit Conductors and Connections
  • Batteries
  • System Maintenance
  • Design Problems

Digital Loop Engineering - 3 days

Intended For: Engineers, technical managers and technicians

Overview: Comprehensive engineering course covering all digital loops used in the access network, including Basic Rate ISDN (BRI) and Primary Rate ISDN (PRI), T1-Carrier, Dedicated Digital Services (DDS) loops to 64 kb/s, High Bit-Rate Digital Subscriber Line (HDSL, HDSL2, HDSL4, G.SHDSL), all current variations of the Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL, ADSL2, ADSL2+), and fiber optics for Fiber-In-The-Loop (FITL) access network applications. The focus is on the physical/electrical layer of access network transmission. Students learn applications and interfaces, line codes and frame structures, synchronization, spectrum management and compatibility, impairments, loop design and loop qualification methods and requirements. This is a presentation course and not a hands-on course. A detailed course outline is provided below (the order is approximately as shown; Module 3, Synchronization, may be moved to the end or deleted altogether depending on time available).

Prerequisites:  Engineering or technical background, understanding of basic twisted pair transmission and knowledge of telecommunications terminology. Also, students must be comfortable with basic algebra - using letters and symbols to represent numbers and mathematical relationships; higher math is not required.

Module 1 – Digital Interfaces and Applications

Connectivity Alternatives

  • Remote Switching Terminals

  • Digital Loop Carrier

  • Digital Pair Gain Devices

External Interfaces

  • Channel Service Unit/Data Service Unit (CSU/DSU) Applications
  • Digital Network Interface Device (DNID) Applications
  • Digital Signal Cross-Connect (DSX-1) Applications

Digital Loop Engineering Concepts

Digital Loop Considerations

Dedicated Digital Service (DDS) Loops

ISDN (PRI & BRI)

HDSL (& HDSL2, HDSL4)

T1-Carrier

Fractional T1

Asymmetric DSL (ADSL)

  • ADSL
  • ADSL2
  • ADSL2+

Fiber-In-The-Loop (FITL)

Module 2 – Framing & Line Codes

Frame Structures

  • Repeatered T1-Carrier
  • DDS Loop
  • ISDN BRI
  • HDSL

Line Codes

  • Baseband Line Codes

  •  Return-to-Zero (RZ) & Non-Return-to-Zero (NRZ)

  • Alternate Mark Inversion (AMI)

  • B6ZS, B7ZS, B8ZS

  • 2Binary-1Quaternary (2B1Q)

  • 4-Level Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM)

  • 16-Level Trellis Coded PAM)

  • Passband Line Codes

  • Discrete Multitone (DMT)

Module 3 – Synchronization

Synchronization Requirements

Digital Loop Synchronization Requirements

Timing Impairments

Synchronization Hierarchy

Synchronization Rules

Synchronization Supply Unit (Building Integrated Timing Supply)

Module 4 – Loop Transmission Impairments

Spectrum Management

  • Spectrum Compatibility
  • ILEC/CLEC Environments
  • Spectrum Management Requirements
  • Basis Loop Systems
  • Spectrum Management Classes
  • Legacy Loop Systems
  • Future Spectrum Management

Impairments

  • Noise
  • Noise Filters  

  • IEEE Std 743-1984 (C-Message, 3 kHz Flat, 15 kHz, 50 kb)

  • IEEE Std 743-1995 (C-Message, D, E, F, G)

  • Longitudinal Currents & Noise Mitigation
  • Distortion
  • Crosstalk
  • Impulse Noise
  • Attenuation Distortion
  • Delay Distortion
  • Absolute Delay

Signal Detection and Regeneration

Module 5 – Transmission Quality & Performance

Quality of Service

Performance Parameters

Specifying Error Performance

Operational Problems

Alarms

Measurements

Module 6 – Twisted Pair Metallic Cables

Twisted Pairs & Optical Fibers

Environment

Cable Constructions

Service Classifications

Outside Plant Equipment

Twisted Pair Cables

  • Cable Types & Specifications
  • Splices
  • Cable Design
  • Cable Components
  • Electrical Characteristics

Module 7 – Fiber Optic Cables

Outside Plant Installations

Cable Specifications

Physical Characteristics

Buffering & Strength Member

Media

Propagation

Splices and Connectors

Couplers

Module 8 – T1-Carrier

General Considerations

Interference Considerations & Cables

Span Line Design

  • Design Objectives
  • Intermediate-Sections
  • End-Sections
  • Route Junctions
  • Line Powering

Loop Qualification

Fault Locating

Module 9 – Digital Subscriber Lines and DDS Loops

General Engineering Considerations

Electromagnetic Compatibility

General Loop Qualification Requirements

Specific Loop Types

  • DDS Loop (Subrate Digital Loop - SRDL)
  • Basic Rate ISDN  (BRI)
  • High Bit-Rate Digital Subscriber Line (HDSL, G.SHDSL)
  • Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL, ADSL2, ADSL2+)

Module 10 – Fiber-In-The-Loop

Design Considerations

Design Components

Splices

Design Sections

Link Budget - Uncoupled systems

Link Budget - Coupled Systems

High Bit-Rate Digital Subscriber Line (HDSL) Installation & Setup - 1 day

Intended For: Engineers, technical managers and technicians

Overview: Comprehensive course covering current symmetric HDSL technologies (HDSL, HDSL2 and HDSL4) used to deliver DS-1 rate services.  This course includes one-half day of presentation on the technical aspects of HDSL and one-half day of hands-on work with Adtran and ADC (PairGain) central office and remote terminals and line repeaters.  This course normally is offered as a 2-day combo with the Testing DS-1 Interfaces short course.

Prerequisite: Testing DS-1 Interfaces short course or equivalent experience.  Familiarity with outside plant testing.  Ability to use a laptop or desktop PC and terminal emulator programs is assumed.

Part 1 – System Description

Definitions

  • HDSL
  • HDSL2
  • HDSL4

HDSL Transport

Applications
  • Configurations

  • Non-Repeatered Configurations

  • Repeatered Configurations

  • Powering

Distance Limitations

Technology

  • HDSL
  • HDSL Repeater
  • HDSL2
  • HDSL4

Standards

Compatibility & Interoperability

Performance

Timing

HDSL Components

Comparison of HDSL Variants

Central Office Installation
  • Cabling
  • Interfaces
Customer Installation
  • Cabling

  • Interfaces

Part 2 – Testing & Provisioning (Hands-On)

Diagnostic  and Management Functions

Craft Interface

HDSL Provisioning

Loopbacks

  • Loopbacks – Toward Network
  • Loopbacks – Toward Customer
  • Loopbacks – Repeater (Doubler)
  • Loopback Codes
Outside Plant Requirements
  • Bridged Taps
  • Performance Requirements
Loop Testing

Time Domain Reflectometer (TDR)

Quiz

Part 3 – Laboratories

Each laboratory includes qualifying outside plant cable pairs for HDSL service, setup and provisioning of terminal equipment and repeaters (where applicable), end-to-end testing and interface and circuit troubleshooting, and using and interpreting Craft Interface screens for troubleshooting, loop performance, history and alarms.  Students will use common cable pair test equipment and DS-1 test equipment and will work with both Adtran and ADC (PairGain) HDSL, HDSL2 and HDSL4 equipment..

  • Non-Repeatered HDSL
  • Repeatered HDSL
  • Non-Repeatered HDSL2
  • Repeatered HDSL2
  • Non-Repeatered HDSL4
  • Repeatered HDSL4

Introduction to Telecommunications - 2 days

Intended For: Beginning engineers, technical managers and technicians and non-technical workers in the telecommunications field

Overview: Comprehensive introductory training course covering all telecommunication technologies. Topics include public network switching and transmission overview, access network (local loop) and core network, analog and digital transmission, multiplexing and transmission, traffic concepts, data services, and signaling systems.  This course can be customized for specific network operators or regional networks.

Prerequisite: None

Module 1 - Introduction

  • Terminology
  • Standards
  • Carriers, Exchanges and LATAs
  • Regulation
  • Telecommunications Networks
  • Addressing
  • Equal Access
  • Central Office Systems
  • Traffic
  • Signaling System No. 7
  • Local Number Portability
  • Communications Assistance Law Enforcement Act (CALEA)

Module 2 - Transmission and Multiplexing

  • Analog and Digital Transmission
  • Digital Hierarchy (Electrical and Optical)
  • Multiplexing
  • Digital Cross-Connect Systems
  • Circuit-Switched Networks
  • Packet-Switched Networks

Module 3 - Network Infrastructure

  • Network Components
  • Network Models
  • Access Infrastructure (Metallic Twisted Pair, Fiber Optic, Wireless)
  • Pair Gain Systems
  • Customer Premises Equipment

Module 4 - Outside Plant Cables

  • General Considerations
  • Environment
  • Twisted Pair Cables
  • Fiber Optic Cables
  • Protection

Module 5 - Analog Signaling & Transmission

  • Loop Signaling (Addressing, Ringing)
  • Call Progress Tones
  • Supervision Types
  • Loop Powering
  • Caller ID
  • Subscriber Loop Facility Types
  • Bandwidth
  • Twisted Pair Transmission
  • Echo
  • Transmission Impairments
  • Transmission Requirements

Module 6 - Twisted Pair Digital Loops

  • General Considerations
  • ISDN Digital Subscriber Lines
  • Subrate Digital Loops to 64 kb/s
  • High Bit-Rate Digital Subscriber Lines (HDSL)
  • Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Lines (ADSL and xDSL)
  • Repeatered T1-Carrier

Module 7 - Voice-Over-Packet and Next Generation Networks

  • Basic Components
  • Required Protocols
  • How It Works
  • Basic Requirements
  • Packetized Speech
  • Speech Encoding
  • Quality of Service

Line, Trunk & Private Line - Alignment & Testing - 3 days

Intended For: Telecommunications engineers and technicians

Overview: Comprehensive hands-on course covering switched analog lines and trunks and analog special access lines. Students learn about industry performance standards and requirements and to use voice frequency signaling and transmission test sets in a realistic environment. Laboratories include a central office switching system with analog and digital trunking and analog lines plus a variety of transmission systems and analog signaling interfaces. Although analog trunk interfaces are covered in the presentation portion of this course, the labs do not presently cover them because they are largely obsolete; however, students can work with these types of interfaces if they desire.  Private line laboratories focus on analog voiceband channels with Data Station Terminations (DST).  Students will use common switched loop testing equipment to test switched loops from the NID and then will align and test an analog special access circuit according to ANSI T1.512 requirements using the Ameritec AM5-XT and AM48 and similar VF test equipment.  This course does not cover digital subscriber lines but, since DSL loop qualification presently uses analog techniques, the principles learned will apply to that technology as well.  This course normally is given in conjunction with the Testing DS-1 Interfaces short course so students learn both analog and digital testing techniques.

Prerequisite: Technical background, experience using electronic test equipment and general familiarization with the modern access network including twisted cable pairs.

Topics:

1st Day Session - Presentation

Module 1 - Transmission Review

        Transmission Standards

        Decibel Review

        2-Wire & 4-Wire Transmission

        Voiceband Data & Speech

        Transmission Level Point Review

        Transmission Test Configurations

        Transmission Test Lines

 

Module 2 - Analog Signaling Review

        Analog Line Signaling and Supervision

            Signaling types

Supervision types

        Analog Trunk Signaling and Supervision

Signaling types

Signaling protocols

Supervision types

 

Module 3 - Speech Channel Measurements

        Test Tone Levels

        Frequency Response

        Noise

        Return Loss

        Impedance

        Summary

2nd Day Session - Presentation and Hands-On afternoon

Module 4 - Voiceband Data Channel Measurements

        Signal-to-Noise Ratio

        Envelope Delay Distortion

        Peak-to-Average Ratio

        Jitter

        Transients

        Non-Linear Distortion

        Envelope Delay Distortion

        Summary

Module 5 - Analog Performance Requirements

        Limits

        Switched Loop Performance

        Exchange Access (Trunk) Performance

        Special Access Performance

Module 6 - Switched VF Loop Testing

        Impedance matching

        Send function

        Receive function

        Noise Filters

        Other Functions

        General Procedures

3rd Day Session - Presentation and Hands-On afternoon

Module 7 - Analog Trunk Testing

        Circuit Configurations

        Duplex (DX)

        Single Frequency (SF)

        Loop-Reverse Battery (LRB)

        E&M

Module 8 - Analog Special Access Testing

        Data Station Termination

Level adjustment

Equalization

Impedance matching

Test access

Loopback

Sealing current

 

Network Synchronization Testing - 1 day

Intended For: Engineers, technical managers and technicians

Overview: Comprehensive hands-on training course covering synchronization of wireline networks, including switching systems and network peripherals. Students learn what timing configurations are most common, what their limitations are, and how to use and test them.  Hands-on sessions cover a variety of test equipment including TTC224 and TTC2209, Sunset T3 and T10, Agilent T1 Test Advisor and HP 37702A and laboratory synchronization supply units (Datum TSG3800 and Symmetricom TS2700).  Students will learn about and work with Stratum 1 Primary Reference Source, Rubidium Stratum 2, Stratum 3 and 3E, and Stratum 4 clocks and relative timing measurements.

Prerequisite: DS1 Testing Short Course

Module 1 - Synchronization Overview

  • Introduction
  • Clock Types
  • Synchronization Methods
  • Timing Impairments
  • Synchronization Requirements in Plesiochronous Digital Hierarchy and SONET Networks
  • Switching System Synchronization
  • Timing Provisioning
  • Retiming Units
  • Geosynchronous Satellites
  • References

Module 2 - Synchronization Implementation

  • Introduction
  • Timing Source Characteristics
  • Timing Sink Characteristics
  • Timing System Configurations
  • Other Considerations
  • Proposed Synchronization Model
  • Equipment
  • Stratum Levels
  • Calculating Slip Rate

Module 3 - Synchronization Testing (Hands-On)

  • Introduction
  • Relative Timing Tests
  • Test Equipment Applications
  • TTC224
  • TTC2209
  • Sunset T3 and T0
  • HP 37702A

SS7 Short Course - 2 days

Intended For: Engineers, technical managers and technicians

Overview: Comprehensive hands-on training course covering the fundamentals of Signaling System No. 7 including link operation, message signal units, ISUP, SCCP and TCAP.  Students learn to setup and use SS7 test equipment and to analyze SS7 messaging.

Prerequisite: Technical background and familiarity with basic signaling methods

SS7 Short Course - Advanced - 3 days

Intended For: Engineers and technicians

Overview: The first 2 days of this course are identical to the SS7 Short Course described above.  The 3rd day includes manual decoding of SS7 messaging, which is occasionally required during SS7 testing.

Prerequisite: SS7 Short Course

Subscriber Loop Interfaces - 3 days

Intended For: Engineers, technical managers and technicians

Overview: Comprehensive introductory training course covering all telecommunications technologies except wireless. Students learn what telecommunication interfaces are most common, what their limitations are, and how to use them.  There is particular coverage of analog and digital transmission, the Subscriber Line Interface Circuit (SLIC) and Coder-Decoder (CODER) used in central office and digital loop carrier (DLC) remote terminal applications and loop transmission using metallic twisted pairs and singlemode optical fibers.  Switched loop design is covered in detail along with Carrier Serving Area (CSA) concepts and applications.

Prerequisite: Technical background

Testing DS1 Interfaces Short Course - 1 day

Intended For: Engineers and technicians

Overview: This course covers the setup and use of DS1 test equipment in a central office environment for testing switched and special access DS1 circuits.  All the techniques learned in this course also are applicable to an outside plant environment.  Topics include a general overview, including speech and data transmission on digital facilities, line codes and frame structures, robbed bit signaling, loopback testing, CSU/DSU and digital network interface device (DNID or SmartJack), signal measurements at the DSX-1, drop-and-insert and terminal testing, timing, central office test connections, general test setup, including test patterns and through-testing, and ANSI T1.510 performance requirements.  Laboratories include general instrument setup, loopback testing, end-to-end testing, trunk signaling analysis, drop-and-insert testing, and synchronization testing.  

Students will use common DS-1 test equipment including TTC224 T-BERD and TTC2209 T-BERD, Sunset T3 (in T1 mode) and T10, Agilent T1 Test Advisor and HP 37702A and will configure and test Digital Network Interface Devices.  Students are encouraged to bring the test sets they use in their work.  This course is offered both as a stand-alone short course and in combination with other short courses such as the Line, Trunk & Private Line - Alignment & Testing course, AFC UMC1000A Overview and HDSL Setup & Installation course.

Prerequisite: Technical background and familiarity with test equipment

Morning Session - Presentation

  • Channelization overview

  • Frame structures and line codes

  • Trunk signaling (Robbed Bit Signaling)

  • Signal measurements at DSX-1

  • Pulse templates

  • Equipment connections

  • Channel Service Unit (CSU), Data Service Unit (DSU) and Digital Network Interface Device (DNID) applications

  • Loopback Testing

  • Test equipment timing settings

  • Drop-and-Insert and terminal testing

  • General Test Equipment Setup

  • Test patterns

            Common test patterns

            Specialty test patterns

            Channel test patterns

            DDS test patterns

  • Test performance requirements

Afternoon Session - Hands-On Laboratories

  • General Setup

  • Check Line Coding, Framing and Test Patterns

  • DNID and CSU/DSU Loopback Testing

  • End-to-End Testing

  • Trunk Signaling Analysis

  • Drop-and-Insert Testing Using Analog Test Tones

Testing DS1 Interfaces Short Course - Advanced - 1 day

Intended For: Engineers and technicians

Overview: This course builds on the DS1 Testing Short Course described above and covers advanced subjects, including using test equipment to send, receive and capture calls over individual channels in a trunking environment and testing DDS channels.  The presentation portion of this course will cover DID/DOD, FGC and FGD trunking and DDS loopbacks and applications.  Students will use common DS-1 test equipment including TTC224, TTC2209, Sunset T3 and T10, Agilent T1 Test Advisor and HP37702A.  Students are encouraged to bring the test sets they use in their work.

Prerequisite: Testing DS1 Interfaces Short Course

Custom Courses and Training

We can develop custom courses to meet your particular training needs. Just tell us who the audience will be, the subjects to be covered and what your training objectives are, and we will provide a quote.