Does anyone know of a lab that is currently providing a calibration service for ISPs?
I am interested in what equipment someone like Verison uses for verification that their networks are functioning correctly.
I have some formal optical training (SOAP) and a background in optics with Litton so I understand the basics but I have never heard of anyone who does calibrations for this market.
There are various pieces of test equipment used for the various electrical and fiber optic (SONET, etc.). There are instruments for DS1, T1, etc. that measure frequency, amplitude, and other parameters. There is a whole world of those testers. Kind of analogous to the medical test worl - which also has it's own entire assortment of instruments.
http://www.viavisolutions.com/en-us
I contacted Viavi and asked them about this. They evidently manufacture the equipment used to "certify" ISP networks. It appears that an ISP would decide, based on the type of equipment in a given area what type of compliance testing is required. Then they would either contract that out to a third party or do it themselves. As was suggested, it appears to be a very specialized type of service. The calibration of the equipment used for that service is specialized but most of it (at least for fiber optic networks) will be involved with optical power, wavelength and complex timing.
Entering that market would be expensive but is probably large enough to justify additional exploration. Thanks for the link to Viavi.
I have talked to Verizon in the past they do not get any of their tools calibrated. They get them calibrated "if they start having problems with them" so basically they wait till they are broke then get them repaired. I imagine that AT&T is the same way.
Verizon used to operate several decent Cal labs, the ones I was aware of were GTE before that. Used to be places would cut out calibration for savings and later when things fell apart have a come to Jesus moment and reconstitute it. Digital technology may have changed that or at least increased the interval between the events.