EXFO EXFO Inc

Frost & Sullivan recognizes excellence of AXS-200/600 modular handheld series for access test market QUEBEC CITY, April 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering Inc. (NASDAQ:EXFONASDAQ:TSX:NASDAQ:EXF) announced today that it has been named recipient of Frost & Sullivan's Global Handheld xDSL Test Equipment Product Line Strategy Award for 2009. Over the past year, EXFO has released several test modules within its ground-breaking AXS-200/600 series that qualify copper-loop plants and triple-play services deployed over various xDSL technologies as well as FTTH, Ethernet services and a myriad of additional applications. According to Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, this Product Line Strategy Award is presented to the test company that has "optimized its product line by leveraging products with the various price, performance and feature points required by the market." On the strength of a unique modular platform strategy, EXFO reduced its time-to-market with the launch of a rich product portfolio that meets the needs of network operators, who opted to deliver broadband services over their existing copper plants. Key product launches included: - The AXS-200/610 30 MHz Copper Test Set helps field technicians locate and repair copper-loop plant problems that affect triple-play service quality; - The AXS-200/620 ADSL2+ Triple-Play Test Set is the optimal tool for ADSL2+ service verification and triple-play testing; - The AXS-200/625 30 MHz and ADSL2+ Triple-Play Test Set combines triple- play, ADSL2+ and copper testing in a single handheld unit designed for fast turn-up, maintenance and troubleshooting in residential access networks; - The AXS-200/630 VDSL2 Triple-Play Test Set is designed for the installation and troubleshooting of VDSL2 network deployments and 10/100 Mbit/s Ethernet-based triple-play services; and - The AXS-200/635 Copper, VDSL2, ADSL2+ and IP Triple-Play Test Set combines 30 MHz wideband copper testing, VDSL2 service verification (with backward compatibility to ADSL1/2/2+) and triple-play testing inside a single module. "EXFO has introduced several access test solutions within a short period of time to meet the evolving needs of network operators as they grapple with deploying bandwidth-intensive services over the last mile," said Sivakumar Narayanaswamy, Research Analyst at Frost & Sullivan. "I'm particularly impressed with the capabilities of the AXS-200/635 tester. This game-changing solution allows field technicians to qualify and troubleshoot the copper-loop plant and triple-play services, from top to bottom, with one consolidated test set." "In this challenging market environment, it's imperative that test solutions not only help network operators reduce their capital expenditures but also trim operating expenditures by streamlining and accelerating the deployment of advanced triple-play services along broadband networks," said Etienne Gagnon, EXFO's Vice-President of Product Management and Marketing. "Our AXS-200/600 series delivers on all counts with its inherent flexibility to host various test modules and ease-of-use to enable rapid testing. We're pleased to see that Frost & Sullivan has recognized the excellence of this product line." EXFO has also leveraged the flexibility of its AXS-200 SharpTESTER platform to introduce complementary Ethernet and optical test modules like the following: AXS-200/350 Optical Loss Test Set AXS-200/360 Fiber Certification Test Set AXS-200/850 Ethernet Test Set The AXS-200 SharpTESTER Access Line - built around a modular, multi-service, multi-medium, handheld platform - can easily be configured for copper/DSL/triple-play, Ethernet or optical testing applications using a common Windows-CE graphical user interface. This innovation by EXFO significantly reduces training time, allowing both expert and entry-level technicians to quickly begin testing duties, and streamlines testing procedures for rapid and efficient service turn-ups. To learn more about Frost & Sullivan's awards, visit http://www.awards.frost.com/, or for details about EXFO's other industry recognitions, visit the Awards and Recognitions section at http://www.exfo.com/en/about/awards.aspx About EXFO EXFO is a leading provider of test and service assurance solutions for network service providers and equipment manufacturers in the global telecommunications industry. The Telecom Division offers a wide range of innovative solutions extending across the full technology lifecycle - from design to technology deployment and onto service assurance - and covering all layers on a network infrastructure to enable triple-play services and next-generation, converged IP networking. The Life Sciences and Industrial Division offers solutions in medical device and opto-electronics assembly, fluorescence microscopy and other life science sectors. For more information, visit http://www.exfo.com/. DATASOURCE: EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering Inc. CONTACT: Vance Oliver, Manager, Investor Relations, (418) 683-0913, Ext. 3733,

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