I got a contract from Sprint a few years back to test the cables from the MDF to the Sprint POP in every CO in NYC. (Almost 100 locations)

Apparently 9X had some shady subcontractors do the cable installation and terminations and every time Sprint tried to turn up a customer, the install failed. In almost all case the problem was the MDF to POP cable.

Sprint asked 9X for test results and 9X said: "if you want test results - test them yourselves". So they hired us and I did. Some COs were fine But others....Massive troubles. Hideous work. Really ugly, ugly, ugly.

We looked into finding something that would make testing these cables (Between 600 and 3600 pairs per CO) easier. In the end we used two butt sets in series with a -48V DC power supply. We talked out every wire. Put the butt set on W/BL & BL/W. Get continuity. Talk across the pair. It's good. Leave one lead on W/BL and move the other to W/O. Talk out that pair. Keep moving one side of the circuit one wire at a time and verify that the pair is clean with no hums, opens, etc.

It took a little time but it worked.Once the crew gets used to it they can fly through the work.

Sam

"Where are we going and why are we in this hand basket?"