EXFO MAX-730C OTDR | 1310/1550/1625nm 39dB, PON 1x128, 0.5m Dead Zone, iOLM

EXFO MAX-730C OTDR – Premium 3-Wavelength PON OTDR with 39dB Dynamic Range

The EXFO MAX-730C is EXFO’s flagship handheld OTDR for demanding FTTx, PON, and metro network testing. Where the MAX-715B covers standard single-mode testing, the MAX-730C steps up with three wavelengths (1310/1550/1625nm), a massive 39/38/39dB dynamic range, an industry-leading 0.5m event dead zone, and a built-in PON power meter — all in the same rugged, tablet-inspired 7-inch touchscreen body. With a testing range of up to 400km and support for PON networks with up to 1x128 splitters, the MAX-730C is the tool of choice for engineers working on the most demanding fiber networks.

Why Choose the EXFO MAX-730C?

• 39/38/39dB Dynamic Range (1310/1550/1625nm): Nearly 10dB more than the MAX-715B — enabling testing of longer fiber spans, higher-loss PON networks, and more complex network architectures
• 3-Wavelength Testing (1310/1550/1625nm): Tests all three standard telecom wavelengths in a single instrument, including 1625nm for live fiber testing without service interruption
• 0.5m Event Dead Zone: Industry-leading 0.5m EDZ (half the MAX-715B’s 1m) for detecting closely spaced events in dense patch panels, splice trays, and central office environments
• PON Testing Through 1x128 Splitters: Specifically designed for FTTx/PON network testing through passive optical splitters up to 1x128 — the highest split ratio in common deployment
• Built-in PON Power Meter (Dual Channel 1490/1550nm): Integrated power meter eliminates the need for a separate instrument during PON commissioning and troubleshooting
• 400km Distance Range: Tests fiber spans from 0.1km to 400km — suitable for long-haul backbone, metro, and access network applications
• iOLM Software: EXFO’s intelligent Optical Link Mapper automatically characterizes the entire optical link with one touch — no manual trace interpretation required
• 7-Inch Outdoor-Enhanced Touchscreen: The largest display in the handheld OTDR industry — 800×480 TFT optimized for bright outdoor conditions
• 12-Hour Battery Life: Full day of field testing on a single charge (Telcordia TR-NWT-001138)
• Live Fiber Testing at 1625nm: Built-in 1625nm live port filter (isolation >50dB) enables testing on live fiber without disrupting active services

Ideal Applications

• FTTx / PON network installation, commissioning, and troubleshooting (up to 1x128 splitters)
• Live fiber testing at 1625nm without service interruption
• Long-haul and metro backbone fiber testing (up to 400km)
• Access network point-to-point (P2P) testing
• Central office and data center dense fiber testing (0.5m dead zone)
• Network acceptance testing requiring automated iOLM reporting

MAX-730C vs. MAX-715B – When to Upgrade

Technical Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the advantage of 3-wavelength testing on the MAX-730C?
A: The MAX-730C tests at 1310nm, 1550nm, and 1625nm. The 1310nm and 1550nm wavelengths are standard for fiber characterization and loss measurement. The 1625nm wavelength is specifically designed for live fiber testing — it can test an in-service fiber without interrupting active data traffic, which is critical for maintenance and troubleshooting on live networks.

Q: How does the MAX-730C handle PON network testing?
A: The MAX-730C is specifically designed for FTTx/PON testing through passive optical splitters up to 1x128. Its 39dB dynamic range provides sufficient measurement margin to test through high-split-ratio PON networks, and its built-in dual-channel PON power meter (1490/1550nm) allows simultaneous power measurement without a separate instrument.

Q: What is the difference between the MAX-730C and MAX-715B?
A: The MAX-730C offers significantly higher performance: 39dB dynamic range (vs. 30/28dB), 3 wavelengths including 1625nm for live fiber testing (vs. 2 wavelengths), 0.5m event dead zone (vs. 1m), 400km distance range (vs. 160km), built-in PON power meter, and PON testing through 1x128 splitters. Choose the MAX-715B for standard single-mode testing; choose the MAX-730C for PON, live fiber, and high-performance applications.

Q: What does the 0.5m event dead zone mean in practice?
A: The event dead zone is the minimum distance after a reflective event before the OTDR can detect another event. The MAX-730C’s 0.5m EDZ — half that of the MAX-715B — is critical for testing dense environments like central office patch panels, splice trays, and data center fiber infrastructure where events may be very close together.

Q: What warranty and support does the EXFO MAX-730C come with?
A: For warranty details or support, contact us at info@splicermarket.com.