Product Registration of Test Equipment ? It is important!

02/14/2018

No matter what you purchase these days, manufacturers include product registration cards. Even inexpensive consumer products like Bluetooth head phones and toasters come with product registration cards. The volume of these we see with everyday purchases can drive one to a cynical viewpoint – All they want is to collect contact information for marketing purposes. This is undoubtedly true in some cases. However, test equipment is a different situation.

Consumer electronics are often designed for a short lifespan. Designers anticipate products will be used for a season. Then replaced by a newer glitzier model. Simply the nature of today’s consumer market.

Test equipment on the other hand is designed to robust industry standards anticipating five to ten (or more) years of service. Over this time span, industry test standards change. New test methods are developed and added to standards.

Development engineers do not stop working on test equipment when it is released to market. Rather they periodically update software to include revised standards and test methods. Software updates also include product enhancements and new features.

Test equipment is a serious investment which drives efficiency of test technicians and accuracy of their results. Maintaining this efficiency and accuracy is incumbent on users installing software updates as they become available. Registering your test equipment allows the manufacturer to alert you of important updates. Not registering test equipment ensures the manufacturer will NOT be able to help you maintain your test equipment. You will NOT receive notices of new test standards and enhanced features for your test equipment.

You would not use a knife without periodically honing it. Neither should you use your OTDR or Optical Loss Test Set without installing software updates when available. Register your test equipment with AFL and we help you maintain your test equipment. Our engineers work diligently honing equipment software. We want you to have the best performance. Register and we will keep you updated.