EXFO

Products| Network testing: optical, transport, datacom, copper, xDSL, IP triple-play
R&D and manufacturing testing: 3G, LTE optical, transport, datacom, IMS, VoIP
Service assurance: Monitoring systems for voice, video, data and mobile services

EXFO is a telecommunications company that develops test, monitoring and analytics equipment and software for fixed and mobile network operators, hyperscaler companies, and leaders in the manufacturing, development and research sector.[1] EXFO is headquartered in Quebec City, Canada and has approximately 2,000 employees in 25 countries.[2]

## History

EXFO was founded in 1985 as EXFO Génie Électro-Optique by entrepreneur Germain Lamonde[3] after completing his master's degree in optics at Université Laval.[4][5] The company's first products were handheld wattmeters and optical source testers, followed by handheld instruments for measuring fiber integrity.[5] In 1996, EXFO started designing products for optical component and optical system research and development and manufacturing.

In 2000, EXFO became a publicly traded company on NASDAQ and the TSX.[6] In 2001, EXFO acquired Avantas Networks Corporation for approximately US$65 million.[7] This acquisition allowed EXFO to serve the fiber optic protocol layer testing sector, increasing its market size.[7]

Between 2006 and 2009, EXFO acquired Consultronics Ltd., a copper network testing company whose offering complemented EXFO's existing fiber optic products.[8][9] It also acquired Swedish company PicoSolve, which manufactures ultra-high-speed optical sampling oscilloscopes for 40G and 100G networks.[10][11] Also at this time, EXFO opened a manufacturing plant in Shenzhen China, the company's first such facility beyond Canada.[12] Between 2010 and 2016, EXFO grew rapidly through acquisitions, adding NetHawk in 2010[13] and ByteSphere and Aito Technologies[14] in 2014.These acquisitions allowed EXFO to add a range of complementary software to its physical products.[14] In 2016, EXFO acquired Absolute Analysis, a manufacturer of test equipment for RF networks.[15][16]

In 2017, Philippe Morin was appointed CEO of EXFO by Germain Lamonde, who became Executive Chairman of the Board.[17][18] In the same year, EXFO acquired Yenista Optics, a manufacturer of optical laboratory equipment located in Lannion, France,[19][20][21] and Ontology Systems.[22][23]

In 2018, EXFO concluded its initial public offering for French company Astellia,[18] a network virtualization expert with a strong presence in the Middle East, Africa and Europe headquartered in Rennes and with offices in Valencia, Spain.[24] In an interview, Philippe Morin emphasized the strategic nature of this acquisition: "We have just strengthened our presence in wireless ahead of the advent of 5G.”[25][16]

In 2019, EXFO joined the O-RAN alliance, a group of network operators including AT&T, China Mobile and Deutsche Telekom whose goal is to create standards for smart RF access networks (smart RANs) to facilitate the deployment of 5G networks.[26]

EXFO acquired InOpticals in September 2020, a Taiwan-based manufacturer of 400G and 800G laboratory test instruments.[27]

In September 2021, EXFO's founder Germain Lamonde privatized the company, delisting it from the stock exchanges.[28]

## References

1. ↑ EXFO. "Company" (in en). https://www.exfo.com/en/corporate/company/.
2. ↑ EXFO. "Join the team - Careers at EXFO" (in en). https://www.exfo.com/en/careers/our-team/.
3. ↑ EXFO. "About EXFO: Our Story" (in en). https://www.exfo.com/en/corporate/our-story/.
4. ↑ Gagnon, Jean-Michel Genois. "De 100 $ à 250 M$: EXFO veut croître encore grâce au déploiement du 5G". https://www.journaldequebec.com/2020/09/14/de-100-a-250m.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 EXFO. "Early beginnings | Our story" (in en). https://www.exfo.com/en/corporate/our-story/early-beginnings/.
6. ↑ "StorageNetworks climbs 234% in debut - Jun. 30, 2000". https://money.cnn.com/2000/06/30/deals/storagenetworks/.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "StackPath". https://www.lightwaveonline.com/business/article/16659175/exfo-acquires-avantas-networks.
8. ↑ "Exfo acquires testing firm Consultronics" (in en-CA). The Globe and Mail. 2006-01-09. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/exfo-acquires-testing-firm-consultronics/article20407366/.
9. ↑ "StackPath". https://www.lightwaveonline.com/business/earnings-statements/article/16669656/exfo-completes-acquisition-of-consultronics.
10. ↑ "En bref - Exfo acquiert PicoSolve" (in fr). https://www.ledevoir.com/economie/232791/en-bref-exfo-acquiert-picosolve.
11. ↑ "StackPath". https://www.lightwaveonline.com/test/article/16667675/exfo-acquires-picosolve.
12. ↑ "EXFO launches Shenzhen plant". http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2008-04/23/content_6638211.htm.
13. ↑ "Exfo acquires wireless test specialist NetHawk Oyj" (in en-US). 2010-03-22. https://www.ebmag.com/exfo-acquires-wireless-test-specialist-nethawk-oyj-10409/.
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "EXFO acquiert les actifs d’Aito Technologies | Direction Informatique - Actualités" (in fr-FR). 2014-06-23. https://www.directioninformatique.com/exfo-acquiert-les-actifs-daito-technologies/28229.
15. ↑ "StackPath". https://www.lightwaveonline.com/business/mergers-acquisitions/article/16654345/exfo-buys-absolute-analysis-for-optical-rf-over-cpri-test-technology.
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "EXFO touts the benefits of Astellia acquisition at MWC" (in en-gb). https://www.telecomreview.com/index.php/articles/exclusive-interviews/2154-exfo-touts-the-benefits-of-astellia-acquisition-at-mwc.
17. ↑ "Philippe Morin, nouveau PDG d’EXFO". https://www.tvanouvelles.ca/2017/04/02/philippe-morin-nouveau-pdg-dexfo.
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Un nouveau PDG pour EXFO" (in fr). https://magazineprestige.com/Un-nouveau-PDG-pour-EXFO.
19. ↑ ETATS-UNIS, Publié par Frédéric Fassot | 4 Oct 2017 |; FRANCE; INSTRUMENTATION; RACHAT (2017-10-04). "Exfo a bouclé l’acquisition de Yenista Optics à Lannion" (in fr-FR). https://vipress.net/exfo-a-boucle-lacquisition-de-yenista-optics-a-lannion/.
20. ↑ "StackPath". https://www.lightwaveonline.com/business/mergers-acquisitions/article/14189786/exfo-completes-inopticals-acquisition.
21. ↑ "Exfo rachète Yenista Optics | Direction Informatique - Actualités" (in fr-FR). 2017-10-03. https://www.directioninformatique.com/exfo-rachete-yenista-optics/51455.
22. ↑ "EXFO acquires Ontology Systems for network automation" (in en). 2017-03-02. https://www.fibre-systems.com/news/exfo-acquires-ontology-systems-network-automation.
23. ↑ "StackPath". https://www.lightwaveonline.com/business/mergers-acquisitions/article/16673343/exfo-buys-ontology-systems-for-realtime-network-topology-discovery-and-servicechain-mapping.
24. ↑ "EXFO complète l'acquisition d'Astellia: d'un seul employé à plus de 2000 aujourd'hui" (in fr). 2018-02-28. https://www.lesoleil.com/affaires/exfo-complete-lacquisition-dastellia-dun-seul-employe-a-plus-de-2000-aujourdhui-4a4e9eabf17c0d94b6f6a7c19567dc61.
25. ↑ "Grande entrevue | Philippe Morin, PDG d'EXFO - Bien en selle pour l'arrivée du 5G" (in fr). 2018-03-20. https://www.lapresse.ca/affaires/201803/20/01-5157968-philippe-morin-pdg-dexfo-bien-en-selle-pour-larrivee-du-5g.php.
26. ↑ "O-RAN Alliance welcomes EXFO" (in en). 2019-02-25. https://www.fibre-systems.com/press-release/o-ran-alliance-welcomes-exfo.
27. ↑ "StackPath". https://www.lightwaveonline.com/business/mergers-acquisitions/article/14189786/exfo-completes-inopticals-acquisition.
28. ↑ "EXFO Completes Going-Private Transaction and Begins Delisting of Shares from TSX and NASDAQ" (Press release). CNW Group. August 27, 2021.

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