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[CONFORMED COPY]                                                    Exhibit 3.1a


                        STATEMENT WITH RESPECT TO SHARES
                                       of
                  SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
                                       of
                         TOLLGRADE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.

           (Pursuant to Section 1522 (c) of the Pennsylvania Business
                            Corporation Law of 1998)

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         In compliance with the requirements of Section 1522(c) of Pennsylvania
Business Corporation Law of 1988 (the "BCL"), Tollgrade Communications, Inc., a
corporation organized and existing under the BCL (the "Corporation"), hereby
certifies that:

         1. The name of the Corporation is Tollgrade Communications, Inc.

         2. The resolution ("Resolution") duly adopted by the Board of Directors
of the Corporation establishing and designating a series of the Corporation's
Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share, and fixing and determining the
relative rights and preferences thereof is as follows:

         RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in the
Board of Directors of this Corporation (hereinafter called the "Board of
Directors" or the "Board") in accordance with the provisions of the Amended and
Restated Articles of Incorporation, the Board of Directors hereby creates a
series of Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), of
the Corporation and hereby states the designation and number of shares, and
fixes the relative rights, preferences, and limitations thereof as follows:

         Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock:

         Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be
designated as "Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock" (the "Series A
Preferred Stock"), and the number of shares constituting the Series A Preferred
Stock shall be 100,000. Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by
resolution of the Board of Directors; provided, that no decrease shall reduce
the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to a number less than the
number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for
issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon
the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Corporation
convertible into Series A Preferred Stock.

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         Section 2. Dividends and Distributions.

         (A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series of
Preferred Stock (or any similar stock) ranking prior and superior to the Series
A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of Common Stock, par value $0.20
per share (the "Common Stock"), of the Corporation, and of any other junior
stock, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of
Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends
payable in cash on the first day of March, June, September and December in each
year (each such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first
issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, in an
amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $1 or
(b) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times the
aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times the aggregate
per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other
distributions, other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a
subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or
otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of
Series A Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare
or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or
effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares
of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend
in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common
Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (b)
of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.

         (B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the
Series A Preferred Stock as provided in subsection (A) of this Section
immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock
(other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the
event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock
during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $1 per share on the
Series A Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.

         (C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding
shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next
preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue of such



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shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date
of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders
of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend
and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such
dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date. Accrued by unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends
paid on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total
amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be
allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time
outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination
of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of
a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more
than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.

         Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Preferred
Stock shall have the following voting rights:

         (A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each
share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 100 votes
on all matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders of the Corporation. In
the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the
Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each
such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted
by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number
of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event
and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.

         (B) Except as otherwise provided herein, in any other Statement With
Respect to Shares creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, or
by law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of
shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation having
general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted
to a vote of shareholders of the Corporation.


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         (C) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by law,
holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and
their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to
vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate
action.

         Section 4. Certain Restrictions.

         (A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears,
thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether
or not declared, on shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have
been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:


                  (i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions,
         on any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
         liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred
         Stock;

                  (ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other
         distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to
         dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the
         Series A Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A
         Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are
         payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the
         holders of all such shares are then entitled;

                  (iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for
         consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to
         dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series
         A Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time
         redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock
         in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior
         (either as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up)
         to the Series A Preferred Stock; or

                  (iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
         any shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking
         on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock, except in accordance
         with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined
         by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such
         terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective
         annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the
         respective series and classes, shall determine in good faith will
         result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or
         classes.


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         (B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation
to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the
Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under subsection (A) of
this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in
such manner.


         Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Preferred Stock
purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever
shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such
shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of
Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of the same or a new series of
Preferred Stock subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth
herein, in the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, or in any other
Statement With Respect to Shares creating a series of Preferred Stock or any
similar stock or as otherwise required by law.

         Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall
be made (1) to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to
dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A
Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock shall have received $100 per share, plus an amount equal to
accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared,
to the date of such payment, provided that the holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share,
subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 100
times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares of
Common Stock, or (2) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the
Series A Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series A
Preferred Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to
which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation,
dissolution or winding up. In the event the Corporation shall at any time
declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by
payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number
of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which
holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to
such event under the proviso in clause (1) of the preceding sentence shall be
adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and
the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.

         Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall
enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which
the shares of Common combination or other transaction in which the shares of
Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash
and/or any other property, then in any such case each share of Series A



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Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed into an
amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
equal to 100 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any
other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which
each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged. In the event the Corporation
shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation
of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than
by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser
number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in
the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying much [sic] amount by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.

         Section 8. No Redemption. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall
not be redeemable.

         Section 9. Rank. Except as otherwise set forth in the Amended and
Restated Articles of Incorporation or in the Statement With Respect to Shares
creating another series of Preferred Stock or any other class or series of
stock, the Series A Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect to the payment of
dividends and the distribution of assets, junior to all other series of the
Corporation's Preferred Stock and to any other class or series of stock other
than the Common Stock, whether now existing or hereafter created.

         Section 10. Amendment. The Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation of the Corporation shall not be amended in any manner which would
materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the
Series A Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative
vote of a majority of the votes cast at a meeting of shareholders by the holders
of Series A Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class.

         3. (i) The aggregate number of shares of the Series A Preferred Stock
established and designated by the Resolution is 100,000; (ii) the number of
shares of stock which the Corporation has previously established and designated
pursuant to Section 1522 of the BCL or any corresponding provision of prior law
is hereby reduced to zero; and (iii) the aggregate number of shares authorized
under the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation is
35,000,000, of which 10,000,000 shares are Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per
share, issuable in one or more series, and 25,000,000 shares are Common Stock,
par value $0.20 per share.

         4. The Resolution was duly adopted at a meeting of the Board of
Directors of the Corporation duly called and held on July 23, 1996, at which
meeting a quorum was present and acted throughout.


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         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Statement with Respect to Shares is executed
on behalf of the Corporation by its Chief Executive Officer and attested by its
Secretary this 23rd day of July, 1996.


                                    /s/ Christian L. Allison  
                           ---------------------------------------------
                           Christian L. Allison, Chief Executive Officer


Attest:


      /s/ Sara M. Antol             
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Sara M. Antol, Secretary




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