September 30, 2008

BBWFE: Nortel Launches New Ethernet Access Solution

Nortel and LG-Nortel are introducing a new Ethernet Access solution to help service providers prevent bandwidth bottlenecks in the critical "first mile" of their networks. This will allow for faster and more reliable delivery of data between high-speed core networks and individual user access points. The Ethernet Access technology was developed by LG-Nortel, a joint venture of LG Electronics and Nortel.

Designed to clear up first mile network traffic jams, caused by bandwidth-hungry applications such as HD video, Nortel's Ethernet Access solution is one of the industry's first to use Wave Division Multiplexing Passive Optical Network (WDM-PON) architecture. This technology makes it possible to divide a single optical fiber into multiple wavelengths, each capable of carrying the same bandwidth that previously required an entire fiber. The approach powers the Internet to ultra-fast speeds to the first mile by giving each user their own wavelength delivering dedicated bandwidth straight to their home or business.

The dedicated bandwidth in Nortel's Ethernet Access solution provides network users with more security over connections which are always available, and never stalled or slowed down by other traffic on the network. The solution also offers service provider future benefits with a foundation for moving forward, starting with speeds of 100 Mbps and easily scalable to add more bandwidth for future needs without having to change the infrastructure.

In the hyperconnected world, where the number and types of devices connected to networks is outpacing the number of people using them, consumers want to access such bandwidth-hungry services as HD video on demand quickly, without waiting hours for a download to complete. Today's networks often fall short in supporting these major demands for bandwidth because the first mile connection from the network core to a user's home or business is shared among many different users, causing network traffic jams, security issues and serious slowing of upload and download speeds, especially at certain times of day when Internet traffic is heavy.

"Think of the network's bandwidth traffic as millions of cars on an ultra-fast highway," said Peter MacKinnon , president and chairman, LG-Nortel. "Today, many 'cars' get stuck in traffic jams on access ramps as they travel that first mile to enter the highway or as they travel to their final destination. Nortel's Ethernet Access solution gives each car its own off and on ramp by dedicating a single wavelength for each user. The solution is fast and secure because it is not shared with anyone else."

Nortel's WDM-PON Ethernet Access solution offers operators a competitive edge over those using other PON technologies by allowing them to accelerate the deployment of fiber-to-the-home and fiber-to-the-building with a simple engineering and deployment model. The network performance is also symmetrical meaning that both the upload and download speeds are the same so it can effectively support multimedia applications like video-calling. This allows operators to broaden their portfolios and offer innovative new services that could result in increased Average Revenue Per User and greater customer loyalty.

Also announced today, Netherlands based service provider, UNET is using Nortel's Ethernet Access solution to deliver fiber to homes and businesses across the country to support bandwidth hogging applications such as IPTV – particularly HDTV – and emerging applications such as multimedia conferencing, and even online karaoke sessions.

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