Zhone Technologies announced that Etisalat, an integrated
service provider in the Middle East, is utilizing Zhone’s MXK intelligent
terabit access concentrator to backhaul its mobile data traffic, including
traffic from its most recent LTE deployment.
Etisalat will use Zhone’s flagship MXK solution and Zhone
FiberCell portfolio as part of its efforts to enable a 1 Gigabit Ethernet (GE)
link to each LTE mobile radio base station (RBS) as it completes a major
network expansion and transitions to advanced 4G wireless service throughout
the UAE.
Leveraging the Zhone Gigabit Passive Optical Network
(GPON) MXK platforms currently deployed throughout the UAE in support of
Etisalat’s existing FTTH based multi-play services, Etisalat will be able to
transition its existing circuit-based backhaul to next generation fiber
backhaul with minimal infrastructure overlay.
Zhone’s FTTx solution gives us unprecedented
flexibility, scalability, robust network control and the ability to offer more
bandwidth to customers with greater efficiency,” said Esmaeel Al-Hammadi, vice
president of fixed access and radio networks, Etisalat.
Now, we are able to efficiently offload LTE services and
provide efficient mobile backhaul utilizing our existing nationwide FTTH
network. By utilizing our existing FTTH infrastructure for mobile backhaul,
Zhone was able to help us quickly and cost-effectively launch LTE services at
full bandwidth capacity and maximum Gigabit Ethernet line speed nationwide,”
added Hammadi.
Striving to offer 4G mobile services to its subscribers,
Etisalat successfully completed its own pilot LTE backhaul trial using Zhone’s
MXK system. The convergence of existing mobile and fixed FTTH networks allowed
Etisalat to offer higher backhaul capacity using the Zhone MXK access systems already
in place. Etisalat was able to minimize its overall network investment for
backhaul services and achieve unprecedented mobile bandwidth capacity.
The MXK platform is designed specifically for all-IP
networks and intelligent traffic management of massive amounts of bandwidth,”
said Brian Caskey, chief marketing officer, Zhone.
Etisalat’s use of the MXK for mobile backhaul is a model
application of the system’s expanded capabilities and sets a new benchmark for
Zhone’s ability to deliver scalable, manageable and service-rich network
solutions. Ultimately, we’ve enabled Etisalat to maximize the capital expenses
of its existing national FTTH infrastructure to improve network quality of
service, speed and overall network capabilities without significant additional
investment,” Caskey added.
The MXK’s ability to support both Active Ethernet and
GPON simultaneously has enabled Etisalat to configure its networks with maximum
flexibility and efficiency. With advanced bandwidth intensive applications
growing rapidly and the need for fiber based backhaul to support the additional
bandwidth demand being critical, Zhone FiberCell solution provides network
reliability in a high-performance solution designed specifically for operators’
current 3G and 4G backhaul needs.
As a result of the long-term investment in fixed-access
FTTH, Etisalat will continue extending the Zhone FiberCell solution to its LTE
sites with the benefits of reduced deployment costs and efficient time to
market.
To date, Zhone has deployed over 2,000 of its fully
redundant, carrier-grade all-IP MXK platforms with more than 150 service
providers in more than 40 countries globally. Zhone’s MXK platform is a fully
redundant, carrier-grade all-IP platform and the industry’s first terabit
access concentrator. Featuring industry-leading density, scalability and
switching capacity, the MXK provides non-blocking capacity of up to 3,600 100
Mbps GPON subscribers or 360 1G Active Ethernet subscribers.
Recently, Zhone Technologies announced the launch of
the MXK 194 and MXK 198 platforms, new high-density 1U form-factor Gigabit
Passive Optical Network (GPON) Optical Line Terminal (OLTs), as an expansion of
the industry-leading MXK OLT portfolio.
By Telecomlead.com Team
