Telecom Lead Asia: FiberLight, a provider of fiber optic networks, has deployed Ciena’s packet networking solutions to build mobile backhaul networks for two U.S. wireless operators.

The new mobile backhaul networks will bring fiber to more than 450 cell towers and provide customers with 100Mb/s connectivity at each tower, with the option to scale to 1Gb/s.

“Ciena’s packet networking portfolio helps create scalable networks that are built for speed, agility and assurance. FiberLight was no exception, and was able to quickly have its cell sites up and running to provide the mobile backhaul support to satisfy their customers’ needs,” said Chad Whalen, vice president and general manager, North America Field Operations, Ciena.

At present, FiberLight’s $1 billion plus, 500,000 fiber-mile network serves 40 of the top 50 highest bandwidth users in the U.S. and spans Georgia, Texas, Florida, Maryland and Washington, D.C.

Ciena’s packet networking solutions will support two major initiatives for FiberLight, helping its mobile operator customers replace strained legacy T1 and microwave connections by bringing fiber to nearly 450 cell towers.

FiberLight is leveraging Ciena’s 5410 and 5150 Service Aggregation Switches, as well as Ciena’s 3930, 3931 and 3960 Service Delivery Switches –with subtending G.8032 Ethernet rings to provide increased network scalability and protection of services.

In West Texas, FiberLight is building a dedicated, fiber-optic backhaul network for a top tier LTE wireless provider that immediately needed to increase bandwidth at each tower to 100 Mb/s, with the option to scale up rapidly in the future. The solution is being built on 3,300 miles of new route fiber and will be powered by Ciena’s 3900 Family of packet networking products at the network edge.

To support another major top tier U.S. wireless operator, FiberLight will utilize Ciena solutions in replacing the T1 and microwave towers with a fiber-optic backhaul network. The deployment will provide Ethernet connectivity at 200 cell towers in Texas, Washington, Maryland and Florida; and seamlessly connect towers with six major aggregation sites.

The deployment is being delivered in three phases, with all towers planned to be connected by the end of 2012.

“By deploying Ciena’s packet networking infrastructure at the vast majority of towers we serve, we are enabling our customers to quickly scale from 100Mb/s to 1Gb/s per tower, eliminate bandwidth restrictions and reduce the potential for data bottlenecks,” said Andrew Stravelli, vice president Network Engineering, FiberLight.

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