Alcatel-Lucent brings ultra-broadband to any subscriber with new “fiber-to-the-distribution point” micro-nodes

· New VDSL2 vectoring micro-nodes allow service providers to intelligently combine fiber and VDSL2 vectoring to bring ultra-broadband fixed access to more users, more quickly.

· Small, customizable, fiber-fed micro-nodes can be discretely deployed deep into the network almost anywhere – on telephone poles, in manholes, in buildings, and any other “fiber-to-the-distribution point” (FTTdp) location – to deliver ultra-fast broadband with no need to enter the customer’s home.

· Micro-nodes extend Alcatel-Lucent’s portfolio, which now provides a full range of Ultra-Broadband solutions, from FTTN to FTTH and any FTTx in between – enabling service providers to bring ultra-broadband to any subscriber in the most cost-effective way. Micro-nodes can be customized to meet specific service provider requirements.

· Bell Labs consulting and professional services offer business case and project life-cycle support to help operators optimize deployments.

Alcatel-Lucent is today launching a range of fixed access micro-nodes that allow service providers to intelligently combine fiber and VDSL2 vectoring to bring ultra-broadband fixed access to more users, more quickly.

Every community is unique. But the one thing they all have in common is the ever rising demand for bandwidth. In order to deliver ultra-broadband services to more people in a rapid and cost-effective way, service providers need a smart and flexible approach. And they want one that will work now but also serve them and their customers into the future.

Alcatel-Lucent micro-nodes are the missing link between fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and fiber-to-the-node (FTTN), providing a cost-efficient solution for ultra-broadband in locations where other options are simply not economical. FTTH requires entering the home, which can be expensive and time-consuming; and VDSL2 cabinets with vectoring become expensive if you only need to serve a small pocket of users.

Small and unobtrusive, micro-nodes can be fixed on walls or poles, in cellars, sewers, and any other “fiber-to-the-distribution point” (FTTdp) location that is conveniently close to the end-user and cost-effective for the service provider. Micro-nodes use VDSL2 vectoring to deliver ultra-fast broadband speeds up to 100 megabits-per-second (Mbps) and beyond.

With Alcatel-Lucent’s full range of ultra-broadband solutions based on fiber and VDSL2 vectoring, service providers can seamlessly mix and match different technologies and deployment models to deliver ultra-broadband service to any user, in a rapid and cost-effective way.

Micro-node products

To provide enough options to service providers, Alcatel-Lucent’s range of micro-nodes covers 192, 48, 16, or even a single subscriber. These micro-nodes are very flexible, giving a choice of powering options (remote or reverse), uplinks (GPON or GE), mounting, and service ports.

The following products are now part of Alcatel-Lucent’s fixed ultra-broadband portfolio.

· 7367 ISAM SX-48V with 48 VDSL2 vectoring ports

· 7367 ISAM SX-16V with 16 VDSL2 vectoring ports

· 7368 ISAM ONT G-010V with 1 VDSL2 port

· 7363 ISAM MX-6: a compact modular system (with 6 mini linecards) supporting up to 192 VDSL2 vectoring ports. In addition, xDSL, POTS, and P2P fiber are also supported

As well as their small footprint for easy and unobtrusive deployment, micro-nodes offer many other advantages. They can be passively cooled (and thus absolutely silent), they can be powered remotely so there is no need for local power, and they don’t require building permits or lengthy approval processes to deploy them.

Customization to address unique deployment challenges

Every deep-fiber deployment is unique: requirements vary wildly once nodes become smaller and move closer to the end-user. Alcatel-Lucent has established the “Micro-node Custom Configuration” (MC2) program to enable service providers to tailor the micro-nodes to their exact deployment and business case requirements. Form-factor, look and feel, environmental and other requirements can all be customized.

Bell Labs consulting and professional services

Building an ultra-broadband infrastructure represents a significant investment, so it’s important to get it first time right. Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs consulting services help service providers build and optimize the business case for ultra-broadband, and assist in selecting the right mix of deployment models and technologies to connect subscribers in the most cost-effective way. Alcatel-Lucent professional services teams assist in the roll-out – from complete project lifecycle support, to specific aspects like engineering, site selection, integration, installation, or maintenance.

Federico Guillén, President of Alcatel-Lucent’s Fixed Networks business.

“Alcatel-Lucent micro-nodes are the missing link between fiber-to-the-home and fiber-to-the-node, providing a cost-efficient solution for ultra-broadband in locations where other options are simply not economical.”