PARIS -- Broadband World Forum Europe -- Ericsson AB (Nasdaq: ERIC) has enlisted the help of Adtran Inc. (Nasdaq: ADTN) to help flesh out the portfolio it can deliver into AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T)'s fixed broadband access network, Light Reading has learned.

Late last week AT&T unveiled its "Domain Supplier" program, a new supply chain initiative that will see the operator choose just two key vendor partners in each of an unspecified number of technical domains. AT&T stated that its chosen vendor partners would need to forge relationships with third-party technology suppliers to help meet the carrier's network rollout needs. (See AT&T Unveils Domain Supplier Strategy.)

Then Ericsson announced Monday that it has been chosen as one of AT&T's two supplier vendors for Wireline Access, which "includes technologies such as IP/DSLAM and FTTx." (See BBWF: Ericsson Enters AT&T's GPON Domain.)

And to help make sure it has all the DSL equipment capabilities AT&T might need, Ericsson has enlisted Adtran, an existing AT&T technology supplier, as a partner, specifically for the specialist vendor's remote DSLAM products.

Robert Conger, product manager at Adtran's carrier networks division, tells Light Reading on the show floor here that the relationship centers around his company's Total Access 1100 sealed DSLAM and Total Access 1200 single RU (pizza box) remote DSLAM product lines, both of which include copper-fed and fiber-fed models.

Conger says this isn't the first time Adtran has worked with Ericsson, but is the first time the relationship has involved the integration of Adtran products under a common management system. He adds that Ericsson is able to deliver systems integration and managed services capabilities alongside Adtran's gear "that we couldn't deliver ourselves. But we have the product and technology expertise -- it's a win-win situation."

He also notes that Adtran's existing direct relationship with AT&T will "continue as normal -– that isn't affected" by this new relationship, stresses Conger. (See Adtran Scores at AT&T.)

Some industry analysts had expressed concern that AT&T's new technology sourcing strategy might "complicate business" for some of the smaller, more specialist vendors: Adtran, at least, appears to have found some protection for at least part of its business. (See Analyst: New AT&T Policy Puts Vendors at Risk.)

— Ray Le Maistre, International News Editor, Light Reading