PacketFront Unveils ASR 5000

WASHINGTON -- PacketFront, the pioneer in open-access broadband networking, has launched the first Network Processing Unit (NPU) -based advanced services router (ASR), providing unmatched performance and full support for coming functions being developed in the future. For the fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) access segment, this new way of designing broadband routers eliminates the need for expensive hardware upgrades. It also provides network owners with infinite flexibility to support new developments such as the applications, features, functions or standards that will be demanded or required in the future.

Intended for FTTH access and cost efficient broadband aggregation, the ASR 5000 secures the high-quality delivery of advanced and concurrent triple-play services to countless end users via a single broadband connection - provisioned automatically. This ASR supports virtually any application and its powerful design enables seamless software upgrades without compromising on performance - completely doing away with the need to predict and anticipate future service demands.

Until now, companies have been forced to invest heavily in hardware upgrades in order to cope with ever-changing network and service requirements. The financial and efficiency implications of this process are massive due to hardware exchange costs and the inevitable downtime during equipment switchover. Before the ASR 5000, access equipment would not allow for advances in features, standards and protocols, placing demands on the networking industry to make predictions about the future. The NPU-based design of the ASR 5000 makes advanced service personalization, identification, control and capitalization of peer-to-peer traffic, advanced measurement of multicast traffic and SLA monitoring a reality, and all software updates are made fully automated.

"Crystal-ball gazing is not a credible business strategy, but up until now the networking industry has had to make 'guestimates' about likely future services network equipment would need to support - and that hasn't always been beneficial for customers," said Martin Thunman, CEO of PacketFront. "Addressing that need, we've designed a broadband router offering network owners and service providers an endless scope of future services and applications, and the ability to offer end-users true choices. It's another step towards making the deployment of FTTH networks not simply a pie-in-the-sky notion, but a business critical choice."

PacketFront AB