LIVERMORE, Calif. -- Alloptic, Inc., a pioneer in the development and deployment of passive optical networks (PONs), today announced key relationships with communication services providers Knology, Inc., and Hargray. Having deployed Alloptic's Ethernet PON (EPON)-based solution in 2001, South Carolina-based Hargray and Georgia-based Knology have leveraged the bandwidth, reliability and ease-of-use of Alloptic's equipment to offer cable TV, high-speed Internet access, and local and long distance digital telephone service with enhanced voice messaging features to thousands of customers over fiber optic facilities. As early adopters of EPON technology, Hargray and Knology have exploited the competitive advantage of a flexible, low-maintenance and cost-effective access network in their business operations.

Hargray, which serves South Carolina and southeastern Georgia, deployed the world's first commercial FTTH (fiber-to-the-home) EPON in Bluffton, SC. In evaluating Alloptic's homeGEAR(TM) 1000 equipment to offer its residential customers the full range of phone, video and Internet access services, Hargray was instrumental in Alloptic's product evolution for the telecommunications service provider marketplace.

"As one of Alloptic's lead customers, we were able to provide specific input on our requirements and help define some of the characteristics of the Alloptic PON products," said Joe Scruggs, chief technology officer of Hargray. "For example, we had evaluated supplier equipment that was not ruggedized for field deployment, and we needed an ONU, or optical networking unit, that could be readily mounted outside of the customer's premises without compromising the high degree of reliability demanded in such installations. That hardened configuration became one of the standard features of the Alloptic ONU, and we believe they're still the only one in the industry with that capability."

Knology, Inc., a leading provider of telephone, cable TV and high-speed Internet services in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee, has deployed EPON-based FTTB (fiber-to-the-business) services within seven cities. Alloptic's attention to the business market and its ability to natively handle true TDM service were the winning factors in Knology's decision to deploy Alloptic gear. Knology continues to expand into new markets and service offerings from T1 service to the full triple-play.

"When we looked at suppliers to help us expand our service offering, we needed a company that could give us an extended reach and a market migration path," said Dr. Richard Luke, Knology Chief Technical Officer. "EPON turned out to be the technology, and Alloptic the supplier, because they offered everything we needed, along with unsurpassed support."

"Our relationships with both Hargray and Knology have been instrumental in Alloptic's evolution," said Michael Moone, president and CEO of Alloptic. "Hargray has validated Alloptic's FTTH solution and demonstrated that customer demand for services requires FTTH. Knology, on the other hand, has leveraged Alloptic's FTTB solutions to meet the bandwidth needs of today's businesses. Through our relationships with these companies, we have developed the broadest array of optical networking units on the market, allowing our customers to serve the home, business and MDU market segments from a single platform with a single management system."

Now deployed at locations worldwide, Alloptic's Gigabit EPON has a robust architecture that supports both business and residential services. As the industry's first Gigabit EPON, Alloptic's product line delivers data, TDM and IP voice, and RF and IP video services over a converged, high-density, ultra-high-speed platform. The products encompass a central office chassis and a complete family of ONUs that meet the needs of a wide range of FTTP (fiber-to-the-premises) applications. Incorporating units for residences, businesses and multi-dwelling units, this single system allows service operators to deliver the full range of broadband services to their entire base of customers.

Alloptic Inc.