Allied Telesyn launches 'triple-play' (voice, video, and data) DSLAMs as the opening salvo in its new carrier-grade Ethernet initiative

June 23, 2003

6 Min Read

BOTHELL, Wash. -- Allied Telesyn, a global leader in Ethernet networking solutions for the access edge, today announced Carrier Grade Ethernet, a comprehensive program for extending its leadership into service provider and carrier markets. As the first initiative under this program, Allied Telesyn is rolling out a line of end-to-end products to support delivery of "triple play" services (voice, video, and data) over existing copper infrastructure, starting with its new 7000 series digital subscriber line access multiplexers (DSLAMs). (See Allied Telesyn Announces "Triple Play" DSLAMs, also released today.)

"Carriers and service providers are looking toward IP and Ethernet technologies to increase their service capabilities while reducing costs," said Howard Kamerer, COO of Allied Telesyn. "With our Carrier Grade Ethernet program, we are leveraging more than 15 years of experience in these technologies to deliver a comprehensive line of products and services that allows carriers to deliver voice, video, and data from the network to the customer premise."

Since its founding in 1987, Allied Telesyn's strategy has been to enter markets in which standards have been broadly accepted, and where the company can gain substantial market share by offering technically advanced yet cost-effective products. This strategy has made Allied Telesyn the number four vendor of Ethernet networking equipment worldwide, and has driven steady increases in revenues and profits for the past twelve years, to a record $515 million in 2002. The Carrier Grade Ethernet initiative extends this strategy with a focus on the application-specific product and support needs of carriers who want compelling end-to-end solutions from large, established vendors. The company plans to offer a complete lineup of carrier-grade products and services starting in the second quarter of 2003, beginning with a family of video-optimized, IP-based DSLAMs that deliver triple play services.

"Ethernet has been the most cost-effective, scaleable, and reliable technology for local area networking over the past twenty plus years, and these same qualities are now pushing Ethernet into the carrier marketplace," said Michael Kennedy, Ph.D., co-founder of Network Strategy Partners. "Allied Telesyn is one of the oldest and largest Ethernet equipment vendors, and with its technology, manufacturing, service, and support capabilities, it will be a strong competitor."

To support its Carrier Grade Ethernet program, Allied Telesyn is leveraging advanced R&D facilities in the United States, New Zealand, and Japan. Most recently, the company built a new R&D facility in Raleigh, North Carolina, which houses more than 120 engineers with technology backgrounds from companies like Alcatel, Nortel Networks and Cisco Systems. Allied Telesyn operates its own ISO 9001-certified manufacturing plants in Asia to ensure consistent supplies of quality products.

With these resources, Allied Telesyn plans to roll out a full lineup of end-to-end products for carrier access infrastructure, including customer premise gateways, access platforms, broadband delivery systems, and a comprehensive network management system. The company is first focusing on video-optimized products that meet true carrier standards for reliability, performance, management, and interoperability. While triple play services are Allied Telesyn's initial focus, however, the company will be announcing product strategies for additional carrier applications later this year and next year.

Through its Triple Play Alliance program, Allied Telesyn ensures that carriers have access to best-of-breed products that round out their triple play infrastructure. Current partners include Myrio, Minerva Networks, Net Insight, Tut Systems, and RCA. These partner solutions have been rigorously tested for full interoperability with Allied Telesyn's DSLAMs, and the Triple Play Alliance's engineering teams have the expertise to ensure rapid and trouble-free deployments.

In a separate release:

Allied Telesyn, a global leader in simple and reliable Ethernet networking solutions for the access edge, today announced its 7000 Series next-generation digital subscriber line access multiplexers (DSLAMs). Based on IP and Ethernet and specifically designed to deliver video, voice, and data over a single broadband connection, the new 7700 and 7400 DSLAMs make triple play services economically viable for carriers everywhere.

"We see triple play infrastructure as a long-term, strategic opportunity where our leadership in IP and Ethernet systems give us a strong advantage," said Howard Kamerer, COO of Allied Telesyn. "IP and Ethernet are a far more flexible and cost-effective means of delivering advanced services, and the 7000 Series DSLAMs leverage them to make triple play services a profitable reality for carriers. In the coming months, we will be releasing a complete line of products that support high-performance, cost-effective distribution of voice, data, and video services from the network to the customer premises."

Optimized for profitable delivery of video over ADSL, the new 7000 series next-generation DSLAMs can support up to 512 video channels. They are available immediately and are already in deployment at Midwest TelNet, a consortium of independent telephone operating companies (IOCs) in Wisconsin that services 22,000 subscribers; and at Matanuska Telephone Association (MTA), a full-service communications cooperative headquartered in Palmer, Alaska with a service area that covers nearly 10,000 square miles in South Central Alaska, including Denali National Park.

Independent Operating Companies (IOCs) have been hungry for triple play capabilities because they are facing declining voice revenues along with increased data service competition from cable and satellite operators. By offering triple play services over existing copper customer connections, these IOCs will gain a key weapon in the battle to retain customers.

Until now, however, DSLAMs have either lacked the capabilities to support broadband video, or they have been so expensive to deploy that carriers can't profit with them. With its new 7700 and 7400 next-generation DSLAMs, Allied Telesyn is the first company to offer DSLAMs that leverage the low operating costs of IP and Ethernet while delivering the high video distribution performance and customer density required to make triple play services profitable.

"ATM-based DSLAMs have proven too costly and cumbersome for video deployments, and IOCs are all looking toward IP-based solutions to make triple play a reality," said Deb Mielke, principal at Treillage Network Strategies, Inc. "Allied Telesyn has strong Ethernet and IP capabilities, in-house manufacturing, and a global service organization, so they're a natural leader as the market moves toward IP video."

"Allied Telesyn's IP-based DSLAMs give us the flexibility we need to meet our customer satisfaction and revenue goals, and they're a great company to work with," said Bryan Campbell, network engineer with Steelville Telephone. "Our vendor relationship with Allied Telesyn is one of the best we have ever had."

The 7700 and 7400 DSLAMs are carrier-grade platforms that support IP multicasting of up to 512 channels, IP QoS, auto provisioning, and the theft prevention and debugging features that are essential to profitable IP video delivery. Both units are NEBS 3 compliant, and feature a redundant switch fabric and power supplies plus hot-pluggable service modules that support any service in any slot in either chassis. Available service modules include an 8-port ADSL module with integral splitters and a 16-port module without splitters.

The 7700 DSLAM is a 17-slot, 9-RU chassis designed for central offices. It supports from 8 to 272 subscribers. The 7400 DSLAM is a 7-slot, 3-RU, environmentally hardened chassis designed for small serving offices or remote terminals. It supports from 8 to 112 subscribers. Both units feature complete in-band or out-of-band management via SNMP, Telnet or CLI.

Allied Telesyn Inc.

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