Ethernet Vendors Tilt at Windstream

Hatteras Networks Inc. can proudly claim it's been picked by Windstream, a big name among Tier 2 U.S. carriers. But Actelis Networks Inc. is quick to point out that it's still got a foothold there.

Hatteras announced Monday that Windstream will be using a barrage of equipment including the new HN6100. That system takes Hatteras beyond Ethernet over bonded copper, to technologies like Ethernet over Sonet. Eventually, it will even sport fiber interfaces. (See Windstream Deploys Hatteras, Hatteras Intros HN6100, and Ethernet News: The Urge to Converge.)

Having the extra interfaces on the HN6100 was a factor, as Windstream previously used different vendors for Ethernet-over-copper and Ethernet-over-TDM, says Vijay Raman, Hatteras's vice president of marketing.

One of those vendors had been Actelis, since 2007. (See Windstream Picks Actelis.) Actelis senior vice president of sales Joe Manuele says the company is still in Windstream's good graces.

"I won't deny Hatteras made the podium, but they definitely didn't win the gold," Manuele says. "This is not uncommon of large network deployments: As the service starts to get to a certain size, a carrier will go to a second source."

Windstream wanted to use Hatteras's gear in certain scenarios but wasn't unhappy with Actelis, Manuele claims. Hatteras can still be happy about the win, of course. Raman is quick to point out that the HN6100, launched in October, nailed a customer this big this quickly. Windstream's network covers 21 states and has been growing. (See Windstream to Acquire Iowa Telecom.)

He notes that in addition to the flexible interfaces of the HN6100, Windstream was attracted by the way Hatteras gear allows fast provisioning of Ethernet services. Customer premises equipment, for example, connects to the central office automatically (assuming the central office uses Hatteras gear) and configures itself.

Windstream's primary focus with Hatteras will be "new build-outs, but at the same time we're looking at other possibilities," Raman says. Windstream also intends to use the rest of Hatteras's portfolio, including repeaters, customer premises gear, and demarcation devices.

— Craig Matsumoto, West Coast Editor, Light Reading

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