LAS VEGAS -- BTI Photonic Systems Inc., a global supplier of WDM optical networking solutions for the build-out of new broadband services at the Metro Edge, announced today the availability of its next generation Netstender 2060 platform which is expandable to 24 service slots with in-service expansion to meet requirements for economical bandwidth capacity growth for the Metro Edge and Regional markets.

Economical Build-out of New Broadband Services at the Metro Edge Continuing its leadership role at the Metro Edge, BTI is delivering the first truly scaleable product for the edge. The Netstender 2060 now supports an expandable architecture allowing carriers to grow from 6 to 24 service slots seamlessly and cost-effectively as broadband service penetration rates increase. The next generation 2060, featuring an expandable architecture, is fully compatible with the field population of Netstender 2060s through an in-service system processor upgrade.

"Our customers are looking for a thin WDM solution up front that offers economical optical connectivity at the edge in a small form factor, and that is simple to deploy and manage right out of the box," said Lance Laking, President and CEO of BTI Photonic Systems. "Unlike metro core builds, customers rely on an incremental capacity strategy at the edge."

Network operators, explains Laking, require an architecture that enables new service delivery on a thin WDM model with an option to scale network capacity where and when it's required based on user adoption. "It is common sense economics - we're succeeding at our job when we can maximize our customers ROI as they roll out broadband services."

"With increasing adoption of IPTV, WiMax and 3G globally, we are seeing an increase in traffic capacity at the Edge that is migrating to Ethernet," said Scott Clavenna, Chief Analyst at Heavy Reading. "WDM is now emerging as an economical option for Ethernet overlays for carriers to build out and scale their infrastructure at the broadband edge."

BTI Systems Inc.