Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) says it is supplying its 7302 Intelligent Services Access Manager (ISAM) to Swisscom to enable the Swiss Tier 1 to deliver 1-Gbps services via fiber to the home (FTTH) to a million households (see “Swisscom FTTx plans include 1-Gbps services”).

The PON systems support an overall upgrade of Swisscom’s FTTH infrastructure that the carrier expects will connect a third of Swiss households by 2015. Overall, Swisscom plans to provide “ultra-broadband” services to 85% of Switzerland’s homes and businesses by 2020 via a combination of FTTx approaches. The carrier began marketing the 1-Gbps services to customers late last year (see "Swisscom launches 1-Gbps broadband services").

"In order to meet customer demand for increased speed and reinforce Swisscom's position as market leader we knew we needed a solution that could maximize the performance of our existing infrastructure for the delivery of ultra-broadband while also creating a foundation for future growth and higher speeds,” said Heinz Herren, CIO and CTO of Swisscom. “Alcatel-Lucent's technology is a key element of the solution that accomplishes both of these goals."

In addition to the PON gear, Swisscom also will leverage professional services from Alcatel-Lucent for the rollout and integration of the FTTH network.

"As a leader in supplying both fiber and copper broadband technologies, Alcatel-Lucent is uniquely qualified to help Swisscom find the right balance between the two to meet their business objectives,” added Luis Martinez Amago, president, Alcatel-Lucent Europe, Middle East & Africa. “Swisscom understands that Alcatel-Lucent's ISAM solution is the best to meet immediate demand for the highest possible speeds for the most people while laying the foundation for higher speeds and a broader customer base in the future."

For more information on FTTx equipment and services, visit the Lightwave Buyer’s Guide.