Windstream announced it has selected Ciena to modernize its fiber-to-the-tower (FTTT) infrastructure. Leveraging Ciena’s products, the upgrade will enable Windstream to rapidly scale bandwidth for wireless backhaul services while also expanding its wholesale product service offerings, the operator says.
As noted by a Windstream statement:
As wireless providers are beginning to order 10G ports at the towers and 100G handoffs at the Mobile Telephone Switching Office, backhaul network providers are upgrading their infrastructure to accommodate Mobile Network Operators’ (MNOs) increased bandwidth demands. With this deployment, Windstream will have the ability to deliver multi-Gbps network-protected connections across many cities, which will help improve the reliability of the network and the customer experience.
“Network reliability is paramount to our wireless backhaul customers. Ciena’s next-generation SAOS software and Packet Networking portfolio, along with our topology and protocol designs, are enabling us to provide a world class, state-of-the-art mobile backhaul infrastructure with tightly integrated service orchestration,” commented Buddy Bayer, Chief Network Officer, Windstream.
Windstream says it will will take the lead to address the demands for high-bandwidth services across its network and easily scale to support more connectivity demands using Ciena’s 3928 and 5170 Platforms. Future services, like 5G mobile backhaul, can be deployed on this same infrastructure.
Additionally, Ciena’s Manage, Control and Plan (MCP) domain controller will provide Windstream with comprehensive network management and interactive interfaces for its Software-Defined Network (SDN) network orchestration platforms.
“Our unique approach in building networks that are automated, adaptive and open is a key-enabler in Windstream’s ability to deliver reliable, high-bandwidth, and high-capacity services to meet the current needs of its customers, while also preparing for the next-generation of innovative, 5G applications,” concluded Kevin Sheehan, Chief Technology Officer of the Americas, Ciena.
For more information, visit www.windstream.com and www.ciena.com.