Acterna selected by Ireland's e-net for fiber network testing
May 12, 2005 Germantown, MD and Limerick, Ireland -- Acterna, a provider of test and management platforms for broadband communications, has announced that e-net, the Managed Service Entity (MSE) charged by the government of Ireland with providing broadband services to all regions of that country, has purchased Acterna's Optical Network Management System (ONMS) to monitor the quality of service of the MSE's backbone, metro, and fiber access networks.
According to a press release, the purchase agreement includes options for future service level agreement and network support. The MSE says it selected the system because it enables real-time service, test, and performance monitoring over active/live fiber, for improved quality of broadband service. The MSE says the system also helps reduce time and costs associated with network troubleshooting, operation, and maintenance, while providing automatic operation and maintenance.
"As MSEs like e-net provide broadband services to the market, they must be prepared for the challenges associated with deploying new networks that can provide those services. This requires greater efficiency not just within the last mile, but throughout the fiber networks interlacing with other systems inside and outside the country," notes Enzo di Luigi, general manager for Acterna's fiber division. "Deploying the Acterna ONMS allows e-net to confront head-on the capacity challenges associated with network deployment."
The MSE says its purchase of the system comes during a critical period in the Irish broadband services market. According to the release, in an effort to expand the availability of enhanced broadband services outside the Dublin area, the government of Ireland has invested EUR 70 million in order to build a metro area network (MAN)-based broadband services platform around 27 cities and towns, in order to make fiber, duct, sub-duct, and co-location facilities available to telecom service providers and carriers.
The 27 MAN centers include the municipalities of Athlone, Ballina/Kiltimagh, Carlow, Carrick-on-Shannon, Carrickmacross, Cavan, Clonmel, Cork City, Dundalk, Drogheda, Dungarvan, Galway City, Gweedore, Kingscourt, Kilkenny, Letterkenny, Limerick City, Manorhamilton, Monaghan, Mullingar, Portlaoise, Roscommon, Sligo, Tullamore, Waterford City, and Wexford.
According to the release, the next phase of the government's broadband services roll-out program will provide a further 35 MAN centers, in the towns of Athenry, Ballinasloe, Ballybofey/Stranolar, Bantry, Blarney, Carrigaline, Castleisland, Castlerea, Claremorris, Clifden, Clones, Cobh, Dingle, Furbo, Kenmare, Kildare, Killarney, Kinsale, Listowel, Longford, Maynooth, Midleton, Mitchelstown, Navan, Nenagh, Newbridge, Passage West, Rathangan, Ringaskiddy, Sallins, Skibereen, Tralee, Tramore, Trim, and Youghal.