Zhone Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZHNE), which provides FTTx network access equipment, says it has expanded its relationship with Velocity Network and Velocity.Net Communications Inc., an Internet service provider (ISP) and competitive access provider (CAP) in northwest Pennsylvania. Velocity says its business customers will benefit from the expansion through increased scalability and network flexibility of Zhone’s MXK platform.
Velocity has offered high-speed Internet access to thousands of local businesses and residential customers in northwestern Pennsylvania since 1996. In July 2011, Velocity deployed Zhone’s MXK as its multi-service access product for business VoIP and high speed Ethernet-over-copper services in Erie, PA. With Zhone’s MALC multi-service platform already deployed in its network, Velocity needed a service that would interoperate with the existing network without any negative side-effects.
Velocity plans to offer a wide range of advanced services to its customers. Zhone’s MXK is currently deployed and supports asymmetrical digital subscriber line (ADSL2+) and symmetrical high bitrate digital subscriber line Ethernet in the first mile (SHDSL-EFM) services in Velocity’s network.
“Flexibility and performance were critical elements in our decision process for the access platform,” noted Matt Wiertel, director of business development, Velocity. “Zhone offers the most flexibility with its fiber and copper cards, and we have been extremely pleased with the performance of our existing MALC. With the addition of the MXK, we will be able to serve a larger segment of the Erie region and offer increased bandwidth to our commercial clients.”
The density offered by Zhone’s eight-port GPON cards within a very small footprint appealed to Velocity. The MXK’s 460 Gbps backplane, 28 Gbps uplinks and Terabit switching capacity were additional factors in its ultimate decision as Velocity looked to expand their network.
For more information on FTTx equipment and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyers Guide.