AUGUST 10, 2009 -- Russian and Belarus telcos have begun deployment of EPON fiber networks with the support of EPON chip provider Teknovus (search Lightwave for Teknovus).
Premier Electric, a leading electronics distributor, is supporting Teknovus' EPON projects in Eastern Europe with communications equipment vendors including General Datacomm, Angstrem Telecom, and Mikst.
Broadband penetration in Russia is expected to grow from 18% in 2008 to more than 28% by year-end 2010. Many Eastern European telcos are following the EPON testing and deployment process adopted by China Telecom. Beginning in 2006, China Telecom began evaluations of PON technologies and today has more than 14 million EPON-based subscribers throughout the country (see "EPON suppliers await China's decision" for background). Russia and China share many similarities, such as strong subscriber demand for broadband networks and triple-play applications. In addition, both countries are using fiber networks to dramatically improve inadequate copper-based networks for greenfield and brownfield communities.
"Russian and Belarus communications equipment vendors are enabling their respective service providers to cost-effectively deploy fiber-based access networks," says Pavel Katlerov, marketing manager at Premier Electric. "Teknovus' EPON chips are carrier-grade with advanced optical and network monitoring capabilities. More than 30 million FTTX subscribers worldwide are enjoying the benefits of triple-play services while the telcos profit from lower opex, higher ARPU, and an EPON network that supports 1G/2.5G speeds today and 10G next year."
"We are delighted to announce wins in Russia and Belarus, with a combined population of more than 145 million people," says Paul Runcy, director of carrier marketing at Teknovus. "The Eastern European telcos and national governments understand the importance of high-speed fiber access communications for business and residential services and for national growth and prosperity."
Visit Teknovus
For more FTTH news and resources, visit the FTTX Resource Center