RAD's FDSL-101 transparently extends DSL lines over fibre

- Solution reduces need to deploy under-tilised DSLAMs

13 January 2003 -- At CeBIT 2003, RAD Data Communications will launch the FDSL-101, its new Fibre DSL extender, which allows DSL lines to be extended transparently up to 20km from the central office over fibre.

"Carriers would like to provide the highest data rates to as many DSL customers as possible, but there is a trade-off between rate and range, so that high rate services can be provided only to a limited distance, while remote customers currently receive either a low bit rate or no service at all," says Avi Katz, Senior Product Line Manager.

Copper infrastructure restricts the delivery of high rates to 300m for VDSL at a data rate of 52Mbit/s to 5.5km for SHDSL at a data rate of 2.3Mbit/s. "In order to provide high speed services, such as video on demand or TV, the distance has to be shortened between the customer and the service provider. The FDSL-101 DSL-over-fibre extender does that by increasing DSL's range, enabling high speed services to reach further."

The FDSL solution takes advantage of existing DSLAMs at the carrier's central office. The FDSL-101 yields immediate savings on capital expenses by freeing carriers from having to purchase additional DSLAMs.

"In extending DSL's range without having to deploy additional DSLAMs," says Katz, "the FDSL allows carriers to offer DSL services to this same pool of potential users who, until now, they have had to pass over."

The FDSL-101 is transparent to the type of DSL technology that is offered (except IDSL and VDSL) and transparent to vendor. This means that it can be used to extend any DSL flavour over a single fibre optic link and mix and match different services, such as MSDSL for businesses, HDSL for E1/T1, SHDSL for E1 or TDM and ADSL for homes or small businesses.