Multi-service PON ONT targets MDUs

September 29, 2005 Hayward, CA -- Terawave Communications has released its TW-300 MDU-T broadband passive optical network optical network terminal (BPON ONT) for general availability. The company says the product allows service providers to provide extremely cost-effective and manageable, multi-service broadband access to apartment buildings, hotels, condominiums, office complexes, shopping centers, and other dense, multi-user sites.

"This product reaffirms our commitment to existing customers in the US and Russia, as well as to new customers in Europe and Asia, to provide cost-effective service solutions for residential and business subscribers," says Frank Lockwood, EVP of sales and marketing for Terawave. "The TW-300 MDU-T consolidates several functions into a single box, lowering both capital and operating costs."

According to the company, the TW-300 MDU-T functions as an enhanced BPON ONT, an Ethernet data switch with VLAN and IGMP capabilities, and a DS1/E1 access device -- all in a one-RU "pizza box." The box features 24 10/100BaseT Ethernet ports and 4 optional DS1/E1 ports, with single or redundant, single-fiber BPON connections. It also has an Ethernet craft management port, local and remote alarms, and single or dual power inputs. The dual-power version provides Power over Ethernet (PoE) capability, and the dual-PON version features carrier class, sub-50 millisecond 1+1 protection. As such, it can eliminate the need for SONET/SDH add-drop multiplexers in the access network, according to the company.

"The TW-300 MDU represents a new, more advanced platform from which we expect to derive several variants," says Ross Ivett, VP of product marketing for Terawave. "Many of the new capabilities we have built into the MDU will also be available across the entire GPON platform we are developing for availability in 2006."

The company says its BPON network operates symmetrically at 622 Mbit/sec in both the upstream and downstream directions, providing ample bandwidth for broadband Internet and VPN connections, DS1/E1 TDM circuits, and TDM and IP voice services. According to the company, the advanced rate control and QoS capabilities of the TW-300 MDU-T ensure that TDM services maintain the carrier class quality - including guaranteed bandwidth, low latency, and jitter - that is required for the most demanding applications.