Alcatel, Freescale Semi merge on GPON
June 8, 2005 Chicago, IL -- Alcatel and Freescale Semiconductor have collaborated to create a Gigabit PON (GPON) standards-compliant silicon platform. According to the companies, the GPON platform is designed to provide the high data rates, interoperability, and quality of service (QoS) needed to advance the adoption of triple-play voice, video, and data services, delivered to subscribers through standard FTTP networks.
The companies say their GPON system-on-a-chip (SoC) platform leverages Freescale's PowerQUICCT communications processor architecture, employing PowerPCT cores and digital signal processors (DSPs) based on the company's StarCoreT technology, along with Alcatel's implementation of a standard GPON medium access control (MAC). Alcatel says its GPON MAC encompasses several patents and intellectual property derived from the company's PON access business. The GPON MAC complies to the ITU-T G.984 standard, supporting data rates of 2.5 Gbit/sec downstream and 1.25 Gbit/sec upstream at a 1:128 split ratio. The company says the MAC also integrates advanced encryption standards, forward error correction in both upstream and downstream directions, and dynamic bandwidth assignment.
"This combined technology development by Alcatel and Freescale will bring cost-effective, interoperable GPON products to market faster, at price points that will be very attractive to carriers," predicts Will Strauss, founder of Forward Concepts, a market research firm. "Technology partnerships between broadband equipment leaders and silicon integration experts like Alcatel and Freescale are precisely what are needed to drive innovation and momentum in the global deployment of fiber to the premises. The ultimate beneficiaries of such technology will be subscribers who stand to gain a broader choice of triple-play services driven by increased competition."
The companies say the collaborative GPON SoC provides full functionality for triple play services, including high-definition Internet protocol television (IPTV). According to the companies, the device offers full QoS support and throughput greater than 200 Mbit/sec per user, thus eliminating additional circuitry for GPON implementations. The companies say the scalable SoC platform can also be extended to support business applications such as E1/T1 circuit emulation services, and residential gateway functionality.
"Leveraging the talents of both companies has enabled us to deliver a standards-based, FSAN-compliant GPON solution of the utmost caliber," contends Mike Dobbs, senior vice president of Alcatel's access networks activities. "This solution dramatically raises the bar for cost-effective GPON technology, to a higher level that will benefit the entire broadband industry."
"Freescale has the expertise and technology to integrate a communications processor, DSP, hardware encryption and PON subsystem onto a single device," concludes David Perkins, senior vice president and general manager of Freescale's networking and computing systems group. "We are excited to combine our PON SoC capabilities with Alcatel's broadband systems leadership to enable cost-effective silicon for the growing GPON market."
Additional technical details of the joint GPON SoC platform are to be announced later this year, according to the companies.