June 6, 2005 Linthicum, MD -- Ciena announced that StarHub, an integrated info-communications service provider in Singapore, has deployed the company's DN 7000 series of multiservice edge switches to enable the provider's rollout of 3G mobile services.
According to a press release, the switches are being deployed in the provider's 3G Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Radio Access Network (RAN) to aggregate voice and data traffic and transport it from wireless base stations to mobile switching centers. Ciena says the 2G/3G wireless backhaul application represents a growth opportunity for multiservice edge switches, as mobile operators transition from TDM to packet-based access networks to support the higher data rates and quality-of-service demands of 3G services.
The provider says it has employed the switch's channelized STM-1 capabilities to enable aggregation of high-density E1 ATM/IMA links in a 3G RAN environment. With IP/MPLS capabilities including PWE3-based ATM, Frame Relay, and Ethernet pseudowires, Ethernet service interworking, and ATM/MPLS migration features, Ciena says the switch ensures that the provider's access network is well positioned for the 3G radio equipment evolution of the 3GPP UMTS standards to Releases 5 and 6.
"As an operator in a region that is experiencing tremendous growth in mobile services, StarHub is an ideal network to showcase the versatility of the DN 7000 series to converge 3G and legacy mobile services, drive down the operational costs of 3G backhaul, and future-proof the network for migration to IP/MPLS," contends Steve Alexander, CTO and general manager of Ciena's data networking group.
According to the release, in addition to aggregating the 3G traffic, the provider is also using the platform to aggregate multiple wireline services, including broadband DSL traffic and legacy Frame Relay and ATM data services. Ciena says the switches allow multiple service networks to be collapsed onto a compact, efficient platform to reduce operational costs and simplify network management, while maintaining reliability and quality of service. Also, the provider is managing its 3G backhaul through the company's ON-Center DN 7000 Manager, to assure rapid service provisioning and monitoring of 3G mobile switching centers.