July 15, 2004 Tokyo -- KDDI will use the CM-100 Packet ADM (add/drop multiplexer) from Corrigent Systems to support the nationwide rollout of the carrier's new Hikari-Plus voice/video/data service for multiple tenant units. The CM-100 leverages Resilient Packet Ring (RPR) and Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) technologies, and the award provides another boost for RPR as a viable alternative for next-generation network infrastructure. KDDI will begin to deploy the new equipment later this year.
KDDI awarded the contract early this week, according to Shane Eleniak, vice president of marketing and sales at Corrigent. The value and duration of the contract were not disclosed.
The deal follows more than two years of engagement between KDDI and Corrigent, Eleniak says. The discussions began when the carrier decided it wanted to upgrade its network capabilities to provide new services. "They were looking for a lot of traffic management; some multipoint to multipoint, VPLS-type capabilities; low-jitter, low-delay type of services. They at that point were using optical Ethernet, and they were using Nortel's ADMs, the 3500s. They wanted to look for something different, and they were looking at WDM, RPR, hybrid, SDH, packet ADMs -- a lot of different solutions."
Following lab trials and field evaluation of a variety of offerings, KDDI released an RFP early in the second quarter of this year. "Once they went through the field trials, they had pretty much narrowed it down to an architecture, narrowed it down to a very small number of vendors -- two or three, basically," Eleniak explains. "So at that point they were looking at pretty much RPR or packet-ring-type technology within a SONET/SDH type of architecture."
In particular, Eleniak says, KDDI wanted equipment that would provide 10-Gbit/sec speeds, and support for traditional TDM (such as channelized STM-1s) as well as Ethernet. Annex B support for protection switching on SDH was another important feature.
The decision came down to three pieces of equipment, Corrigent's and two systems Eleniak describes as "large Tier 1 ADMs that have hybrid-type architectures where they can use RPR cut-outs."
While KDDI will also use the equipment to carry 3G wireless traffic and eventually Ethernet-based business services, the Hikari-Plus "triple play" residential service will be the CM-100s' primary responsibility. Hikari-Plus will provide video, voice, and data services that enable residential customers to benefit from DVD-quality video-on-demand, broadcast TV, voiceover IP, and high-speed Internet access. "I think it's one of the first examples of a really good triple-play type of service," Eleniak offers.
Net One Systems, a Japanese "network solution provider," will provide sales, system integration, and support services for KDDI as part of the deal.
-- S. Hardy