TvTel Selects UTStarcom GEPON Technology for Fiber-to-the-Home Network in Portugal
CHICAGO, June 19, 2007 / / -- NXTCOMM -- UTStarcom, Inc. (Nasdaq: UTSI), a global leader in IP-based, end-to-end networking solutions and services, today announced a contract to deploy its Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Network (GEPON) solution with TvTel, an integrated multimedia service provider, for the operator's new fiber-to-the-home network in Portugal. Unitelco, a local technology company in Portugal with expertise deploying fiber and cutting-edge access networks, is serving as the integrator for the contract.
"UTStarcom's GEPON solution will serve as the foundation of our new fiber network and enable us to quickly, efficiently and affordably leapfrog our competitors in the race to deliver more bandwidth to the end user," said Paulo Pereira, executive director of TvTel. "Their innovative technology, coupled with their proven experience in successfully deploying large-scale fiber networks around the world, made UTStarcom a compelling partner to assist us in delivering triple play services in Portugal."
Launched in February, TVTel's bundled service package consists of high- speed data, voice and both analog and digital QAM television and is initially targeted at 5,000 subscribers in Oeiras, a city west of Lisbon.
"Our GEPON solution is an ideal FTTH technology because it leverages the simplicity of Ethernet and the high speeds of fiber," said Youssef Kassissia, vice president of sales in the Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region for UTStarcom. "GEPON is an extremely cost-effective alternative to conventional copper-based access equipment while reducing points of failure and simplifying carriers' network architecture."
About UTStarcom's GEPON
Compliant with all IEEE standards, UTStarcom's GEPON product family includes a BBS1000 Optical Line Termination system (OLT) for deployment at the Central Office (CO) as well as a variety of Optical Network Unit (ONUs) for deployment at the customer's premises. The OLT provides a direct optical interface to the IP core, while the ONU terminates the PON at the customer's premises. Together, the two units complete the end-to-end optical last mile, providing up to one gigabit per second of bandwidth to residential and business customers.
Advanced Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching and routing functionality eliminates the need for carriers to deploy additional network equipment at the metro edge, making GEPON an optimal transport platform for support of bandwidth-intensive triple-play services. Powerful embedded Operation, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) functions enable operators to perform remote diagnosis, flexible provisioning, and system reconfiguration, as well as remote system upgrades without hardware swap out.
About TvTel
TvTel was founded seven years ago by the current management and three venture capital partners. TVTEL has a HFC cable TV network with 200,000 homes passed in Porto Region, and a GEPON fiber network with 10,000 homes passed in a Lisbon suburb. In both HFC and FTTH networks, TVTEL is offering triple play services. The company will shortly launch a DTH service using Eutelsat EB9. The Master head-end is supplying today three different infrastructures: HFC in Oporto forcible clients, DVB-S for future DTH clients, and FTTH fibre to the home, delivering 50 analog and four digital channels.
About UTStarcom, Inc.
UTStarcom is a global leader in IP-based, end-to-end networking solutions and international service and support. The company sells its broadband, wireless, and handset solutions to operators in both emerging and established telecommunications markets around the world. UTStarcom enables its customers to rapidly deploy revenue-generating access services using their existing infrastructure, while providing a migration path to cost-efficient, end-to-end IP networks. Founded in 1991 and headquartered in Alameda, California, the company has research and design operations in the United States, Canada, China, Korea and India. UTStarcom is a FORTUNE 1000 company
For more information about UTStarcom, visit the company's Web site at www.utstar.com.
SOURCE UTStarcom, Inc.
http://www.utstar.com
