Alcatel-Lucent demonstrates mobile backhaul interoperability at MPLS and Ethernet World Congress 2008

Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) today announced it is participating in the first public multi-vendor Mobile Backhaul Interoperability showcase organized by the European Advanced Networking Test Center (EANTC) and supported by both the IP/MPLS Forum and the Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF). Alcatel-Lucent is demonstrating end-to-end mobile and Carrier Ethernet service delivery over an MPLS-centric packet network. The Alcatel-Lucent solutions showcased are part of its Mobile Evolution Transport Architecture (META), the industry’s most comprehensive vision for the evolution of mobile networks from TDM to all-IP.

Involving 15 vendors and more than 85 devices, the live test demonstrates how existing and next-generation mobile services, as well as business services, can be delivered over access, metro and core networks that use diverse transport technologies, including IP, MPLS and T-MPLS*, to address fixed and mobile operators’ multiple requirements. For the showcase, Alcatel-Lucent has provided the 1850 TSS’ chassis switching up to 3, 5, 40 and 320 Gbit/s, all managed by the Alcatel-Lucent 1350 network management, and the Alcatel-Lucent 7450 Ethernet Service Switch (ESS) router.

In the access network, the Alcatel-Lucent 1850 TSS is showcasing circuit emulation of TDM mobile traffic over Carrier Ethernet using standardized clock synchronization mechanisms, as well as Ethernet services over the plesiochronous digital hierarchy (PDH) access infrastructure.

In the T-MPLS aggregation network, the Alcatel-Lucent 1850 TSS provides scalable, end-to-end traffic backhaul and Carrier Ethernet services using ITU-standardized T-MPLS networking. Interoperability between the T-MPLS and the MPLS networks is achieved through pseudowires, thanks to the commonality of MPLS and T-MPLS data planes. Additionally, this solution is showcasing T-MPLS transport-oriented operations; administration and maintenance (OAM) for high survivability for fast linear and ring protection to support end-to-end packet services with quality of service (QoS) and traffic prioritization according to service level agreements (SLAs); management plane for service creation, OAM activation and network protection control.

In the MPLS aggregation network the Alcatel-Lucent 7450 ESS is demonstrating H-VPLS, VPLS and virtual leased line service (VLL) interoperability, transporting several different services. Fast ReRoute also ensures high service availability while correct QoS deployment guarantees time sensitive traffic is within a pre-defined SLA.

In the MPLS core, Alcatel-Lucent is featuring its 7450 Ethernet Service Switch (ESS) router, which supports scalable, reliable and predictable SLA-based services for consumer triple play and business Ethernet MAN and WAN services. The Alcatel-Lucent 7450 ESS router is demonstrating VPLS** and pseudowire interoperability with multiple access/aggregation networks. High end-to-end service availability is also ensured by the underlying IP/MPLS Fast ReRoute functionality.

“As mobile operators are transforming their networks to accelerate the rollout of new, IP-based business and entertainment mobile services, network infrastructures require even higher degrees of flexibility and backhaul consolidation,” said Michel Rahier, President of Alcatel-Lucent’s Carrier activities. “This showcase further confirms our ability to develop a premium, end-to-end value proposition to assist our customers in this competitive transformation.”

The demonstration, which showcases the results of a January hot-staging event, is taking place during the MPLS and Ethernet World Congress 2008 and will be repeated at the upcoming 2008 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, 11-14 February, and at the 2008 CTIA Wireless Show in Las Vegas, 1-3 April.

Alcatel-Lucent products involved in the demonstration are also being featured in the Alcatel Lucent booth # 103 on MPLS and Ethernet World Congress.

*MPLS: Multi-Protocol Label Switching; T-MPLS: Transport Multi-Protocol Label Switching.

**VPLS – Virtual Private LAN Service