Suo Cable Net selects Alcatel-Lucent for first commercial GPON deployment in Japan

Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) today announced it has been selected by Suo Cable Net, a Japanese cable-TV operator, to design, integrate and deploy a Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) solution. This new network, which will enable Suo Cable Net to begin rolling out high-speed Internet and video services this month, will be the first commercial GPON deployment in Japan.

With more than 10 million fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) subscribers, Japan is one of the most advanced countries in terms of high-speed broadband coverage. GPON technology will elevate Japan’s end-user broadband experience, supporting downstream capacities of up to 2.5 Gbps. This will significantly outpace the widely used Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Network (GEPON) 1 Gbps downstream bitrates, enabling much faster delivery of content and the ability to handle extremely large files such as full-length movies.

“With Alcatel-Lucent’s industry-leading GPON solution, we will be able to offer our customers broadband capacities that support the delivery of high-definition TV and high-speed Internet services,” said Tetsuaki Kanai, Vice President of Suo Cable Net.

Alcatel-Lucent will deploy its 7342 Intelligent Services Access Manager Fiber-to-the-User (ISAM FTTU) solution, leveraging GPON technology to multiplex video and data services onto a single fiber. This solution supports a 2.5 Gbps downstream capacity, which will enable the highest bandwidth mass-market offering, allowing the service to deliver more content at higher speeds. Alcatel-Lucent’s 7342 ISAM FTTU solution is complemented by the widest range of optical network terminals (ONTs) – supporting FTTH, fiber-to-the-building (FTTB) and mobile backhaul. By selecting Alcatel-Lucent to integrate, test and manage the deployment of the network, Suo Cable will lower their deployment risk.

“We are very excited to be part of the first-ever commercial deployment of GPON technology in Japan,” said Frederic Rose, President of Alcatel-Lucent’s activities in Europe, Africa and Asia. “FTTH architectures are clearly the end-game of any planned or ongoing access network transformation. GPON stands out as the optimal and most cost-effective FTTH technology option – thanks to its stability, scalability, flexible management and operations, as well as its guaranteed evolutionary path. GPON will allow Japanese end-users to truly experience the power of next-generation triple-play services.”

Alcatel-Lucent is engaged in more than 80 FTTx projects worldwide, over 60 of which are with GPON. Leading service providers such as Verizon, France Telecom, Neuf Cegetel, Hanaro Telecom and Hong Kong Broadband Network Limited have adopted Alcatel-Lucent’s GPON solution. Alcatel-Lucent’s GPON has also been selected by utility companies (a.o. NRGi Fibernet, Jönköping Energi, Bristol Virginia Utilities), municipalities (a.o. Arvidsjaur, Tidaholm [Sweden]), and regions such as Asturias (Spain).