Broadband Last-Mile Solution
SONETLab’s technology not only provides for more efficient transporting of IP over SONET, it also provides a compelling last-mile broadband access solution. By providing Ethernet handoffs in ether RJ45, E-Fiber or Coax format, DTE-enabled switches and routers, such as the SL3500, provide a simple and low-cost way to extend broadband into homes, office buildings and neighborhoods. The two biggest limitations for service providers today are adequate MAN bandwidth and adequate facilities from the Central Office (CO) to the customer's facility to carry broadband services. For the service provider needing to add capacity to its metropolitan network and/or extend broadband services they have to spend potentially millions of dollars ADMs that will light up new SONET rings, Ethernet switches, Internet routers, ATM switches and DSLAMs for DSL services. Embedding SONETLab's technology in an existing device the service provider could simply position a box in a building or remote terminal that has fiber running through it and instantly add that facility to another SONET ring and turning it into a node for broadband access via coaxial cable, fiber or Ethernet. This solution both adds capacity to the existing metro network, and pushes the starting point of broadband father out towards the metro edge, effectively reducing the distances broadband connections will need to travel. It does not limit the fact that the last 100 feet (or so) will require something other than copper wiring, but by reducing the distances required to run fiber or coax, cost is reduced and next generation fiber-to-the-home deployments become more feasible.