Spediant Systems is the latest vendor to move into the multiloop DSL equipment arena.
The Orckit spinoff in the first quarter of next year expects to begin lab tests of its EML 8000, which is slated to become generally available in the second quarter of 2003.
The EML (which stands for Ethernet MultiLoop) 8000 fills the bandwidth gap between T1 and DS3, explains Randy Nash, vice president of business development. The solution, which bonds up to eight copper pairs into one logical bundle per customer, was designed to help incumbent telephone companies target businesses with 50 to 200 employees with new services that better meet their bandwidth requirements.
Nash notes that many such customers are outgrowing copper-based services at DS1 and DSL rates, but that fiber is only available in select markets and that most Tier 2 and 3 metro markets still don’t have fiber reaching to small and medium businesses. With multiloop DSL, carriers can offer higher rate services and can do so at longer reaches. For instance, the system delivers more than 18mbps at a 3 kilometer reach and more than 10mbps at up to 4.2 kilometers.
The Spediant system is comprised of a 1-unit high pizza box size unit delivering 10/100mbps and E1/T1 connectivity; the central office shelf, which includes line and management cards, initially works in a point to point configuration with an edge switch. The SHDSL-based system, which will sell for $2500 a line, can operate over DSL or, using passive splitters, over a POTS connection.
