Verizon Communications Inc. is preparing to move from its current ATM-based BPON fiber-to-the-premises technology in favor of an IP-based GPON FTTP architecture. “GPON is something we're evaluating with the vendor community, especially 2.4 gig, and we're looking to start rolling it out in 2006,” Mark Marchand, director of media relations at Verizon, tells xchange.
This news, of course, points to a larger trend of service providers adopting IP both to reach higher bandwidth capacity and to create networks that can deliver a wider variety of voice, video and data services, and without doing overlays.
Marchand tells xchange Verizon expects to name its GPON vendor(s) “probably early next year; best case is end of this year.”
At the same time Verizon is planning a move to GPON, the carrier is in the midst of deploying FTTP BPON systems to homes and businesses in about 200 communities in parts of several states, which include California, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Virginia. In those states, Verizon already has passed 1 million homes and businesses. It expects to have passed 3 million by the end of this year.
Verizon’s current FTTP BPON systems provide 622mbps downstream and 155mbps upstream, typically divided by 32 individual homes. That allows Verizon, initially, to offer customers its FiOS-brand data products at 5mbps or 15mbps downstream and 2mbps upstream, or 30mbps downstream and 5mbps upstream. Verizon plans to begin offering video services to customers served by its BPON systems later this year, says Marchand.
GPON technology, however, will enable Verizon to turn it up a notch, offering 1.2gbps downstream and 622mbps upstream, or 2.4gpbs and 1.2gbps. “What it will do is enhance our ability to offer more applications, including variations of IP TV,” says Marchand, adding that Verizon will unleash its first digital broadcast video offering on its FTTP network later this year, and will start rolling out IP-based services after that. “Overall, BPON provides a terrific platform for all three of the so-called triple play, voice, data and video – far more than any cable TV or other RBOC system being built now and for the foreseeable future,” Marchand continues.
In addition to the bandwidth, GPON allows Verizon “to look at more cost-effective architectures, such as Ethernet,” he adds. “Overall, GPON gives us the capability to offer more services and enhance the performance for our end users,” he continues. “We are now evaluating the move to GPON with our vendor community.”
In late 2003, Verizon disclosed its initial vendors for the BPON FTTP build. Advanced Fibre Communications Inc., which now is owned by Tellabs, was picked to provide the central office and premises optical electronics for the project, also known as the “active” elements of the FTTP build. The carrier also named seven suppliers for the outside plant/cable piece.
Moving to GPON will require both new optical network terminals (ONTs) at the home as well as new optical line terminals (OLTs) in the central office, says Marchand. He notes there are 10 to 15 vendors in the GPON space, but wouldn’t disclose which ones Verizon is considering or the size of award it intends to make. “Perhaps...some existing vendors could be involved, or totally new ones,” he says.
Tellabs declined to be interviewed for this article.
Of course, Verizon’s relationship with Tellabs on the BPON build has not been completely smooth sailing. In discussing its financials last June, Tellabs reported it had to pay a $1 million fine to Verizon for missing a June deadline. The delay was caused by a parts shortage, according to one report. “While there were some initial delays/problems, expected with any startup effort of this scale and scope, AFC remains the major supplier of the ‘active’ electronics for our FTTP deployment effort,” says Marchand. “We continue to work with them. As is always the case with projects of this size, we'll eventually add another vendor in this space.”
When Verizon moves to GPON, Marchand says, the plan is to use GPON “on go-forward basis” but to leave in existing BPON equipment.
