Hatteras Networks announced Monday the addition of repeaters and line power modules to extend the reach of Ethernet services over bonded copper from 6,000-7,000 feet to 25 miles.
The gearmaker also announced it has customers using the solution, including South Central Communications.
The HN239 Repeater and HNLPM8 Line Power Modules are designed to work with Hatteras Networks’ HN4000 CO nodes and HN400 CLE devices, explained Vijay Raman, vice president of PLM and marketing for Hatteras. He said up to eight repeaters can be deployed to extend the reach of the Ethernet over copper up to 25 miles (40km). A line power module must be deployed along with the repeater. Each one can support up to four chains of four repeaters for a total of 16; an eight repeater chain, then, requires two line power modules, Raman explained.
“This represents an opportunity to over a longer range support higher rates,” Raman said. He explained that using bonded copper, service providers can extend bandwidth (up to 45mbps) over this extended distance. A traditional copper pair has the capacity of 5.7mbps over 6,000-7,000 feet. By bonding two pairs, you can extend 10mbps over this distance. Bonding eight pairs equals 45mbps.
Raman said the solution is designed for three primary applications, business Ethernet, mobile backhaul and DSLAM backhaul in places where there isn’t fiber.
“We are seeing a lot of interest because operators ...want to do more with less,” Raman said. “They have the copper and there is a heavy overhead associated with deploying fiber, so in this economically challenged time they have the opportunity to do it with the EFM products we provide” without concerns about having deploy lower bandwidth to customers.
One of those operators is South Central Communications, which is using Hatteras repeaters to support its business Ethernet service.
“With the Hatteras Repeaters now installed, we are able to more cost-effectively deliver business services to our customers living and working in Southern Utah and Northern Arizona at far greater rates and distances than traditional T1s,” said Jody Davis, inside plant manager at South Central Communications, one of the largest employers and telecommunication companies in Southern Utah. “Installation was very easy and efficient and we plan to deploy more Hatteras Repeaters in the future to meet growing customer demands.”
The line power modules run $695, and the repeaters are $895.
