A pioneer in the development of fiber-to-the-premise technology, Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) has broken new ground by initiating the development of new, smaller optical network terminals (ONTs), which it has begun to deploy at new FiOS installations in apartment complexes.
The new ONTs, about the size of a basic home router, can be placed under desks or on shelves to install Verizon FiOS Internet and FiOS TV services.
One of the two new devices, the Alcatel-Lucent I-21 1M-K indoor ONT, measures just
1.25 inches high, 8.5 inches wide and 5.5 inches deep. The other device, the Motorola ONT 1000 GTI indoor ONT, is slightly larger.
The two versions of the smaller ONTs are being deployed in parts of the New York, Southern California and Tampa Bay markets. Alcatel and Motorola developed the equipment based on Verizon specifications. The ONTs are being exhaustively tested in product development laboratories and in customer homes and have the potential to be a powerful addition to the FiOS experience.
According to Vincent O’Byrne, technology director at Verizon’s product and technology development labs in Waltham, Mass., the new ONTs were designed to meet a challenging set of specifications and were developed to better serve the MDU market. “Building owners and residents alike will appreciate the simplicity these new ONTs bring to the installation and use of FiOS services,” he said. “By running fiber from the point of entry to the new, smaller ONTs, installers can make fewer runs of coaxial and computer cables. As a result, the whole installation experience will be cleaner and simpler for the customers.”
