Product category:
Embedded Software and Operating Systems
News Release from: Agere Systems | Subject: Unbreakable Access
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 28 June 2004
Breakthrough solution for converged
broadband
Unbreakable Access is a novel technology for developing more reliable and economical broadband equipment and services.
Unbreakable Access is a novel technology for developing more reliable and economical broadband equipment and services The new technology solves the fundamental problems that have hampered the delivery of voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) for a decade - quality of service and per-service protection
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 8 Mar 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
HDD pre-amp boasts fastest operation
High-performance, low-power pre-amplifier integrated circuit is specifically designed for use in enterprise and desktop computer hard disk drives.
Read channel saves power for handheld drives
Fully functional 90nm TrueStore read channel features the industry's lowest power consumption and highest performance within the market for handheld consumer electronics.
The company is working with BT, Fujitsu, Marconi and others to bring to market converged broadband services.
Unbreakable Access technology combines Agere's expertise in traffic management and service protection and is available for implementation today.
The new algorithm, which runs on Agere's network processors, allows service providers to protect only those applications or services selected - and paid for - by end customers.
Further reading
Integrated SoC is home solution for Samsung
Samsung has chosen Agere Systems' TrueOne home solutions to develop its home media server and gateway for mobile and broadband network service providers.
Design is novel concept in storage servers
The mobile content server is claimed to untether users from the PC and stationary storage devices.
Truefire 1394B aims to ignite PC design creativity
Agere Systems has delivered to market a chip aimed at igniting a new wave of PC and embedded system design creativity, as well as much faster, more feature-rich PC and embedded system connectivity.
The Unbreakable Access chipset started as an innovation at BT that was designed to strengthen the inherent quality of its 21st Century Network, designed - among other things - to enable BT to retire its public switched telephone network (PSTN) and be replaced by a portfolio of services running over a dedicated multiservice IP network.
BT is currently implementing the 21st Century Network programme, the largest transformation undertaken in the company's history.
It will radically transform BT's network and systems, create the enabling infrastructure for the growth of BT and the telecommunications industry, and deliver the BT vision of a converged, multimedia world empowering customers with innovative services.
"Unbreakable Access is an interesting, innovative, pan-industry solution to an issue that will affect all service providers that move to IP networks".
"BT is interested in gaining a deeper understanding of how to drive the future of broadband.
Quality and reliability are key requirements", said Matt Bross, BT's Chief Technology Officer.
"BT's goal of delivering broadband dial-tone throughout its network focuses on increasing broadband network resilience and providing an enhanced broadband experience to all its customers".
"BT is pleased to participate in Agere's product launch, because innovation is at our core and we are taking a highly active role in identifying and encouraging innovative broadband developments worldwide that will further strengthen broadband capability and improve the customer experience in the future".
The new solution enables delivery of time-sensitive services, such as voice, over a protected path through existing networks, minimising service provider investments.
By contrast, current networks protect either all services, or none, over their networks for all consumers without the ability to charge per service used.
Unbreakable Access restores service disruptions from various network faults - ranging from fibre-optic cable cuts, to unplugged equipment line cards to remote network system failures - up to 20 times faster than other broadband access service restoration technologies.
The technology also reduces operational expenses by approximately 50% by consolidating equipment platforms, such as digital loop carrier (DLC) equipment functions within digital subscriber line access multiplexers (DSLAMs), making it more cost effective for service providers to add voice to their broadband access services portfolio.
"Service providers looking to deliver new broadband services today can protect either all services, which is very expensive, or no services at all, which is unacceptable", said Sohail Khan, Executive Vice President, Agere Systems.
"Unbreakable Access is truly breakthrough because it protects converged broadband services - such as voice, online gaming and video - on a pay-per-use basis for the first time".
"We are very pleased to be working with industry leaders such as BT, global telecommunications solution provider, and Fujitsu and Marconi, global equipment manufacturers", added Khan.
"Together, we are driving development of innovative solutions that enable enhanced networks, which can deliver revenue-generating services and spur growth for the telecom market".
According to RHK, there are currently 11 million DSL VoIP subscribers, and this number will grow at a rate of 90% per year through 2007.
"Tier-one service providers are aiming to transform and consolidate their networks", said John Ryan, CEO, RHK, a leading industry research firm.
"If users are to be comfortable with one network carrying all their traffic, that network has to be extraordinarily - and demonstrably - reliable".
"This is where Unbreakable Access comes in: enabling the guarantees that customers need to see for high-value services".
Fujitsu and Marconi supply access equipment to BT - Fujitsu already uses Agere's traffic management network processor chips, and Marconi plans to integrate them into their next-generation gear to complement other processors.
Agere's new technology can be very quickly incorporated into currently deployed Agere network processors.
Agere is looking at opportunities with BT, Fujitsu and Marconi to identify how Unbreakable Access technology can best be deployed to enable broadband services, and the company will pursue adoption through industry standards.
"We have worked closely with Agere Systems, sharing our vision for the evolution of Fujitsu's leading-edge DSLAM", said Andy Stevenson, General Manager, Fujitsu Telecommunications Europe.
"Our third-generation platform, GeoStream Access Gateway, sets new world standards for performance and scalability, with Agere Systems' network processing algorithms enabling us to release significant advances".
"We are moving towards a genuinely converged network environment where the true potential of broadband can be realised".
"We are pleased to be exploring with Agere the proposed protection and traffic management features available through their new processor technology", said Martin Harriman, Chief Marketing Officer, Marconi Corporation.
"As a leading provider of next-generation multiservice access nodes, Marconi believes the cost-effective protection of mission-critical services will be key for our customers to make the transition to their next-generation network topologies with the confidence that quality of service will not be compromised".
• Agere Systems: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Electronicstalk email newsletter
• Electronicstalk Home Page
