Metronet, among the largest independently-owned fiber-optic network providers in the U.S., said this month it is deploying Nokia’s latest PON technology to deliver 10Gb/s speeds to subscribers, with an upgrade path to 25G PON in the future.
Metronet operates fiber-to-the-premise (FTTP) networks that connect homes, businesses and cities with symmetrical gigabit speeds that support high-bandwidth applications such as HD video streaming, surveillance, gaming, etc. The provider is now rolling out Nokia's XGS-PON technology in eight new markets with more communities planned.
Nokia’s XGS-PON systems will allow Metronet to leverage its existing and newly constructed fiber infrastructure to deploy 10G broadband speeds, while providing a built-in path to implementing 25G PON technologies.
Ed Cholerton, president of Nokia North America, commented, “We are pleased to continue our partnership with Metronet to provide a system that not only meets the bandwidth demands of its customers today, but also allows backward compatibility with its existing equipment. Metronet is deploying a system uniquely capable of delivering GPON, 10G PON and 25G PON without having to replace hardware. Metronet is bringing the future of connectivity to cities across the country and using Nokia’s next-gen PON technology to connect underserved regions.”
Notably, Metronet is using Nokia’s ONT Easy Start SaaS to speed up and simplify the provisioning of fiber modems in customer homes.
Kevin Stelmach, president of commercial markets for Metronet, stated, “Nokia is our trusted partner, and its technology is enabling us to future-proof our investments in fiber as we continue to expand our network. We are also able to future-proof the cities and communities that we serve with a communications network that can grow with them, encouraging business investment with virtually limitless capacity available when and where it’s needed. We are already getting great feedback from our existing and new business and consumer customers who are excited about the possibility to access more bandwidth at very affordable prices.”
Overall, Metronet is servicing and constructing networks in 16 states, with customers including homes, local businesses, retail shops, hospitals, government offices and schools.