The way we communicate and collaborate online has changed forever, and along with that so has user demand and expectation. High-definition video, crystal clear audio, and instant cloud backup and syncing – factors which kept the world working through the COVID crisis – are now the assumed baseline communications expectations from consumers. 

But legacy network infrastructure is struggling to cope with demand, particularly those from smaller service providers and utility co-ops that operate away from urban hubs. Lost connections, lost data, buffering and freezing are the bane of users in underserved markets – which is why many of these providers are partnering with Ribbon Communications for optical and IP transport networking solutions that power extra capacity from existing fibre ‘brownfield’ networks, without having to rip everything out and start over – which can be extremely costly. 

Eastern Slope Rural Telephone, in Eastern Colorado, is a great example.   

“Because our previous network was approaching end-of-life and had limited capacity, we needed to upgrade to an end-to-end next-generation system that would easily accommodate current and future growth without disrupting service to our existing customers,” said Brian Miller, Manager at Eastern Slope.

“The Ribbon IP and Optical Transport solutions met all of our requirements. In addition to delivering a highly scalable solution that easily accommodates future bandwidth growth, they also enable numerous benefits including allowing us to continue to support legacy TDM services and provide additional support for mobile backhaul and business services” 

Ribbon’s Rainbow Results 

But how do you get more data and speed, from existing network infrastructure..?  

Bob Cubbage, Partner Support Engineer at Ribbon Communications, explained that the company has a range of technologies they can apply through their optical transport network solutions, such as Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) – which increases bandwidth over existing fibre networks by combining and transmitting multiple signals simultaneously at different wavelengths on the same fibre. 

“It’s like tuning a radio in your car – you are presented with an array of different stations that you can filter down to what you want to listen to, even though all the stations are being broadcast simultaneously over the air. With the broadband fibre, we can send different colour lasers simultaneously carrying different data services. We have receivers that filter the different wavelengths they’re receiving, because the spectrum really contains a rainbow of frequencies.” 

So you could be backing up a database in red, downloading a security patch in orange, while your kids play Fortnite in the green wavelengths – and still enjoy an 8k video conference call uninterrupted in the blue part of the spectrum, all at the same time. 

Our Data-Hungry Future 

A common misperception is that as 5G rollouts continue to gain momentum, it will lessen the need for fibre investments. But to quite the contrary, 5G rollouts will not mitigate infrastructure investment requirements. Why? Because all those towers will require high-bandwidth connectivity to support the network and the increased expectation for high-speed data, faster downloads and low latency. “Your transport network is still the foundation for connecting those wireless services to the tower,” Cubbage pointed out. “The new and looming enhanced 5G mobile services are only going to put even more demand on the network.” 

Many older legacy transport system are at or near their capacity limits. The time is right to begin upgrading these networks to support the new and more demanding high bandwidth services that are straining existing systems. Next-generation broadband networks support a wide variety of applications with distinct characteristics and requirements.  Ribbon’s solutions are tailored to create high-performance, high-capacity networks – of any size. 

“Our IP optical solutions enable operators to deliver on the demand for high-speed services at a pace that makes sense for their business, while paving the way toward lucrative revenue streams such as 5G backhaul”, explained Kelly Honrobia, Director of IP and Optical Partner Alliances for Ribbon.   

She added:

“There are also several government relief programs that service providers are tapping into for network modernisation projects. We work side-by-side with a select group of Value Added Resellers (VARs) that, together with Ribbon, provide all of the hardware and services needed for an end-to-end network upgrade. This allows customers to have one procurement source, which cuts down on the administrative complexity of filing for and receiving government funding” 

Learn more about Ribbon Communication’s advanced IP optical solutions portfolio or contact their team for more information.   

 

 



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