Alcatel-Lucent will enable Indian cable operator DEN Networks to launch ultra-broadband Internet connectivity to homes and businesses using GPON fixed access, IP routing and aggregation technologies.

Broadband penetration in India is predominantly wireless-based today – with only 18.9 million people accessing the Internet via fixed connections – a fraction of the country’s 85 million broadband and 267 million total Internet users.1 Increased uptake of video is driving demand for higher speed broadband connectivity in the home and enterprises too want faster data delivery.

DEN Networks is offering services in the fast-growing broadband market, where cable and satellite pay-TV subscribers are estimated to rise to 175 million by 2019, from 139 million today. With a customer base for its cable TV service of 13 million throughout 200 cities, DEN Networks plans to use fiber-optic access technology to expand its ‘DEN Boomband’ broadband service to 8.5 million city homes within three years.

Since September 2015, Alcatel-Lucent has been deploying its GPON (gigabit passive optical networking) fibre-to-the-home, Ethernet aggregation and Broadband Network Gateway IP routing technologies with DEN Networks, delivering services to new customers as well as those already served by the existing DOCSIS-based network. In some areas of the network Alcatel-Lucent’s technology is providing backhaul connectivity, with the existing coaxial cable being used for ‘last-mile’ service delivery.

This agreement highlights Alcatel-Lucent’s growing momentum addressing the needs of cable MSOs, a key focus of the company’s diversification strategy and marks an important commercial breakthrough for Alcatel-Lucent in the cable market in India.

Key Highlights:

• Alcatel-Lucent is providing its GPON technology, which includes the 7360 Intelligent Service Access Manager (ISAM) FX, the 7368 Intelligent Services Aware Manager ONT and the 5520 Access Management System (AMS) to enable high-speed ultra-broadband access for homes and businesses using both fiber-to-the-home and fiber-to-the-node technologies to serve individual and multi-dwelling residences.
• GPON technology will deliver higher bandwidth capacity than DEN Networks existing DOCSIS networks, allowing it to support three to four times more users with guaranteed symmetrical upload and download speeds.
• Alcatel-Lucent will also provide its IP routing and switching portfolio to Den Networks. The 7210 Service Access Switch will provide layer three aggregation and the 7750 Service Routers will act as a broadband network gateway for residential services. Network management and subscriber level reporting will be provided by the 5620 Service Aware Manager and 5670 Reporting and Analysis Manager respectively.
• Alcatel-Lucent’s technology will allow DEN Networks to launch its ‘DEN Boomband’ broadband service and deliver a high-quality broadband experience to customers. The technology will allow DEN Networks to smoothly scale and expand services to more subscribers’ homes and to the rapidly growing enterprise sector.

Mr. Pradeep Parameswaran of DEN Networks said: “We are committed to delivering the fastest high speed experience to our business and residential subscribers in India. Broadband is our key thrust area and we constantly strive to make the experience fast and consistent for our customers. With Alcatel-Lucent’s fiber and IP routing solutions we now extend our high-speed Internet connectivity and services superfast surfing experience to more people and businesses around the country.”

Mr. Srini Sundararajan of Alcatel-Lucent said: “This project marks a key breakthrough in the important Indian cable market. Under The Shift Plan we identified how, as leaders in IP networking and ultra-broadband access, we could help MSOs transform their networks. Working with the DEN Networks on an in-depth study and trials, we were able to show how our IP routing and GPON technology would help it scale to better meet the growing demands of their customers.”