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TO BUSINESS, NATIONAL, AND TECHNOLOGY EDITORS:
G.fast To Be Major Factor In European Union 2020 Vision For Broadband
Penetration, Says Broadband Forum
BERLIN, April 8, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- G.fast is a
technology that is yet to be fully realized by the industry, but is
set to emerge as a major solution for service providers looking to
meet European Union broadband penetration targets set out in the
Europe 2020 strategy and Digital Agenda initiative. This was one of
the key messages delivered today by Robin Mersh, CEO of the Broadband
Forum, during a major presentation at the G.fast pre-conference focus
day ahead of tomorrow's Fixed Access Networks Summit in Berlin.
Mersh highlighted that G.fast is a global solution for hard-pressed
service providers looking to meet the growing customer demand. G.fast
will provide from 300 to 800 Mbps with fast, cost-effective
deployment, a breakthrough in self-install capabilities due to a
unique reverse-power feature, and even the option to use the
technology for mobile backhaul.
"Those who think G.fast is just another DSL technology are way off the
mark - G.fast is coming fast and it's going to make an enormous
difference for service providers and their customers," he told his
audience of telecoms operators, regulators and vendors. "G.fast is a
giant step away from DSL, borrowing the best from ADSL and VDSL to
create a new generation of technology that is lower in power, more
efficient, faster and easier to install."
Smaller equipment and self-install capabilities give operators a more
cost- effective method of deploying FTTH-speeds to the subscriber's
home by deploying fiber up to the last 200m, from which the
distribution point can then utilize G.fast to complete the final
meters. This avoids the cost of sending a technician, the inefficiency
of scheduling technicians, and the inconvenience to the customer of
having a technician in their home.
"Customer self-install environment was included in the design of
G.fast from the beginning and will therefore bring significant cost
savings. Alternative technologies, such as VDSL2, were not designed
from the start for a customer self-install, it was always assumed that
the technician would install it."
Mersh's abstract comes as the Broadband Forum continues to develop its
global G.fast testing program in order to meet market demand and
Digital Agenda objectives, and enable interoperability. Testing is
already under development and includes functional, interoperability
and performance testing, however support is needed from service
providers in defining requirements and test cases.
"We need to continue working with service providers in order to
develop a program based on their common business requirements so that
it can be leveraged for a quicker path to interoperability in a
multi-vendor environment," added Mersh. "G.fast is a very exciting
proposition for service providers with its self-install capabilities,
reverse-power abilities, low equipment costs and its rapid adaption to
changes in the channel. It will address the objectives set out in the
Digital Agenda, aiding the future of broadband connectivity, network
speeds and digital inclusiveness."
For more information about the G.fast certification program and the
technical work in progress, please go to
http://www.broadband-forum.org/technical/technicalwip.php, or follow
@Broadband_Forum on Twitter. For media enquiries, please contact Brian
Dolby on +44 (0) 7899 914168 or Dana Hare on +44 (0) 1636 812152 or
send an email to brian.dolby@proactive-pr.com or
dana.hare@proactive-pr.com.
About the Broadband Forum Broadband Forum, a non-profit industry
organization, is focused on engineering smarter and faster broadband
networks. Our work defines best practices for global networks, enables
service and content delivery, establishes technology migration
strategies, engineers critical device & service management tools, and
is key to redefining broadband. Our free technical reports and white
papers can be found at www.broadband-forum.org. Twitter
@Broadband_Forum.
To see this press release, please visit:
SOURCE The Broadband Forum
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/Web Site: http://www.broadband-forum.org
CO: The Broadband Forum
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