Altibox Deploys Nokia’s Virtualized Distributed Access Architecture

Posted by Nokia

Nokia announced that Altibox, one of the largest regional telecommunication operators in Norway and Denmark, will deploy its Gainspeed Unified Cable Access solution, based on a fully virtualized Distributed Access Architecture (vDAA).  The solution provides the network foundation needed for Altibox and its partner Eidsiva Bredbånd to deliver enhanced all-IP-based ultra-broadband services to residential and business customers. The deployment will enable Altibox and Eidsiva to significantly increase network capacity and establish a fully distributed and virtualized access architecture that can support new, competitive Gigabit and multicast IPTV services over longer distances.

To effectively implement the changes required by the DOCSIS standard, Hybrid Fiber Coax (HFC)-based access providers will need to support IP-based services in an efficient way. With 20-30 percent annual IP data growth globally,1  cable operators are turning to software-driven, all-IP Distributed Access Architectures (DAA) to increase the capacity of existing HFC networks and improve signal quality. Distributed access architectures can also help reduce OPEX and the number of hub offices required by effectively virtualizing the headend and network functions.

Nokia’s Unified Cable Access solution is based on vDAA which delivers greater space and power savings, as well as superior architectural flexibility, compared to traditional DAAs. By moving the cable access layer functions in its headend and hub sites to the access nodes that sit closer to customers, Altibox and its partners can eliminate some of its legacy cable-specific hardware,  dramatically reducing the amount of power, space and equipment required in the headend. Nokia’s vDAA solution will also enable Altibox and Eidsiva Bredbånd  to significantly reduce the number of hub offices, realizing significant real estate cost savings while simplifying network operations.  By virtualizing the headend and network functions, Altibox effectively pushes the digital portion out to the node, ensuring a better signal quality and experience for subscribers.

Altibox and its partner Eidsiva Bredbånd  will begin deploying Nokia’s vDAA solution, including the Gainspeed Access Controller and compact form factor Gainspeed SC-1D Access Nodes, into its network in 3Q 2019. Nokia’s vDAA solution can flexibly accommodate backhaul through Altibox’s existing IP/MPLS network, which will facilitate and expediate deployment.

Jeff Heynen, Research Director, Broadband Access and Home Networking, Dell’Oro Group said: “We expect spending on DAA to double between 2019 and 2020, as operators look to reduce their headend and hub sites while also improving the spectral efficiency of their outside plant, said. DAA’s benefits are clear and operators are now beginning multi-year projects to modernize their HFC networks to compete for the next decade.”

Sandra Motley, President of Nokia’s Fixed Networks Business Group, said: “We are excited to be working with Altibox and its partner Eidsiva Bredbånd to build a flexible and powerful network that can deliver the additional capacity and reach they need to meet rising customer demand for ultra-broadband services.  Our vDAA solution enables Alitbox and Eidsiva Bredbånd to maximize their HFC network and quickly move to an all-IP environment that has the flexibility and scale needed to support vast amounts of IP data traffic while simultaneously reducing operating and real estate expenses.  This deployment demonstrates the continued momentum we see for our Gainspeed Unified Cable Access solution in Europe.”―CT Bureau