BellSouth named Alcatel as its preferred supplier of IP DSLAMs over the next three years. The agreement extends Alcatel's existing strategic supplier relationship with BellSouth for DSL equipment. Specifically, Alcatel will provide IP DSLAMs from its Intelligent Services Access Manager (ISAM) family for enabling Triple Play services. Financial terms were not disclosed.
BellSouth is testing the Alcatel 7330 and 7302 products with ADSL2+ to provide triple play services at rates up to 24 Mbps per household.
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- In the wake to the 2004 FCC ruling exempting Fiber-to- the-Curb (FTTC) loops from unbundling requirements, BellSouth said it plans to increase the number of homes it annually equips with an advanced fiber platform by 40% in 2005. More than half of BellSouth households are currently served by fiber-fed, short copper loops (<5000ft).
- In January 2005, BellSouth announced a technical trial of Microsoft TV Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) Edition software platform over its DSL network.
- BellSouth passed the two million DSL customer milestone in November 2004. BellSouth originally launched its Internet services group in August 1996 before debuting FastAccess DSL two years later in August 1998. Its network reaches nearly 1,600 central offices and approximately 18,000 remote terminals. BellSouth also currently serves one million dial-up Internet subscribers.
- In November 2004, BellSouth awarded a new broadband supplier contract to Westell Technologies for its remotely-manageable DSL modem. BellSouth will begin shipment of the Westell modem to DSL subscribers beginning next month. The two companies agreed to a new one-year agreement that builds upon the supplier relationship that has been in place for several years. As BellSouth's primary CPE supplier since 2002. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Westell's ProLine modem use Texas Instruments' AR7 chip designed to support ADSL2+. The modems conform to the DSL Forum's Technical Report TR-069 specification for enabling remote management. - In October 2004, SBC Communications selected Alcatel as its primary network infrastructure and services supplier for Project Lightspeed. The deal is estimated to be worth $1.7 billion to Alcatel over the next five years.
