Colt employs Cisco segment routing and eVPNs for 5G backhaul

Colt will deploy Cisco’s segment routing and Ethernet VPN (eVPN) based architecture to deliver its wholesale 5G backhaul.

Colt said that by allowing MSPs to share connectivity costs while maintaining individual service level agreements (SLAs), its 5G backhaul will help its MSP customers deliver 5G services to end-users faster and with lower subscription costs.

“We are focused on providing best-in-class, high bandwidth, on-demand connectivity solutions to meet our customers’ ever-growing business needs and the arrival of 5G presents exciting opportunities,” said Peter Coppens, Vice President, Product Portfolio at Colt. “We have worked closely with Cisco to design a network architecture that is simple to operate, highly available, and capable of delivering the innovative network services that are required for 5G.”

Cisco’s programmable-routing architecture for advanced 5G service enablement will enable the Colt IQ Network to be extended to customers directly using standards-based APIs. The companies describe this as a breakthrough in automation for next-generation 5G backhaul requirements, enabling self-provisioned bandwidth scaling and guaranteed SLA services or network slices based on latency and bandwidth demands.

“With every new mobile technology comes complexity, and 5G is no different. We are proud to support Colt as a strategic partner in its mission to simplify 5G deployments,” said  Sumeet Arora, SVP and GM Service Provider RoutingCisco. “Cisco’s highly programmable segment routing architecture will enable Colt to lower the barriers of entry for MSPs, reducing costs and significantly speeding up the delivery of 5G services.”