KT Deploys I-WDM (Intelligent WDM) Network Based On Meriton Networks Agile Optical Networking Solutions

Source: Press Release
April 19, 2006 - Ottawa, Canada and Seoul, Korea

Robust AON Architecture Gives Korea’s Largest Communications Service Provider the Scalability and Flexibility to Meet Rapidly Growing, Continually Changing Bandwidth Demands

KT Corp., formerly Korea Telecom, the largest provider of communication services in Korea and Meriton Networks Inc., specialists in Agile Optical Networking, today announced the deployment of KT’s next generation I-WDM (Intelligent WDM) network. A scalable, flexible infrastructure featuring the Meriton Agile Optical Networking (AON) architecture, the I-WDM network is designed to allow KT to meet the explosive growth in its optical network, while providing the network agility it will need to efficiently and cost-effectively support future broadband service developments.

According to the OECD 2005 Broadband Statistics Report, Korea continues to be the leading nation for broadband penetration. As the incumbent communications provider, KT was an early adopter of broadband access technologies for key applications such as video gaming, VOD, and IPTV. Now, to address the critical next step of incorporating capacity and agility in the metro network, KT has selected the Meriton AON architecture.

With the equipment in its existing networks quickly approaching capacity limits, and increasing demand for high-speed Internet and multimedia services among its customers, KT wanted a flexible, easy to deploy, and easy to use network infrastructure capable of demand-driven expansion. This required an inherently scalable infrastructure capable of supporting all types of services and network topologies – including ring, ring-to-ring, and mesh – with capabilities like wavelength translation and wavelength switching. With KT’s reputation for reliability, and a customer base that expects no down times for broadband services, it was also critical that the new network provide redundancy on all components and links for protection against any network or equipment failures that might occur.

After a thorough review of vendor offerings and a vigorous test process, KT selected the Meriton solution because it best met all scalability and flexibility requirements necessary for its next generation infrastructure. Deployed in the I-WDM network are the Meriton 7200 OSP (Optical Switching Platform) and the 8600 NMS (Network Management System), which by simplifying and automating the complex provisioning of optical services, is allowing KT to provision new services rapidly. With the AON-based, I-WDM infrastructure, KT can quickly react to and accommodate its customers’ changing service and bandwidth needs.

“As Korea’s leading provider of communications services, we pride ourselves in offering our customers the latest, most advanced communications solutions – quickly, efficiently, cost-effectively, and with the highest level of reliability,” said Mr. Kim Yong Soo, assistant vice president of the Transmission Department within KT’s Network Group. “Meriton’s AON architecture gives us the scalability and flexibility option we need to offer the most innovative services while continuing to meet our customers’ exacting reliability expectations and our own internal cost requirements.”

“As a Tier 1 service provider, KT is seeing phenomenal broadband growth, which is driving the need for additional capacity in its metro network,” said Mike Pascoe, president and CEO of Meriton Networks. “We are thrilled that our AON solution is helping KT solve this critical business and technical challenge. KT’s selection of our Agile Optical Networking solution is a strong indicator of the market traction our proven solutions are enjoying among some of the largest network operators in the world. The architecture’s robustness, flexibility, reliability and ‘future-proof’ capabilities are resonating with network operators as they seek out the best methods for meeting the requirements of the Broadband Revolution.”

The Meriton Networks AON Architecture
Meriton Networks has developed the industry’s first truly unified, end-to-end AON solution. Designed to give network operators unparalleled flexibility and operational simplicity with the lowest total cost of ownership, the Meriton AON portfolio brings together a series of ‘best-in-class’ products under a unified management system. This approach uniquely allows network operators to build out optical networks with true flexibility, including a choice of technology (OEO or WSS-based ROADMs) and architectural deployment (ring and mesh). With its inherently flexible design and ability to grow and change along with a network operator’s business, the Meriton AON architecture allows network operators to effectively launch high-speed consumer broadband and business Ethernet and SAN service offerings, despite the uncertainties that exist today in unpredictable traffic patterns, changing service mixes, and an evolving regulatory environment. A ‘future-proof’ infrastructure capable of multi-service, multi-topology support, the Meriton AON architecture addresses the competitive pressures facing network operators by supporting rapid service deployment with one-time node engineering and zero-touch, automated provisioning, while reducing capital and operational costs.